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Using MAGIC VAC
®
bags
Vacuum sealing for the freezer
First of all, use the freshest possible food. Your vacuum sealer will allow you to retain all the
freshness of the food if it is properly preserved. Some foods have a soft consistency which could
be damaged by vacuum sealing the product when fresh. To prepare delicate foods like meat,
fish, berries, bread, etc., it is advisable to pre-freeze them first. In the first twenty-four hours
there is no risk of freezer burns, so you can vacuum-seal the products frozen the previous day
in MAGIC VAC
®
bags, and then keep them in the freezer for long periods so as to preserve all
the nutritional values and flavour of the product you have packed. When vacuum sealing soups,
stews or other liquid food, pre-freeze it in a pan or high-strength dish. When the food becomes
solid, vacuum-seal it, add a label and replace in your freezer.
To vacuum-seal vegetables, peel them and then blanch them briefly in boiling water or a micro-
wave oven until they are warm but still firm. Then vacuum-seal them in convenient portions.
If the food is not pre-frozen, leave an extra 5 cm in the length of the bag to allow for expansion
due to freezing. With regard to meat and fish, it is advisable to place the food on a paper towel
and vacuum-seal it with the towel in the bag. This will absorb any moisture in the food.
To preserve food like focaccia, crêpes and small hamburgers, stack them on top of each other,
placing greaseproof paper or film between each piece. This will make it easier to remove some
of the food, repackage the rest and replace it immediately in the freezer.
Vacuum sealing for the fridge
Appropriate portions of food can be prepared in advance, then vacuum-sealed and kept in the
fridge for use at different times, ready to be heated as and when necessary.
Vacuum sealing for the pantry
Even foods that can keep at room temperature (like, for example, coffee, flour, pasta, sugar, etc.)
can benefit from vacuum sealing. If these products are to remain unused for several days, such
as when you go away on holiday, it is advisable to protect all foods by vacuum sealing. They will
keep better and moisture, mould and insects will not attack and ruin them.
Defrosting food in bags
To defrost vacuum-sealed food such as meat, fish, fruit, vegetables or other delicate foodstuffs,
place it on the lowest shelf in the fridge to defrost slowly. Bread and focaccia should be left at
room temperature, while soups or other liquid foods should be immersed in hot water still
in the vacuum bags until they reach the right temperature. When you leave food at room tempe-
rature or heat it in a bain-marie, make sure you cut one corner of the bag to let the steam
escape. When the food has been defrosted, it must be consumed immediately. Do not re-freeze it.
Repackaging pre-packed food
Many foodstuffs, like cheese and meat, are sold pre-packed in factory-prepared vacuum bags.
To retain the flavour and freshness of these foods, repackage them in MAGIC VAC
®
bags after
the factory package has been opened.
Pre-packed foods must always be consumed by the use-by date shown on the original
package. They must also be handled with the greatest care and hygiene when repackaging.
Useful tips...
• For food with tapered ends or sharp edges, like bones and spaghetti, pad the edges with
paper towels to prevent perforating the bag.
• In order to avoid the suction of liquids when vacuuming very damp food (like e. g. meat or
blanched vegetables) you can additionally wrap it in cling film or place a kitchen tissue inside
at the front edge of the bag so that escaping liquid is soaked up.
