Retort Bags vs Mylar for Canning

How does one know if they are buying actual retort bags designed for canning or Mylar bags not designed for canning? 

Although big companies have retort bags made in any size, color, shape they desire.  For those of us buying just the few hundred for our own personal use, there really is only one bag consistently on the market you can be sure is designed for retort canning.    The bag has this writing on it. It is gold and comes in 2oz, 4oz, 8oz, and 16oz no gusset, a basic flat pouch.

All other products you should ask for the specs from the seller.  There are many sellers now a days pushing foil bags in all types and colors as retort.  The concern here is chemicals in the bags that will be released with the extreme heat.  Retorts are BPA and chemical free.  Also the air barrier properties of the bag will most likely be far less than that of retort pouches thus lessening the storage time and increasing the spoilage ratio. 

Be careful when you buy if the bags do not have this FDA printing. Ask for the exact specs and information certifying it as a retort canning bag before using it. 

Retort Canning of non acid foods has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for the home canner. Can at your own risk! We are expressing our experiences but by no way are these experiences authorized data.

Bad Retorts!

We have had several people ask how can one tell if a retort bag has gone bad? 

The answers are:

1. Can you smell the product? There should be no odor just like smelling a can on the shelf. If you are able to smell the product good or bad do not eat it.
2. Has the bag puffed up like a balloon?  The seals do not need to be open and the bag can be clean with out any moisture.  But if it has blown up puffy like a partially inflated ballon or even gone so bad as a tight ballon.  Do not open it or eat it.
3. An obvious open seam that has been on a shelf for more than one hour do not eat it.
4. To be extremely safe reheat all canned products back to a boil for 3 minutes before consuming. This will kill all harmful bacteria.  

Really the same principles apply for retort bags as any other canned product when in doubt don't eat it.

Call us if you have any questions about your retort canning projects.
Toll Free USA and Canada  800-227-3769 

See us online at http://www.vacuumpacker.com

Retort Canning of non acid foods has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners. Can at your own risk! We are expressing our experiences,  by no way are these experiences authorized data.

Fast Food

Fast Food Making your own vacuum-packed “cup of soup” meals Just about everyone is familiar with the “cup of soup”—prepackaged foam containers with instant noodles, dehydrated vegetables, and flavoring. Just pour boiling water into the container, wait a few minutes, and you have a ready-made meal. But did you know that you can make your own instant soup with a vacuum-sealing machine? It's easier than you think, and comes with a lot of great benefits. The advantages of homemade soup packets
One of the best things about making your own cup of soup packages is that they're healthier than instant store brands. You can prepare them using fresher ingredients, and the vacuum packing process keeps more nutrients in food for longer times. Vacuum sealing also preserves flavors, so your soup will taste better. Homemade soup packets are inexpensive, especially when you buy the ingredients in bulk. They're fairly easy to prepare, and don't take a lot of time to assemble and package. In addition, vacuum-packed dehydrated food takes up less space, so you can store more.
Making your own ready-to-cook soup is a great way to prepare for emergency survival conditions. You can also bring a bunch along on camping or fishing trips, or use them as a quick, nutritious meal anytime.
How to make them To prepare your homemade soup packets, you'll need a vacuum sealing machine and a food dehydrator. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can dry out vegetables either at low temperatures in your oven, or with solar power—simply place sliced or cubed vegetables between two screens and lay them outside on a sunny day. However, the USDA cautions against using these methods for drying meat, due to the risk of salmonella. You should use a dehydrator for meat, purchase pre-dehydrated meat or jerky, or use textured vegetable protein (TVP) in place of meat. also offers pre-cooked dehydrated Chicken, Beef and Sausage by the pound or in bulk. This is a long term storage meat already used in many prepackaged meals.
Place quick-cooking pasta or instant rice in a vacuum packing bag, and then add dehydrated vegetables, powdered or cubed bullion for flavoring, and dehydrated meat or TVP. Seal the bag according to the instructions for your vacuum-sealing machine—remember to leave at least an inch or two at the end of the bag to ensure a good seal.
When you're ready to prepare your soup, simply drop the bags into boiling water for a few minutes, and you'll have a hot, tasty meal, ready to eat.
A great solution for emergency food storage and more Whether you want to build up your stock for potential emergency survival situations, or just want to have quick, easy, and portable meals at the ready, making your own dehydrated, vacuum-packed soups and other convenient rations is a great way to be prepared for anything.
Article is copywrite PMG 2012. All use of this article must have all links active. Words By Melissa

VacUpack 4 mil Rolls

They have arrrived. The VacUpack 4 mil roll for use in home style vacuum sealers. The 4 mil rolls are the thickest, toughest, bag material on the market today for home style vacuum packers. Again we have surpassed the industry standard. Professional Marketing Group Inc. delivers top quality superior to retail products.

Most bags found on the retail market are becomming thinner and thinner. Most retail brands are 2 mil, 2.5 mil and a very rare 3.0 mil bag. Some will boast a 3.5 mil but it is easy to test the quality to compare.

The VacUpack 4 mil rolls are thicker and better quality in test after test.

Here is how you test at home without special testing equipment for plastics.

Take a 6 inch section of bag material. Make a small cut in the manufactures side seam just to the edge of the bag. Then try to tear the bag apart. Go slowly and feel the resistance. Does it tear like celophane? Or can you feel the threads of nylon and stiffer resistance in the bag material. Fiber mesh liners are not the bag material and offer little or no structural substance. You are testing the actual bag not the liners.

Most retail brand bags are very thin and tear like celophane. The VacUpack rolls do not tear the same with much resistance in the bag material. How this helps you, a better quality bag will break open less often, be easier to reuse, and hold for much long periods of time in the freezer. A lower poly content and higher nylon content equals a tougher bag it is also more expensive to produce. It is just a better wrap!

Give the 4 mil VacUpack rolls a try. They come in the new 6"x20' the standard 8"x20' and the new 11.5"x20

Use less material, have better success, and longer shelf life with the products you vacuum pack with a better quality bag. You can find them for sale follow this link.
http://www.cookshacksmartsmoker.com/

http://www.vacuumpacker.com/

http://stores.ebay.com/Vacuum-Packers-Sealer_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm