Hisense unveils its latest vacuum technology for household refrigerators on Dec 12 in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese home appliance maker Hisense unveiled its latest vacuum technology for household refrigerators on Dec 12 in Qingdao, Shandong province. 

Experts said the use of this technology in household appliances represents a major breakthrough.

The technology consists of a mini vacuum pump installed inside the refrigerator to extract air and form a vacuum, which prevents the oxidation of food, reduces water loss, and keeps food fresh, said Wang Haiyan, manager of the company's research and development center.

"We aim to give consumers a new experience with fresh, healthy, and nutritious food," added Wang.

Liu Zunying, a professor in the College of Food Science and Engineering at Ocean University of China, said that the vacuum technology for preserving food is widely used in food processing and cold chain transportation and is considered one of today's most advanced food storage technologies.

"It's innovative to use the vacuum technology in household refrigerators," Liu added.

Lu Jianguo, deputy chief engineer of the China Household Electric Appliance Research Institute, said the new technology will give an edge to Hisense products.

Refrigerators with the new technology are expected to hit the market in February next year, according to the Qingdao-based Hisense.