Mushrooms are a very popular food with consumers and are often available on the market as dried mushrooms in vacuum-sealed packaging. This technique increases the product’s shelf life, creating an optimal barrier effect to maintain the product’s nutritional and organoleptic properties.
But how do you store vacuum-sealed dried mushrooms? We’ll provide some useful tips on how to store mushrooms in vacuum-sealed packaging and look at how long they last and which preservation methods are appropriate.
Tips on how to store dried mushrooms
First of all, we’ll look at how to store dried mushrooms. Mushrooms are a food that is dehydrated, without using food additives or sodium chloride (salt). Because of this, they do not lose their healthiness: when they are regenerated, their quality and taste is almost identical to fresh mushrooms.
However, to maintain the quality of dried mushrooms, they must be stored correctly. This product can be kept outside of the refrigerator but in a cool and dark atmosphere. The dried mushrooms should be left in their packaging or put in a container with a hermetically sealed lid. However, that is not the most suitable storage method.
The best option for storing dried porcini mushrooms or other varieties is in the refrigerator or freezer. Heat and humidity speed up the deterioration of mushrooms and reduce their shelf life. Whereas keeping them cool, you can preserve dried mushrooms that can last from 6 to 12 months, but they must be placed in a clean plastic bag with a hermetic seal or in a hermetic container.
Not keeping dried mushrooms in the refrigerator reduces their shelf life so it is important to pay attention to the best before dates and consume the food as soon as possible. It is especially important to inspect dried mushrooms before use to check that they are still intact and show no signs of going bad, so they can be safely rehydrated by soaking them in a bowl of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
How to store vacuum-sealed dried mushrooms
There are several advantages to storing dried mushrooms in vacuum packaging. It prevents the oxidation of the food, extending the products’ shelf life and maintaining their nutritional and organoleptic properties for longer. That is why vacuum-sealed mushrooms are often preferred to traditionally packaged mushrooms because it is a practical, convenient and useful solution that also reduces food waste.
When you store mushrooms in vacuum-sealed packaging, they need to be put in the refrigerator so that the cold conditions are maintained and the food is perfectly preserved. To find out how long vacuum-sealed mushrooms last, however, you must always read the food label carefully to check the best before date and the recommended storage methods. In general, the maximum length of time is 12 months.
With mushrooms that have been dehydrated at home, you need to be more careful as they have not been subjected to an industrial process and there is more likelihood of mistakes and risks. Anyone choosing to store vacuum-sealed dried mushrooms at home must make sure all the air is removed from inside the packaging. Otherwise, pathogens will start to contaminate the food, compromising its integrity and putting your health at risk.
The best solution in these cases is to use a vacuum-sealing machine and special bags to create an optimal vacuum-sealed atmosphere and ensure that the product is perfectly preserved. Of course, in both cases, vacuum-sealed dried mushrooms can be frozen to extend their shelf life and prevent waste, as the low temperatures in the freezer slow down the activity of microorganisms that damage the organoleptic properties of the product.
Does your company sell dried mushrooms? Volmar offers specific vacuum-sealed food packaging solutions to provide customers with perfect packaging even in a protective and modified atmosphere. Take our vacuum bags, for example, which have a high barrier effect, optimal protection even for long periods of time and are customizable with high-definition printing in up to eight colors.