How long does vacuum-sealed pork last in the freezer is something that many people are wondering. Which products are suitable for vacuum freezing? What are the benefits of food preservation by vacuum freezing method? This is a question many of us ask. Join us to find the answer to this problem.
Why should vacuum be used to preserve food?
Vacuum environment does not contain oxygen, carbon dioxide, dust, or bacteria which is the main cause of food spoilage.
Vacuum sealer machines create a relative vacuum environment by sucking all the air out and then closing the bag completely. This helps to prolong the shelf life of fresh food 3 to 5 times compared to conventional food preservation methods like using a box or plastic bag.
Further reading: Which is the Best Vacuum Sealer to Keep Food Fresh?
Benefits of vacuuming to preserve food
Keep food warm for longer
After the food is cooked, if you want to take it away and keep it warm, you just need to put the food in a special bag, then vacuum, seal the bag. Your food will stay warm longer without having to reheat.
Preserve the food freshness without using preservatives
Fresh foods such as seafood, meat, vegetables, and fruits, no matter how well you store them, will still lose certain nutritional content. Using vacuum method combined with low temperature environment to minimize food loss of nutrients. This method ensures to retain its freshness.
Vacuum sealers keep fats in foods from going rancid, keep foods from discoloring as they usually do in the freezer, and prevent them from becoming greasy or foul-smelling.
In addition, it has the ability of not dehydrating food to keep food fresh and avoid water leaking out of the freezer causing freezer burn. Vacuum seals the moisture and flavor of the food, so you will not feel much difference in taste after freezing and thawing.
Slow down the spoilage process, increase the food shelf life
The shelf life of frozen meat, grains, seafood in the freezer is about 6 months, but if using the vacuum method, it will last up to 2-3 years. Soft fruits in the refrigerator will last for 2-3 days but using the vacuum method will last 1 week. The same goes for jams, fruits, dry foods, etc.,. The preservation time will be much longer when using the vacuum method.
Avoid odor and bacterial infection
When there are too many raw and cooked foods in the freezer, they often cause an unpleasant odor and the risk of bacterial infection. To limit this, in addition to arranging food scientifically and rationally, vacuum sealing is also a good measure to minimize odors and bacteria when preserving food in and out of the freezer.
Vacuum deprives your food of oxygen, while mold and bacteria cannot grow without oxygen.
Time saving and cost saving
Easy to store and save time when packing snacks or vegetables and vacuum freezing.
You can buy food in bulk, then divide it into servings and store in the freezer to have fresh food for up to years (depending on the types of food).
Table comparing the storage time of conventional food and vacuum-packed food in the freezer
The vacuum method also helps to avoid the loss of nutrients in food, and preserves the freshness of the product. You can store more foods without the use of preservatives. Moreover, the vacuum will minimize the size of the food, and at the same time make the food placed next to each other do not mix odors. In addition, this method also retains the natural moisture of the food, without causing the food to evaporate water, prevent staining, food color loss caused by moisture in the air.
If you vacuum food when it’s very fresh and store it appropriately, it will keep for about 3-5 times longer than if you used other preservation methods. Here are specific examples:
| Kind of food | Normal storage | Vacuum storage |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh meats | 3-6 months | up to 3 year |
| Spices marinated meats | 3 months | up to 1 year |
| Fresh fish and seafood | 2 weeks | up to 6 months |
| Fruits and vegetables | 1 week | 2 months |
| Soup | 1-2 weeks | 1 month |
| Sausage | 6 months | up to 3 years |
| Cakes with cream | 1 week | 1 month |
| Different types of bread | 2 months | up to 6 months |
| Different types of biscuits | 1 month | 3 months |
How long does vacuum sealed pork last in the freezer?
Preserving pork by vacuum sealing is the best way to preserve pork for a long time. Vacuuming pork helps inhibit bacterial growth, but it won’t stop growth completely.
Vacuum packed pork frozen in low temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit will last for 2-3 years. If this low temperature is not maintained, it is likely that bacteria will grow. Pork can still be used if there is a change in temperature during storage, but you should be aware that its taste will be changed.
If you want to keep the maximum flavor of your pork, you need to be aware of some limitations of this preservation method. If you use vacuum-frozen pork to bake, its flavor will last up to three years. The good news is that the meat will still not be contaminated and spoiled.
However, to ensure the quality of pork after freezing, you need to handle the pork properly. You should put the vacuumed pork in a plastic bag and tie it tightly to protect it from burns in the freezer, to avoid changing the taste.
Factors affecting the shelf life of pork
There are several factors that can affect the shelf life of your frozen vacuum sealed pork.
Environmental conditions: Pork should be stored in a place with a stable temperature, without frequent temperature changes. Food storage environment must be clean, neatly arranged to facilitate the preservation process
Type of vacuum machine: Need a quality machine, sucking up all the air surrounding the food surface. At the same time, seal the bag tightly and firmly.
Freezer storage: Need a good and clean freezer. Freezers have a uniform freezing mechanism, stable temperature, no frequent temperature changes and avoid releasing much cold air to the outside, causing temperature changes to affect the preservation process.
Further reading: What Are the Best Cheap Freezers for Home?
Related questions
Vacuum sealed meat that has been frozen for two years – Can you eat it?
Yes, you can. But you must make sure your meat is stored properly and continuously below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. There will be good condition for bacteria to grow if the temperature is over 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides, yeast and molds can contaminate your vacuum-sealed meat.
However, after thawing the frozen pork, if you find something abnormal like bad odors, sticky or slimy, you should discard it.
How to avoid contamination after thawing the frozen meat
After you had thawed frozen meat, even after a period of 2 years, it is recommended to cook and eat it as soon as possible. Do not put it at room temperature any longer.
Bacteria in thawed meat will grow as quickly as in raw meat.
Meat like pork has big threat of the roundworm parasite which can survive in freezing process and may remain there. Therefore, you should cook the pork well to ensure no food contamination.
Cells in meat are broken down during freezing, so you must handle thawed meat carefully to prevent bacteria spread more readily.
How do you know if vacuum-sealed meat is spoiled?
During freezing process, the packaging may expand from the inside, called a blown pack. This is caused by gas being released when meat stretches the sides of the vacuum pack. Once you find this sign, it seems that the deterioration has occurred to the meat and affected its freshness. Check carefully, you need to dispose of meat if necessary. Other signs can be:
- Freezer burn: This is not dangerous because crystals may form just because of the high content of liquid in the meat, but it can be a sign that perhaps you should not consume the meat.
- Color changing: Your meat is discolored with brown color
- Foul smell: This is a sign that the freshness or the integrity of the meat has been changed.
Further reading: Is It Safe to Eat Freezer Burned Meat or Fish?
Conclusion
Vacuum preservation of food brings a lot of health benefits. Compared with conventional preservation methods, vacuum offers many advantages. Equip yourself with a quality freezer and vacuum sealer to ensure high efficiency.
Reference:
Vacuum Sealed Meat in the Freezer, survivalzest.com, Retrieved on Feb 12, 2022
