How do you store unused food or your leftover from the previous meal? What do you use to bring lunch to work or travel? When it comes to this question, perhaps the first idea that comes to your mind is the airtight container.
Yes, airtight containers are the quickest and most effective solution, so you can bring food anywhere without spilling it, or you can preserve food for the longest time. But to store food longer, you will need a best vacuum machine, It sucks air out of the box and bag and tightly seals the bag or opens the bag.
At present, there are many brands of airtight containers on the market, but not all are the best and most suitable one. If you want to buy the best airtight containers, please take note a few ideas below.
What are airtight containers?
Airtight containers are important kitchen tools that contain processed and unprocessed foods, which are an effective tool to protect food from air exposure, mold, moisture and environmental conditions.
Airtight containers help users to store foods neatly, separately and prevent cross contamination when they are in the refrigerator, this is an indispensable kitchen solution.
Basic features of airtight containers
Should I buy airtight containers? If you are still hesitant with this question, let’s take a look at some of the basic features of the airtight container. Airtight containers designed to be effective with many basic features that support the convenient kitchen cooking process:
- Airtight storage containers with vibrating protection lock make the lid difficult to break out of the container, to help preserve the container more tightly to limit the smell of food escaping.
- The container has a built-in heat exhaust valve for high temperature food that does not clog the explosion when used to cook food in the microwave.
- Safe food containers with spill-proof gaskets are effective for preserving water-based foods such as soup, porridge, soup without spilling out.
- Airtight containers store flexible hot and cold foods, diverse materials that can be used in microwave or ovens without causing explosion or cracking.
When do you need to replace airtight storage containers?
Material used to produce airtight containers is usually high quality plastic or glass with accessories, in the process of using the material will be worn out and reduced efficiency so it should be replaced.
So when it is necessary to replace airtight containers, it is not a problem that many people care about, but it is quite important.
- The rubber gaskets of the container is damaged, cracked with no sealing effect, or the lid is cracked that is the reason why user needs to replace the new lid or the whole container.
- Plastic container with bad smell, yellow stain is a sign that users need to replace the new one. Because plastic materials are no longer safe, it is easy to generate toxic substances that adversely affect users’ health.
- In case the plastic container is melted, distorted due to heat effect or the glass container is cracked, it is no longer effective to preserve food in a closed environment.
Glass container or plastic container?
Airtight container is mainly made from two materials, plastic and glass. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, it is not easy to choose the most suitable type.
Glass container:
Glass is derived from silica, mainly processed from natural sand. Glass is the safest material for health and has the highest life expectancy.
Glass is chemically inert and unaffected under the influence of temperature (melting temperature is about 2000°C). Glass airtight containers can be used in refrigerators, freezers or ovens, microwaves.
Glass surface has very high hardness, no scratches, easy to clean, no smell, no food color sticking,…
Glass can be used to contain acidic foods such as pickles, fermentation, kimchi, tubers,…
In addition, glass airtight containers are always transparent, highly aesthetic, beautiful and luxurious, so they are widely used.
How to choose:
When choosing a glass airtight container, note that there are two more options: toughened glass and heat-resistant glass.
Containers of toughened glass food: have high hardness, less break when collision or fall from a height of less than 1 meter. Can be used in both freezer or microwave, oven.
Heat-resistant glass food containers: be able to withstand high temperatures up to 400°C, can be used in freezers and in ovens, microwaves.
Some types of glass to prevent heat shock: will be able to switch from cold to hot quickly without breaking or cracking.
However glass has some drawbacks such as brittle, heavier than other materials, high cost, sharp glass fragments. So if your home has children, you should consider when choosing a glass food container.
Plastic airtight container:
Plastic is a material that is easy to make, light and cheap.
Plastic food containers have many advantages such as ease of fabrication, can create more shapes, structures, colors, more small compartments inside the container.
In addition, the plastic is soft and flexible, so it is possible to make mounts and caps to cover food containers, especially when storing liquid foods.
Some PP plastic food containers can be used in microwave for a short time (PP can withstand temperatures up to 165°C).
Notes when choosing plastic food containers:
+ Some types of unidentified plastics may contain BPA toxins: BPA is an additive used in plastic processing. BPA when entering the body will cause endocrine destruction, premature puberty, decreased sperm count, causing breast cancer and prostate cancer.
When exposed to BPA in high doses, patients are prone to heart disease, mental retardation, can change sex in young children …
In April 2008, Canada was the first country to consider BPA as dangerous and ordered to ban the use of this substance.
By June 2011, the EU banned the production of baby plastic bottles made of PC plastic due to concerns of containing BPA. BPA is found most in plastic No 7 (PC Plastic – Polyacarbonate).
+ Plastic airtight containers will be more difficult to clean than glass container, especially when you store oil and grease. The ability to keep heat of plastic is less than glass.
+ Under high temperatures, plastic is likely to decompose and penetrate into food. So plastic airtight containers are advised by experts not to store hot food, or boiling water.
+ Do not choose cheap plastic airtight containers.
These types of plastic containers do not have a clear origin, without labels, you should not buy them to use.
The reputable plastic firms have stated that they do not contain BPA and plastic symbol codes at the bottom of the plastic airtight container and even under the lid.
Which kind of plastic is safe for health?
I summarized the health-safe plastics in order of priority:
+ Plastic No.5 (PP Plastic): used extensively in the production of safe food containers. Because PP is chemically inert and is the highest temperature-resistant food plastic.
+ Plastic No.2 (HDPE Plastic): has better chemical inertia, but does not withstand high temperatures.
+ Plastic No. 4 (LDPE Plastic): similar to plastic number 2 but a little worse.
+ Plastic No. 1 (PET plastic): safe to use but only use 1-2 times and avoid hot foods.
Which kind of plastic is safe for health?
Here are some types of plastics that contain many harmful ingredients such as BPA, Melamine and other impurities that are harmful to your health. In addition, these plastics have poor heat resistance, especially when you store warm or hot foods, they are at risk of being absorbed back into foods.
+ Plastic No. 3
+ Plastic No. 6
+ Plastic No 7, PC plastic or plastic without number.
In summary, the glass airtight container has many advantages compared to plastic one because of its durability, cleanness and especially healthier than plastic.
Criteria for choosing safe airtight containers
Size and shape:
Glass containers on the market have many different capacities. If only buying containers to store rice, soup bringing to office or school, you can choose capacity from 400 – 600 ml, it is suitable.
If you choose airtight containers to preserve meat, fish fillets,… in the refrigerator, you should choose the containers with a capacity of 700 ml or more. With the same capacity, the square container will occupy less area than the round one, if you need to store many things in the refrigerator, you should choose square or rectangular container, it will be easy to arrange for you.
If you choose a container to preserve vegetables and fruits, you should choose rectangular one to be compact and easy to arrange in the refrigerator. When selecting containers to store water, juice, or liquids, you should choose round one with screw cap, so it can connect multiple containers together.
Should not choose stainless steel food containers:
Although stainless steel has a number of advantages such as compact, low oil adhering but this material will affect health after a long time storing food.
Stainless steel is an unsafe material. Stainless steel is susceptible to oxidation, rusting and seeping into food if stored for a long time, especially with high acidic foods such as sour, vinegar, lemon or fermentation substances.
If you use stainless steel container, you can store for a while in a few hours, however, it should not be stored for a long time, especially with fruit juices, sour soup and acidic foods.
Choose products with clear origin:
When choosing to buy a food container, you need to buy things that have clear origins and labels. Besides, you also need to pay attention to the material because there are many toxic plastics, poor quality glass, easily poisoning food.
In addition, it is recommended to use containers with transparent origin, public ingredients and production technical information. Customers should only buy airtight containers at reputable establishments for the best support.
Top 4 Airtight Containers 2022
#1 Glass Food Storage Containers of 5 STARS UNITED
5 STARS UNITED is a prestigious home appliances brand from the US with outstanding quality, 5 STARS UNITED airtight containers are manufactured with high quality materials safe for users’ health, meeting food safety standards.
Transparent glass material, high durability, ability to preserve food safety are the outstanding advantages of this brand.
The product is highly appreciated for the level of food safety and hygiene easy to clean, suitable for cereals, dry grains, or liquid items, last but not least, beautiful fashion designs.
The only defect of this brand is the volume of the container. Many users rate that the volume of the product is quite big for a food container. If this set of food storage containers is slightly lighter, this will be a perfect product of 5 STARS UNITED.
#2 OXO Good Grips POP Container
OXO Good Grips POP Containers is a European standard airtight storage container with 3 criteria “beautifully designed – smart use – safe storage” that can be stacked easily to keep food always be clean, dry and fresh from that to bring neatness to your home.
About design: Products are available in many different sizes and shapes, each is perfectly designed to accommodate common household foods such as sugar, coffee, cereals, rice, pasta, spices and many other products. Your kitchen space will definitely become more neat and eye-catching with the Good Grips OXO storage containers presented in a sophisticated and reasonable way. Good Grips OXO container s are not only for food, but also for other household products such as sewing needles, cufflinks, bathroom accessories …
Beautiful design is not enough, smart use is the key to making OXO Good Grips products widely accepted in Europe and America, with just one press, your food will be completely isolated with the air, and also with just one more push, you can open the box. All operations can be done with one hand, imagine that how convenient it is when you can use one hand to open the lid of the powdered milk, one hand prepares the bottle.
And above all is the ability to safely store, make food fresh and delicious for longer time. With just one gentle push, the air will be sucked out in combination with the environment. In addition, with the friendly material, without BPA, you will be assured that your food has been stored securely and safely.
Besides the advantages, OXO Good Grips POP Container still has many shortcomings that need to be modified.
The biggest drawback is that the seal does not work well after a period of time. This may lead air coming into the container, moistening and damaging the food. Moreover, when the container is not sealed, liquid food will spill out when moving and this is really annoying. With such a high-priced product, OXO should better handle the defects to bring the best products to customers.
#3 Rubbermaid 2063701 Easy Find Vented Lids Food Storage Container
Rubbermaid was founded in 1920 in Wooster, Ohio as a subsidiary of Newell Rubbermaid Corporation. Since its inception, Rubbermaid always strives, creates and improves its product lines. This is a long-standing brand, trusted by many customers all around the world.
With this set of plastic food storage containers of Rubbermaid, you can save time and cost when considering to buy different types of products, also help housewives to divide food preservation easily.
The set includes:
– 2 containers of 118ml
– 2 containers of 300ml
– 2 containers of 470ml
– 2 containers of 710ml
– 2 containers of 1180 ml
– 2 containers of 1650 ml
The container when not in use can be stacked together with the lid in a unified form, making it easy to find when needed.
Easily arrange and store food safely without taking up a lot of space, transparent plastic material helps you recognize food inside without having to open the lid.
The sealed lid design prevents leaks and keeps food fresh. Safe use in microwave, freezer and dishwasher. The product does not contain BPA.
However, since it is made of plastic, this set of Rubbermaid product will no longer be safe to use after a long time. If you do not change the new one, it might be harmful to your family health.
#4 Sistema 41647 Lunch Collection Food storage containers
Sistema is a reputable company in manufacturing plastic household appliances in New Zealand. Since its establishment, Sistema has achieved many outstanding achievements, affirming its position in the hearts of consumers around the world. Within 30 years, from a small factory in New Zealand, Sistema products are estimated to be available in more than 62 countries with millions of customers.
The company’s products not only focus on quality, modern and simple designs, but also always pay attention and set the criteria to ensure the health of customers on the top with high quality and non-toxic materials. Because of this, for many years, consumers in many countries around the world have trusted and selected Sistema’s products for their whole family.
Set of 3 food containers Sistema 41647 is made from high quality plastic, does not contain BPA, does not produce toxic substances when exposed to different environments, ensuring safety for users’ health.
The container has a smart, handy design with a tight lid, with 2 solid locking joints, helping food inside reduce the possibility of spillage.
The container can be used to preserve food both in a refrigerator and microwave, help keep food fresh and retain its flavor. With transparent materials that create aesthetics for products and help you easily observe the status of food contained inside.
However, many users said that the ability to keep liquid food of this product is quite poor, when they store drink or soup in the container, it still spills out.
Conclusion
If you consider food preservation to be a need for good health – then choosing the right food container is an important step. Choosing the right type of food container also means that you can maintain the nutritional content of the food intact.
See more: https://healthywithdanny.com/foodsaver-freshsaver-handheld-vacuum-sealer/