How does Vacuum Packing retain the freshness of Fish products?
What is Vacuum Packaging?
Vacuum packaging helps in the easy handling of products, by enclosing the product in a flexible membrane with a low oxygen permeability. Vacuum packing involves removing the air from the pack and maintaining the space around the product oxygen-free. By eliminating gases from the packing environment, it creates an anaerobic environment and as a result, prevents the growth of germs that cause product spoiling and extends shelf life. Its major goal is to stop oxidation processes such as lipid oxidation, vitamin loss, oxidative browning, colour degradation, etc. Additional benefits of vacuum packing include volume reduction, cost-efficiency, and increased stiffness of flexible items.
This also prevents freeze burn and chilling injury when the product is stored at -18°C and gives a shelf life of 1-2 years.
Why Vacuum packaging has been chosen as a packaging technique at VTF for Fish based premium lean protein?
Fish being a meat product it is highly perishable when its left in the open pouches / bags it results in high level microbial activity on the meat that results in degradation / decay of the product and this leads to food borne illness in the consumers.
The above images show how fish products are currently sold in open plastic bags to consumers
VTF aims at delivering premium quality of fish based lean protein without any loss or changes in its nutritional values in a safe & hygienic way and to achieve this Vacuum packaging technique has been used.
Vacuum packaging helps in retaining colour, texture, flavour, Freshness of the produce and keeps the Fish odourless when stored at 0-4° C it helps in preserving the nutritional values of the fish and and it helps in avoiding direct/in-direct and cross-contamination of the product. Vacuum packing also prevents moisture formation inside the bag and increases the shelf life of the product.
The above images show how VTF ensures that - safety, hygiene & freshness are retained by vacuum packaging of its fish products.
This blog was written by Mr. Rohit D - MTech in Food Technology and a Senior Quality Executive at Vridhi Techno Farms Private Limited (VTF).