Post by tomatoes on Aug 31, 2017 10:11:07 GMT 10
What "dry" food would you not vacuum seal?
If the absence of oxygen increases the risk for Botulism, do you believe there are foods that should not be vacuum sealed?
I am in the habit of vacuum sealing just about anything I can, so far with good results. One of the bulk foods that I buy is raw nuts (almonds and cashews), and I have compared how fresh and crunchy they taste after freezing and after vac sealing, and the vac sealing wins easily. I'm pleased about that as I'd prefer to not use power for food storage where possible. But the other day I read (just on a blog, not on an official gov food safety site or anything) that nuts were at risk of botulism when vac sealed. I certainly don't boil them for 10 min before eating, so I do need to be sure they're safe. I have done some searching to try to find out if this really is a risk, and I find lots of sources saying to vac seal nuts, but nothing that actually discusses it. I've searched to find how much moisture is left in nuts, and it seems to me that the moisture level should be low enough to avoid botulism. I would just like to be really sure it is safe though.
Another food that I have read shouldn't be vac sealed is dehydrated potatoes. I wish I could find the site where I read it but I've searched and searched and can't find it. At the time I remember being completely convinced and thinking that I'd just never dehydrate potatoes but would buy them. I even read of a commercial producer who said they don't vac seal their dehydrated potatoes because of the risk - although they do vac seal other food. But I'm having trouble finding dehydrated potatoes that don't have lots of added junk, especially as they all have added dairy which upsets my stomach if I have much. I'm thinking that if I dry potatoes enough to blend them to a powder, surely they mu
And then it makes me wonder about other vac sealed dehydrated veg. I've been sealing up anything I dry as it should extend the shelf life considerably, but what if there is a tiny bit of veg in there that is not quite dry enough? I do dry it for a lot longer than the books say, and I check that it is all crunchy, but if I missed a bit that didn't dry, then vac sealed it, would the issue be much worse than mould? Mould needs air to grow though so by vac sealing, you would not have the signs of moisture from mould, yet you would be creating an environment that allows botulism, which is, of course, much worse.
Any thoughts on this?
If the absence of oxygen increases the risk for Botulism, do you believe there are foods that should not be vacuum sealed?
I am in the habit of vacuum sealing just about anything I can, so far with good results. One of the bulk foods that I buy is raw nuts (almonds and cashews), and I have compared how fresh and crunchy they taste after freezing and after vac sealing, and the vac sealing wins easily. I'm pleased about that as I'd prefer to not use power for food storage where possible. But the other day I read (just on a blog, not on an official gov food safety site or anything) that nuts were at risk of botulism when vac sealed. I certainly don't boil them for 10 min before eating, so I do need to be sure they're safe. I have done some searching to try to find out if this really is a risk, and I find lots of sources saying to vac seal nuts, but nothing that actually discusses it. I've searched to find how much moisture is left in nuts, and it seems to me that the moisture level should be low enough to avoid botulism. I would just like to be really sure it is safe though.
Another food that I have read shouldn't be vac sealed is dehydrated potatoes. I wish I could find the site where I read it but I've searched and searched and can't find it. At the time I remember being completely convinced and thinking that I'd just never dehydrate potatoes but would buy them. I even read of a commercial producer who said they don't vac seal their dehydrated potatoes because of the risk - although they do vac seal other food. But I'm having trouble finding dehydrated potatoes that don't have lots of added junk, especially as they all have added dairy which upsets my stomach if I have much. I'm thinking that if I dry potatoes enough to blend them to a powder, surely they mu
And then it makes me wonder about other vac sealed dehydrated veg. I've been sealing up anything I dry as it should extend the shelf life considerably, but what if there is a tiny bit of veg in there that is not quite dry enough? I do dry it for a lot longer than the books say, and I check that it is all crunchy, but if I missed a bit that didn't dry, then vac sealed it, would the issue be much worse than mould? Mould needs air to grow though so by vac sealing, you would not have the signs of moisture from mould, yet you would be creating an environment that allows botulism, which is, of course, much worse.
Any thoughts on this?