Packaging and Waste

So as a eco-conscious person I have a few questions. I am sure this has been covered, but don't see any post about this topic.

A. Is there any negative reaction health wise by cooking my food in plastic?
B. Does any of the bags contain BPA?
C. Is Sous Vide really sustainable with all the plastic that is needed?
D. I see most videos proteins are individual. Is there a method or technique to have maybe 4-6 portions in one bag?

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Comments

Mason_Perry_34060

A. No read here: http://forum.chefsteps.com/discussion/15/safety-of-plastics-used-in-sous-vide-cooking#latest

B. not that we have found, also covered in link above

C. I can't speak for all sous vide bags but mine contain less platic than gallon size ziplocks, and I rinse and then place the used bags in my recycle bin after cooking. They are also significantly cheap than ziplocks which would lead me to believe they are cheaper to produce, hence the process is shorter (IE less energy, less polution, less carbon footprint, more sustainable)

D. I think some of the videos on the website are utilizing single portions for demonstration purposes, I cook entire filet roasts in a single bag, entire servings of soup for 6-8 people as well as vegetables. For a 5 course meal I use 3 or 4 bags total, not one bag per course per person.

I hope that helped answer some of your questions.

Chris_Young_80640

@Brandon — I will agree with what Mason has said. And we're working on new lectures that cover these topics directly right now. But I will add that as far as sustainability goes, sous vide packaging is recyclable and then you should factor in the energy efficiency. Gas and electric stoves are, on a good day, only 20-30% energy efficient. Sous vide baths often operate at 70% energy efficiency. And once they reach cooking temperature, they draw very little power. Even when cooking for days, the amount of power you consume when cooking by sous vide is much lower than conventional cooking techniques.

Also, yes, in most cases you can easily combine multiple portions in the same bag.

Bryce_67761

70% efficient sounds really good, I had no idea they worked that well.

Mason_Perry_34060

I didn't either but it makes sense, since the conduction is so much better than the oven and that much water really has a lot of mass and creates a good heat sink.

Shannon_Barnes_68642

I recycle my bags, but I'm in NoCal, we have to recycle everything possible, even our food scraps. Since I'm in the green industry, environmental specifically, I really can't complain about that.

Also, I almost always cook several portions in my sv; the only time I cook single portions is when I'm only cooking a piece of fish. I try to maximize my use of the sv as much as possible, given that I only cook for me and generally have to reduce recipes anyhow.

Savage_Craic_11929

I know this is bumping an old thread, however, as this technique gets into more hands I am hoping there are new developments in the area of sustainable packaging (since clearly the energy efficiency is remarkable!).

My question is: has anyone tried other containers for cooking with an immersion circulator? I have seen people using glass jars in a water bath for beans and it has made me wonder about other containers that could be used... anyone experimented with anything other than bags?

Brendan_Lee_56950

Just mason jars for the most part, the problem is that you need them to sink and also be energy efficient so for things like beans in a jar it's fine because you can cover them with water/stock, etc. Adding too much liquid to proteins can give you a poached taste/texture.

Savage_Craic_11929

Read a few things about the Lekue cooking bags... seems there may be some time adjustment (as the plastic is thicker) however they are designed for long term use.. hmmmmm http://www.lekue.co.uk/en/cooking-bag-1-pcs-3400800

As far jar cooking, seems like the go to for anything that leans more towards cooking in fat or that you would braise as well? (assuming you vac the jar)

Nicky_J_17040

very good stuff here. I just wish we were this efficient 30+ years ago.

Matt_67991

One thing that isn't mentioned here is that proper packaging definitely cuts down on food waste dramatically.