Hitachi Europe has launched its latest technology in the fight to reduce food waste and drive down household shopping bills.

The innovative Hitachi Vacuum Compartment extracts air from a sealed food drawer to create a partial vacuum around fresh, chilled foods such as vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. Not only does this significantly increase food longevity through reduced oxygen (slowing the oxidation/decomposition process), but it also helps keep meat and fish moist, retains nutrients and colour in fruit and vegetables, and maintains the flavour and texture of cheeses.

Hitachi Vacuum Compartment is like ‘vacuum packing’ fresh food at home every time you close the drawer. Combined with a low temperature in the compartment at just above freezing, the result is much longer food storage times and greater retention of nutrients, flavour and moisture in the food.

Comments Hitachi Europe’s Head of Consumer, Richard Bass, “With almost a third of all food produced for human consumption currently going to waste, Hitachi is driving innovative solutions to reduce food waste globally. In the home, where most food waste occurs, our latest Vacuum Compartment technology offers one solution to reduce waste by keeping food fresher for longer. The Vacuum Compartment can up to double the storage life and nutrient retention time of fresh foods, helping to reduce food waste and save money on food shopping bills.”

Once shut, the Vacuum Compartment uses a small pump to withdraw air from the sealed drawer and maintain around 0.8 atm air pressure. To open the drawer, you lift the handle to release the vacuum seal, accompanied by a ‘whoosh’ of air returning to the compartment.

Independent tests at the Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand showed the Hitachi Vacuum Compartment retained 97% of the vital omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, in fresh fish (mackerel) after three days compared to just 93% in a standard chiller compartment. In fresh fruit, vitamin levels can drop dramatically in the fridge, yet the Hitachi Vacuum Drawer retained 30% more vitamin C in pineapple than a typical refrigerator over the same three days. These benefits have a significant impact on nutrient retention in fresh food over even longer periods of storage, meaning less food is spoiled over time, less food waste or reduced cost in replacement.

The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) 2017 study into UK food waste showed that the UK bins almost 10 million tonnes of food every year, with household food waste accounting for 70% of the total. The study showed that the average UK household spends over £470 annually on binned food (@ 2017 prices).

Hitachi Vacuum Compartment technology has been launched on the flagship four-door R-WB640VGB1X refrigerator, the R-WB640VGB1, and the three-door R-MX700GVGB1 model.

Other features of the new range (depending on model) include removable water tanks that supply the integrated ice and water dispensers, Hitachi’s Triple Power Filter for pure air and reduced cross-contamination of food odours, mould-proof door gaskets, easy clean tempered glass shelves, Quick Cooling, rapid Hybrid Freezing, energy efficient motors and frost-free operation across the range.

Backing up Hitachi’s 100+ year heritage in high-quality engineering, all the new Hitachi refrigerators come with a comprehensive 5-year guarantee as standard.