THE BASICS: CLEAN, SEPARATE, COOK and CHILL
CLEAN: Wash your hands and work surfaces frequently when cooking. Wash with soap and warm
water for at least 15 seconds, then dry with a paper towel.
SEPARATE: Foods that will be eaten uncooked and foods that will be cooked before eating MUST
ALWAYS be separated. Cross-contamination occurs when raw meats or eggs come in contact with
foods that will be eaten uncooked. This is a major source of food poisoning. Always double-wrap raw
meats and place them on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator so there is no way juices can drip onto
fresh produce. Then use the raw meats within 1-2 days of purchase, or freeze for longer storage.
Defrost frozen meats in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
When grilling or cooking raw meats or fish, make sure to place the cooked meat on a clean platter.
Don’t use the same platter you used to carry the food out to the grill. Wash the utensils used in grilling
after the food is turned for the last time on the grill, as well as spatulas and spoons used for stir-frying
or turning meat as it cooks.
Always wash your hands after handling raw meats or raw eggs. Washing hands with soap and water, or
using a pre-moistened antibacterial towelette is absolutely necessary after you have touched raw meat
or raw eggs. Not washing hands and surfaces while cooking is a major cause of cross-contamination.
COOK: It’s crucial to cook food to a safe internal temperature to destroy bacteria that is present. The
safety of hamburgers and other foods made with ground meat has been receiving a lot of attention
lately, and with good reason. When meat is ground, the bacteria present on the surface is mixed
throughout the ground mixture. If this ground meat is not cooked to at least 160°F to 165°F (71°C to
74°C), bacteria will not be destroyed and there’s a good chance you will get sick. Solid pieces of meat
like steaks and chops don’t have dangerous bacteria like E. coli on the inside, so they can be served
more rare. Still, any beef cut should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C)
(medium rare). The safe temperature for poultry is 180°F (82°C) and solid cuts of pork should be
cooked to 160°F (71°C). Eggs should be thoroughly cooked too. If you are making a meringue or
other recipe that uses uncooked eggs, buy specially pasteurized eggs or use prepared meringue
powder.
CHILL: Chilling food is very important. The danger zone where bacteria multiply is between 40°F and
140°F (4°C and 6°C). Your refrigerator should be set to 40°F (4°C) or below; your freezer should be
0°F (-17°C) or below. Simple rule: serve hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Use chafing dishes or hot
plates to keep food hot while serving. Use ice water baths to keep cold foods cold. Never let any food
When operated and maintained correctly, your Harvest Keeper®Compact Vacuum Sealer will provide
many years of service. However, in some instances problems may arise. Please consult the trouble
shooting guide below before calling customer support.
UNIT IS NOT SEALING OR PUMP WON’T TURN ON
• Top and/or bottom Seal Gasket is leaking. Check condition of seal gaskets.
• Vacuum bag is leaking. Check whether the vacuum bag is torn or punctured.
• Accessory canister leaking. Canister may be cracked and/or lid is not sealing.
• Overheated vacuum pump motor. Rest the machine for 30 minutes.
• Overheated Sealing Ribbon. Rest the machine for 30 minutes.
• Turn the power off and restart by turning it back on.
• Make sure top and/or bottom Vacuum Chamber Gaskets are not breached by objects or debris.
If the above steps have been taken and problems persist, call customer support.
OTHER PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
Vacuum Sealer won’t turn on:
• Ensure that the machine is properly plugged into a grounded outlet.
• Check the power cord for tears and frays. Do not use machine if power cord is damaged.
Won’t pull a complete vacuum with bags:
• To vacuum and seal properly the edge of the bag must be completely across the Heat Sealing
Gasket, Heat Sealing Ribbon and both top and bottom Vacuum Chamber Gaskets. Make sure bag
is oriented correctly and that there are no wrinkles in the bag along the seal line.
• If packaging from a roll bag, make sure first seal is complete and that there are no gaps in either
the top or bottom seal.
• The Sealer and vacuum bag need to be clean, dry and free of debris for the vacuum process
to be successful. Wipe gasket surfaces and inside of bag and try again.
• Check whether the seal gasket is installed correctly or damaged.
Vacuum bag loses vacuum after being sealed:
• Sharp items can puncture small holes in bags. To prevent this, cover sharp edges with paper
towel and vacuum in a new bag.
• Some fruits and vegetables can release gases (out-gassing) if not properly blanched or frozen
before packaging. Open bag. If you think food spoilage has begun, discard food. If food spoilage
has not yet begun, consume immediately. If in doubt, discard food.
• Check whether the seal strip is well installed or damaged.
9
Troubleshooting
sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the ambient temperature is 90°F (32°C) or
above). When packing for a picnic, make sure foods are already chilled before they go into an ice
chest (the ice chest won’t chill food safely – it will only keep already thoroughly chilled food cold
when properly packed with ice). Hot cooked foods should be placed in shallow containers and
immediately refrigerated so they cool rapidly. Make sure to cover foods after they are cool.
NOTE: Special considerations must be made when using venison or other wild game, since it can
become heavily contaminated during field dressing. Venison is often held at temperatures that could
potentially allow bacteria to grow, such as when it is being transported. Refer to the USDA Meat and
Poultry Department for further questions or information on meat and food safety.
Sealer is not vacuuming canisters properly:
• The accessory hose may not be properly attached. Ensure the hose is completely inserted into
the lid of the canister and the Accessory Vacuum Port on the Sealer and try again.
• Make sure the canister lid knob is turned to the “vacuum” or “closed” setting.
• Leave adequate head space at the top of the canister.
• Make sure there isn’t any damage to the canister and lid. Sometimes hairline cracks can develop
in canisters. When this happens the canister is no longer airtight and should be discarded.
• Twist knob on lid of canister to make sure it is attached securely.
