A packaging method that removes air from around a food to slow spoilage, requiring continued temperature control for safety.
Vacuum packaging removes air to create a low-oxygen environment, while modified atmosphere packaging replaces the air with a controlled gas mix, but both slow spoilage rather than making food safe.
No. Vacuum-packed chilled foods still need refrigeration, a validated shelf life and a use-by date, because removing oxygen does not stop all pathogens.
The low-oxygen environment can favour anaerobic organisms such as Clostridium botulinum, and Listeria is also a concern in long shelf life chilled products.
Because it can support the growth of pathogens over time, vacuum-packed chilled food is date marked with a use-by date and must not be sold or eaten after it.
A pack that has lost its vacuum and let air back in has lost its protection and should be treated as ordinary chilled food, used quickly or discarded if in doubt.