Examine seal of bag. A wrinkle along the seal may cause leakage and allow air to enter. Simply cut bag and reseal. Sometimes moisture or food material (such as juices, grease, crumbs, powders, etc.) along seal prevents bag from sealing properly. Cut bag open, wipe top inside of bag and reseal. See pages 2-3 for guidelines for specific foods.
If you are vacuum packaging sharp food items, bag may have been punctured. Use a new bag if there is a hole. Cover sharp food items with a soft cushioning material and reseal. If you are still experiencing difficulty with air in your bag, fermentation or the release of natural gases from inside the foods may have occurred. When this happens, food may have begun to spoil and should be discarded.
If your bag melts, Sealing Strip may have become too hot. Always wait at least 20 seconds for the appliance to cool down before you vacuum package another item unless you are using the Professional II. This model allows you to vacuum package at least 50 consecutive bags without allowing time for the appliance to cool down.
Yes. The bags are made of materials that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined to be safe for food use.
Yes, the bags are recyclable under the "Other" category. Please follow the recycling guidelines and requirements of your local municipality.
Yes. The bags are ideal for the freezer because they will keep all air and moisture out, preventing food from getting freezer burn and becoming dry and tasteless.
Yes. You can heat cooked foods, such as leftovers, in a FoodSaver® bag. The bags should never be used to cook raw foods. When microwaving, cut open a corner of the bag before putting it in the microwave so steam can escape. Avoid microwaving foods containing a lot of oil, as oil will get hot very quickly and could cause the sides of the bag to stick together.
Yes. Just cut off the existing seal, remove as much food as you need, then re-vacuum package. Be sure to wipe off any food or grease residue inside the bag near the seal area. You can also re-seal FoodSaver® Bags after you have washed them.
Yes, but it depends on the previous contents of the bag. Bags that previously contained fruits, vegetables, breads and dry goods can be washed and reused. Bags that contained raw meats, fish, eggs or un-pasteurized cheese should be discarded after use because they may contain invisible bacteria that will remain after washing. Bags that contained greasy or oily foods should also be discarded, as they may be difficult to clean. FoodSaver® Bags can be washed by hand. Dry completely. They can then be re-vacuumed.
To vacuum package with the FoodSaver®, you must use the FoodSaver® Bags. They are specially designed to be strong enough for vacuum packaging and the waffle pattern in the bag is a patented design that makes sure air does not get caught in pockets around the food. FoodSaver® Bags have five layers, including an outer layer of nylon. This configuration completely prevents air and moisture from getting back into the bag and prevents odors from getting out or in. Other plastic bags allow air to seep through.
If you want to use your FoodSaver® appliance to re-seal, but not vacuum package a bag (without removing the air first) you can use it on Mylar type (strong, thin polyester) or stiff plastic bags, not any other types. For example, you can re-seal potato chip bags.
A good way to test a bag is to just seal both ends of the bag-do not vacuum seal the bag. Submerge the bag in water for a few seconds and look for bubbles in the bag itself or near the seal strip area. If there are bubbles, the bag is defective.
Be sure you do not place the bag over the black gasket, or into the vacuum channel. Lay the end of the bag on the seal bar only, then close the lid, lock the clips (if necessary), then press the "on" button (or the lid).
Our FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls are designed for FoodSaver® units only. The sealing bar on your unit may either be too hot, which will melt the bags, or too cool, which will result in a bag that is not sealed properly.
They are made of polyethylene (a type of plastic) with an outer layer of nylon for added strength and rigidity.
Try cutting off about 1/2 inch from the end of the bag. It is possible that the very end of the roll was compressed when rolled. Also, make sure you have made a straight cut. Check to see if you have the end of the bag over the gasket or into the vacuum channel. It should only go up to the gasket, no further.
Place the embossed (rough) side down. If the bag is curling (the end of the roll may do this), place the curled side down over the seal bar and can be used either side up.
Other plastic bags are usually made of one layer of polyethylene (a type of plastic). FoodSaver® Bags are 5-layer including an outer layer of nylon. The nylon layer not only makes the bags stronger, it also creates a complete air, moisture and odor barrier. Unlike other bags, FoodSaver® Bags can be simmered in water or microwaved (so you can reheat leftovers or pre-cooked dinners).
Only place bags with frozen food inside the simmering water. The coldness of the food will keep the bag from becoming too hot while the food is heating up. If the food in the bag was frozen, but the bag split anyway, your bags are most likely defective.
1. Cut the desired amount of roll material.
2. Press Seal Button. The red seal light will illuminate.
3. Insert open end of bag into Vacuum Channel until clamp motor starts. The roll material must be centered between arrows. Continue to hold until clamp motor stops.
4. When red seal light turns off, sealing is complete.
The Seal will be effective with either clear side or textured side up. However, if the bag is curling (the end of the roll may do this), place the curled side down to allow for smooth and easy bag insertion.
Ensure bag is flat and smooth and you have allowed three inches of space between the open end of the bag and the contents inside the bag.
If making a Seal to create a bag, first press the Seal button before inserting the bag. Hold the bag with two hands so the end curls DOWNWARD, gently stretch the bag flat while inserting. Insert a corner about one-half inch of Bag into center of Channel, then rotate bag into channel to activate both flags (on upper bag detection tray). Insert and wiggle side-to-side, while holding with two hands. Insert bag until the clamp motor begins and continue to hold unit the clamp motor stops.
It is not recommended to vacuum package soft breads such as white bread. French bread and hard rolls must be frozen first, then vacuum packed.
Insects and their larvae cannot survive in a low oxygen environment, such as that created when you vacuum package your dry foods such as flour, cornstarch, corn meal and cereals.
There is no difference in the design or the quality of the bags. GameSaver® bags and rolls are conveniently packaged with multiple rolls. FoodSaver® rolls are sold individually.
FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls have not changed. The FoodSaver® bags are still made from the same, highest quality materials. We realize there are other storage methods, like foils, wraps and zipper bags, but these do not provide the same long term protection against freezer burn and spoilage as the patented FoodSaver® Sealing System. Our unique system takes the air our and keeps it out by creating a durable, airtight Heat Seal.
All FoodSaver® bags are multi-layered and are 4mm thick.