One of the most common concerns relating to sous vide cooking is the use of plastics, but these revolutionary new pouches allow the user to dispose of them in the same way that they dispose of food – into the food waste stream, or into their home compost bin.
Made from rice, potatoes, corn, and a fossil fuel copolymer their strength means that as well as being ideal for sous vide cooking, they can also be steam cooked, microwaved, or boiled in a pan. After use, simply remove any non-compostable contents, add to the food waste stream, or compost bin, and let the magic begin.
The pouches take up to six months to disintegrate but can then be used on the garden or vegetable patch.
At 80mu (microns) the food safe, compostable pouches are considerably thicker than a standard alternative and have been specifically designed to withstand the temperatures of sous vide cooking. This means that they will function in temperatures of up to 85°c for 12 hours, unlike normal pouches which would simply swell and delaminate in these conditions. They also come with a globally recognised certification so the user can have full confidence in the sustainability credentials of each pouch.
Currently, over 13 million metric tonnes of plastic waste go into the oceans every year, causing £10 billion of economic damage to global marine eco-systems. And, of the 9 billion tonnes of plastic produced since 1950 only 9% has been recycled. Sustaina Pouch is a new solution to keep food fresh while avoiding harming the environment.
There are five different sizes of bag in the range – 150mm x 250mm, 200mm x 300mm, 250mm x 250mm, 300mm x 300mm and 300mm x 400mm. Available in packs of 200, prices start at £39.99 + VAT.