Vacuum packing food products

Application

Vacuum packing food productsVacuum packing of;

  • Cooked meat.
  • Smoked sausage.
  • Chicken products.
  • Semi-cooked meat products.
  • Offal, wet and hot.
  • Barbecue packets.
  • Snacks.
  • Soups and sauces.
  • Sliced cheese.
  • Hotel blocks of cheese.
  • Grated cheese.
  • Wet cheese after refining.
  • Tin cans of milk powder and vacuum bells.
  • Closing machines.

The question

The food product industry uses various techniques to pack products in a protected atmosphere, such as packing finished products in consumer packaging. The objective is to extend the shelf life and therefore prevent decay. Vacuum packing is one of these techniques.

Cause of decay

Result of vacuum packing

Microbiological No oxygen present , therefore less growth of micro-organisms
Chemical Air does not affect product, therefore hygienic
Breakdown of fats Delays the breakdown of fats

Many products are packed in vacuum bags or foil. Nowadays the packing is also often made atmospheric after being vacuumised, closed and sealed by aeration with an inert gas such as nitrogen or a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. See the table at the bottom of the page for the theoretical values for the amount of residual oxygen in relation to the vacuum achieved.

There are many types of machines for vacuum packing such as:

  • Vacuum tray sealers
  • Chamber machines and double chamber machines.
  • Belt sealing machines.
  • Top sealing machines.
  • Carousel machines.
  • Vertical moulding and closing machines.

Simple machines usually have a separate vacuum pump or a vacuum pump set in or next to the machine. However many manufacturers of food products have several vacuum machines for various lines. In these cases it would be advantageous to set up the pumps centrally in a separate pump room.

Systematic Vacuumg vacuum packing

Vacuum packing food productsSystematic Vacuum offers a turnkey solution for a complete central vacuum system for multiple packing machines. The construction of the installation will be determined by the specifications of the packing machines, pipeline lengths, available existing pumps, required pressures and speeds and synchronism.

Characteristics – advantages

  1. No heat introduction by separate pumps in the usually cooled area.
  2. No noise in the production area.
  3. Space-saving.
  4. High energy savings due to central set-up.
  5. Profit from speed; the vacuum time is shorter due to the immediate pressure equalisation between the central pipeline and the vacuum machine, therefore profit in cycle times.
  6. Lower maintenance costs.

High quality technology

The system makes use of the pumps signed off by the existing packing machine.

Systematic Vacuum provides the packing control and can also modify the machines. Systematic Vacuum develops specific software for the control, designed for controlling and regulating the vacuum pressures and capacities.

References

The largest manufacturers of cooked meats, sliced cheese and powder milk are customers of Systematic Vacuum, who have had many years of experience in central vacuum systems for various types of products and capacities. For instance in the connection of one or more large chamber machines to a pump group. Systematic Vacuum has developed a system that has been used for years by various customers. Systematic Vacuum specific knowledge of vacuum packing difficult products such as wet offal, salted products, soups and snacks also offers the company great additional value.

Ask our customers about their experiences. Here you can read about the experiences of a foodstuff producer.

* The theoretical values for the amount of residual oxygen in relation to the vacuum achieved

Pressure     in mbara

% vacuum

% residual air

% residual oxygen

1000 0 100 21
500 50 50 10,5
200 80 20 4,2
100 90 10 2,1
50 95 5 1
20 98 2 0,42
10 99 1 0,21
5 99,5 0,5 0,1
2 99,8 0,2 0,04
1 99,1 0,1 0,02