Well Preserved
The Well Preserved news col
umn is prepared by Lancaster
County Cooperative Extension.
It includes food preservation
information and questions.
Vacuum Packaging
Several models of vacuum
packaging machines are available
to consumers. Some create the
vacuum in plastic packaging ma
terials similar to freezer bags
while others are capable of re
moving air from specially de
signed jars. At first glance, they
appear to be nifty machines to
enhance food storage with fresh
er, higher quality food. Closer
analysis provides some risks as
well as benefits.
How does vacuum packaging
work? Producing a vacuum
means removing air from the
contents of a package.
What are the advantages of
vacuum packaging foods for stor
age? Oxygen in the air promotes
certain reactions in foods that
cause rancidity of fats and color
changes. Removing air may ex
tend the storage time of refriger
ated foods, dried foods, and fro
zen foods.
Are there any risks to vacuum
packaging foods? Yes, it may
raise the danger of increased
growth of disease-causing bacte
ria such as botulism. Removal of
oxygen does not eliminate the
possibility for all bacterial
growth. The bacteria most likely
to be eliminated are ones that
cause spoilage in the form of
odors, color, sliminess, etc. These
are bacteria that need oxygen.
However, pathogenic bacteria
that cause illness thrive in low
oxygen environments and repro
Extension Offers
Quilt Workshop
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) “The Ripple
of the Star in the Mountains” is the quUt chosen
for the Lancaster County Extension’s sewing
workshop #6l at Farm and Home Center on Ar
cadia Road. The quilt will be on display in the of
fice three weeks before the class begins.
The class is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6
from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. and the cost is $35.
The instructor will be Carol Lee Shirk. Class
minimum is four (4) persons and the maximum,
eight (8). A sewing machine is required.
The deadline for registration is Friday, Nov.
21. A deadline is necessary because a list of sup
plies needed must to be sent to registrants. No re
fund for cancellations can be made after the
deadline. For more information, contact: exten
sion office at (717) 394-6851.
The registration slip must include: Name of
workshop and #; cost; name; address; phone
number at home and/or work. Check payable to
“Agricultural Extension” for amount of fee must
accompany registration. Send to: Workshops,
Penn State Cooperative Extension, 1383 Arcadia
Road, Room 1, Lancaster, PA 17601-3184.
duce quickly in vacuum-pack
aged foods. Without the competi
tion from spoilage bacteria, some
of these pathogens will reproduce
even more quickly. Pathogenic
bacteria may cause the food to be
unsafe and yet show no signs to
warn the consumer.
According to Elizabeth An
dress, from the National Center
for Home Food Preservation,
foods that are vacuum packaged
must still be refrigerated or fro
zen at proper temperatures and
vacuum packaging is not a sub
stitute for the heat processing of
home canned foods.
How should perishable vacu
um packaged materials be han
dled? Practice safe food handling
practices at all times.
Refrigeration below 40F is crit
ical for storage of low-acid vacu
um-packaged foods that aren’t
canned or frozen. Vacuum pack
aged foods only benefit from the
reduction of oxygen in the envi
ronment. Frozen foods that are
vacuum packaged require proper
thawing under conditions that
minimize bacterial growth. Thaw
them in the refrigerator or in the
microwave oven. Food thawed in
the microwave oven must be
cooked immediately.
If the food thaws in the vacu
um packaging, an anaerobic en
vironment still exists that can fos
ter growth of anaerobic bacteria.
Perishable food that is vacuum
packaged should not be out of
the refrigerator any longer that
two hours total time. Food that
needs to be refrigerated without
vacuum packaging still needs to
be refrigerated even when it is
vacuum packaged. Food needs to
be packaged
under extremely
clean conditions
with sanitized equipment and
work surfaces. Raw meats, poul
try and seafood should be cooked
thoroughly to recommended tem
peratures before eating
Can vacuum packaging be
used for storing dried foods such
as dried nuts or crackers? Prod
ucts like this are low enough in
moisture that bacterial growth is
prevented. Vacuum packaging
dried fruits, vegetables, and jerky
prevents re-absorption of mois
ture from the air.
Is a vacuum packaging ma
chine needed? One needs to ask if
the amount of the investment is
worth the uses for the appliance.
Initial cost ranges from about
$lOO to $3OO for a home model.
Special packaging materials are
an additional cost.
Traditional freezing and can
ning procedures will produce
high quality products with rea
sonable shelf life if proper proce
dures are used. Storing dried
foods in air-tight storage con
tainers will also keep them of
high quality for a reasonable pe
riod of time for normal usage.
If you have food preservation
questions, a home economist is
available to answer questions on
Wednesdays 10:00 a.m.1:00 p.tn.,
call (717) 394-6851 or write Penn
State Cooperative Extension,
Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia
Rd., Rm.l, Lancaster, PA, 17601.
Shorthorn Market Steer
Grand Champion At
Frederick Fair Show
Mark Butler,Jr., Emmits
burg, Md., is shown with
his champion Angus steer
at the Frederick Fair mar
ket steer show.
FREDERICK, Md. At the
Frederick Fair Market Steer
Show, the Shorthorn steer cham
pion of Charles Kreitz 111 from
Frederick went on to be chosen
the grand champion by the judge,
Jimmy Williams from Boling
Green, Tex.
Chosen reserve grand champi
on of the show was the champion
crossbred steer of Jacob Wolfrey
from White Post, Va.
The reserve champion Short
horn steer was also shown by
Kreitz. The reserve champion
crossbred steer was shown by
Tyler Fitzwater.
Other top class winners were;
ANGUS: champion, Mark
Butler Jr. from Emmitsburg; re
serve champion, Heather Willis
from Union Bridge, Md.
HEREFORD; champion,
Kayla Baer, Frederick, Md.; re
serve champion, Bradley Seiss,
Thurmont, Md.
LIMOUSIN: champion, Jor
don Fox, Jefferson, Md.; reserve
champion, Zachary Willard,
Smithsburg, Md.
Northampton County Extension
Annual Meeting Nov. 17
NAZARETH (Northampton
Co. ) Dr. Lynn Brown, Penn
State associate professor of food
science, will be the featured
speaker at the annual meeting of
Northampton County Coopera
tive Extension, Monday evening
at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 17.
Dr. Brown will speak on
“What’s New in the Supermar
ket?” and will provide updates on
current food topics and issues
such as genetically engineered,
organic and conventional pro-
01, SUS( HJEHANNA
QSb, I ’UINTING
Charles Kreitz, 111, Fred
erick, Md., is pictured with
his shorthorn steer, the
grand champion at the
Frederick Fair market steer
show.
Kayla Baer, Frederick,
Md., is shown with her
grand champion Hereford
steer at the Frederick Fair
market steer show.
Top winners in Beef Show
manship chosen by Williams
were; master showman, Mark
Butler Jr.; senior showman,
Heather Willis; intermediate
showman, Cory Kreitz; junior
showman, Jessica Clarke; first
year champion, Konnar Miller.
duce what they are and how to
tell them apart; functional foods;
trans-fatty acids; food labeling;
and health claim changes for the
future.
The program will be conducted
at the Star Grange on Route 512
in Moorestown. It is free of
charge. Refreshments following
the meeting will be available for a
$5 fee. Reservations to attend
should be made by Nov. 10. Call
(610)746-1970.
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