Now I understand why some of my jars didn't seal or seem to work. I was putting a desiccant pkg in all my jars of freeze dried foods along with the oxygen absorber. Please keep offering us all this good information. Food is too expensive to waste because of not knowing.
Before I complete the seal using my iron, I always leave a corner of the mylar bag open then I insert a straw and such out the air. With that process and the oxygen absorber my bags always developed dimples. Success!
I love your channel and I watch it often. I don't know if this helps any one, but I'll share it anyway. When I open a long term storage container, say a # 10 can of dehydrated vegetables, or a larger mylar bag of rice, I place the items into usable size mason jars with both a moisturizer absorber and a loose leaf, draw string, empty teabag full of salt. The larger the jar, more I fill the teabag with salt. The salt does absorb some moisture, and if I had to hand someone a jar of food in an emergency or a barter situation, the jar also contains a teabag full of valuable salt!
Thank you so much for bringing up this topic again. I think many feel the same way I do that I am completely on my own when problems arise on this topic, I have no one to ask. Except TH-cam, and especially your videos because they offer me really reliable information. Wouldn't you like to create a downloadable brochure (possibly also for a fee) on this topic? Especially for beginners it is really difficult to find reliable instructions and information. A brochure in which all information would be bundled, possibly with trouble shooting, would certainly be helpful for many. Kind regards and stay safe!
@@TheProvidentPrepper You just got another subscriber, We just spent quite a bit on supplies including a waterbath canner & accessories, all I have are 2 different types of food grade siica packets. Thankfully I haven't packed everything as the supplies are just coming in & I have a lot of canning to do & vacuum packing as well. My new vacuum sealer will be arriving tomorrow, so this information is timely & will be put to good use. Thank you so very much for uploading this video. I will save it as well. I'm still learning how to use the technology we have today, & I feel like a dinosaur. My hubby's 81 & he works online & doesn't know how to use smart phones & doesn't want one. I don't blame him 🙄. Lol! O was told I'd never be able to fill up all the space I have on this Samsung Note 9 & Google keeps teling me my storage is full. I am besides myself with this phone! Lol ❣ I need to borrow a techie teenager with patients❣😄 😖🥲
I’ve actually went to different sites looking for more info on oxygen absorbers and yours was one of them and you actually helped me on an older video. Now with this video I will definitely put this one in my saved file.
I watched this video to confirm I’ve done my food storage correctly. Ha Ha! Well, I can clearly see I’ve made a couple of minor mistakes, but I feel grateful to know how to rectify this, & that they can be easily corrected. Thank you for always being cautious. I think I heard you say ‘2005’ as an approximate date given for a food storage item you did in the past. Now THAT’S experience, not to mention you’ve carefully prepared & stored your food to be 100% safe for your children & other family members. I realize it’s not a competition, but it kinda makes you guys ‘The Experts’ in my opinion. You KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING, so I hope viewers & subscribers alike will pay attention to what you say.
Great video. I put too many oxygen absorbers in beans and after 3 years I needed to get in to my stash. They were fine to eat of course but the skins were tough and needed to be soaked for a couple of days instead of one and cooked a bit longer. This meant the inside of the bean would be mushy even though the skins were a bit hard. An experienced prepper told me it was because I had put in too many oxygen absorbers. Since then I heard about nixtamalizing which is a process used for maize, cooking it or soaking it in an alkaline solution (ash was traditionally used but lye, lime water, sodium bicarbonate are all fine). I tried it with some tough skinned dried peas I had and it worked very well. One quarter of a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in the soaking water for 2 cups of peas is enough, any more and it will go too mushy.
In my buckets I put my vacuum sealed and Mylar bag sealed food with the oxygen absorbers inside with the food and after I fill the bucket with the bags I throw a couple of descant bags inside the bucket to help pick up any moisture that might be in the bucket during storage. Weather or not it is doing it’s job it should help somewhat and it gives me peace of mind.
Wow thank you for this! I'm a seasoned prepper and I didn't know about the bags being fine if they look like they have air in there still! I always assumed it needed redone if it didn't suck in and have that vac sealed look!
Thank you for your very educational videos. I have learned so much from watching your videos. I didn't think I could use regular glass jars (non-canning variety) or PETE plastic for storage even with oxygen absorbers.
A excellent summary. One that will likely be referred to many times by many preppers. And should be. I would note that while the glass does not pass air, those little rubber seals in the canning lids do, albeit very slowly. Mylar does have a longer storage life, but more likely talking 25 years as opposed to 5 years (assuming you get an initial seal). Another item is that the density of what you store can be important. There is a lot less air in that gallon bag of rice that there is in that gallon bag of freeze dried broccoli crowns. You may want to be overly safe at times and use more OA when the food packed in is not so dense, Personally, if possible I both vacuum seal and use OAs -- overkill is always good.
Hi Kylenre and Jonathan. Another great and full review in detail. I'm glad I already knew much of the information in this video. Why am I confident? Because of you two. I have watched all your vids and review them often. Fantastic channel guys.
Yes, I am a Wallaby guy too. Great reputation, US company, and they make it almost idiot proof. Can you you find cheaper products? Possibly, but I don't know because I've always stuck with what I know for sure works. Most of my Mylar stores done years ago still look vacuumed sealed if done correctly.
Good talk. One thing--I have used a lot of desiccant packets in glass jars with foods that are in powder form and have come to the conclusion that the packets are useless for things like flour, milk powder, gelatin, etc... The jars almost without fail eventually lose their seals. And I do make sure the rubber seals and the glass rims are super clean before I secure the lids. However, I have never experienced any clumping of the foods.
KYLENE & JOHN - 2 QUESTIONS : 1) Which size of oxygen absorber do I need per each gallon Mylar bag? 2) Please explain WHY you can’t use silica gel with an oxygen absorber - what is the reaction if using both together in one Mylar bag or jar?
I'm neither Kylene nor Jonathan, but hopefully this will help! 1. 400 cc for 1 gallon mylar bag - USA Emergency Supply has an excellent resource on this: www.usaemergencysupply.com/information-center/packing-your-own-food-storage/oxygen-absorbers-recommended-amounts To be honest, though, I use 500 cc on anything 1 gallon and below. I always go over the recommendation. 2. Using silica gel with an oxygen absorber renders the oxygen absorber useless, because the oxygen absorber needs the moisture in the air to activate and absorb the oxygen in your mylar bag. If you remove that moisture with the silica gel, your oxygen absorber won't work.
Thank you so much for this clear, easy-to-follow video! I'm very new to prepping and have been bingeing all sorts of videos and channels, but there's a lot of conflicting, or just incomplete, information out there that has made the process extra confusing. I just put up my first 200 pounds of various foods and was stressing because my Mylar bags had not "sucked in" like they'd been vacuum sealed. I was worried the oxygen absorbers weren't working. The other problem I encountered was that my first attempt at heat-sealing the bags wasn't totally successful. I got slightly thicker bags and evidently had not put the heat setting on a high enough level. They were ziplocked, at least, and partially heat sealed, but I ended up going back and redoing the heat seal on all of them. Hopefully that's enough!
This was SO informational! I was considering getting the SteelPak Mylar bags and skipping the oxygen absorbers but now I understand that the oxygen absorbers are the best way for long term storage. I think the SteelPak bags will be good to replace my FoodSaver bags for short term freezer storage. Thanks!
Fantastic information! Now I have to figure out why TH-cam is not putting your videos on my feed, even though I have the notification bell on. I’ve missed a lot of videos. I have to catch-up
I have mason jars with the clip and rubber as the seal, does this still work or does it have to be the screw lids? Its very difficult to get good food storage in Ireland where i am. Many thanks
Thank you so much for sharing all this information. I watched another chanel where they said grain stored in plastic bottles with oxygen absorber will still be good for 15 years. And that's what I did . Now I have to look for another way to store my grain long term. How long home cooked and dehidrated beans and lentils last stored in plastic or glass containers?
Thank you for your information, I just came across your TH-cam channel and find you very interesting and knowledgeable. I do have a question in regards to the best way for me to store homemade beef jerky so that I could send it to my son in the military overseas. I'm looking forward to hearing your reply, thank you again, and God bless
When I have extra oxygen absorbers I crimp the plastic bag they come in with the hair straightener that I use too seal the Mylar bags. It takes just a quick close of the straightener and it deals them back into the plastic. I try to pen the bags carefully so there's enough bag left to seal again. Having 10 in a bag makes it easy to reseal.
Question: I just put a number of lbs of wheat berries into Mylar bags with o2 absorbers. (I believe I used the correct amt. of absorbers per bag sizes). I put up hard wheat and soft wheat as well as oat groats and quinoa. I didn’t think about the moisture content and live in a humid location in the northeast. I thought that wheat berries and the other mentioned items were ok for long term storage and gave no thought to moisture. Your video mentioned that not all wheat is
I’ve been using wallaby for over a year now and I love them. One question, can I store bullion (say herb ox) or broth powder (or ring tin farms from Walmart), long term with an oxygen absorber in Mylar bag? I can’t seem to find anything that gives moisture content. I even went as far as to freeze dry the powdered broth (Orrington farms from walmart). When it finished drying, it felt the exact same way as when it went into freeze dryer. May be just the way powdered broth feels. Can’t find moisture content anywhere online for either. Thanks so much!! ❤️❤️🤗
Thank you, this info is so helpful to us newbies. Re rotisserie chicken, I would think that has lots of moisture; confusing that this is a candidate for O2 absorbers??
Can I vacuum seal Baking powder or baking sofa? I’m new at this and you guys are a wonderful source, Thank You so much for all your helpful information Bless You
Hey guys! Greatly appreciated the fantastic presentation y’all took the time and effort to PREPare😂!! Im Dino from San Antonio and I recently started taking an interest in food storage at home. I’ve known about the benefits of oxygen removal from food for some time and wanted to know if & how there were products available for the consumer industry. I learned much from you. I’m greatly empowered by this knowledge and look forward to employing it in my life. Thankfully, Dino from San Antonio
Ugh..... I was hoping you would answer a question I have had for quite sometime. Perhaps this is not as common as I thought. I use glass jars, with the appropriate food inside with an oxygen absorber, and about 40 percent of them with don not hold the seal, or they do initially, then within a month or so, the seal does not hold. I am constantly checking the lids for that dreaded popping sound. St. George Utah, shelves in the basement that is cool, dry and dark. PLEASE HELP!
New to freeze drying and have a question. I got my machine going about a week ago and I freeze dried several half gallons of fruits and veg's. I used a VP05 electric mason jar vacuum sealer. I did not put an oxygen absorber in the bottom of the jars. My question is do I need to redo the jars and put the absorbers in the jars ?
Very important question to make my chocolate chips last🤣…do you vacuum seal them? I’ve been binge watching all your videos, you both are awesome for giving us folks all your valuable information! Thank you very much
Thanks I watched someone packaging raisins with oxygen absorbers yesterday. I think they are 15% , so a no no then. I was going to do that today so great timing.
Say you have purchased a 50lb bag of wheat & will be using as needed, how would you kill any bugs or larvae that might be present (that aren’t visible) while getting into the bucket every few weeks or so? Would you put a new oxygen absorber any time you open the bucket?? Thank you so much!
The provident prepper. I would agree with you about your policy of staying below 10% moisture. Because if you get more than that then you’re having to juggle the other factors, it gets a bit formulaic and convoluted. Complicating matters has never been a great way to success. There are a couple of other factors that we can throw in here that might be useful for your purposes. Temperature could be important here. If you’ve got goods even if they have a little more moisture counted in them, keeping them At a very consistent, low temperature tends to really limit biological activity; it will also reduce oxidation and the rate at which any fats will go rancid. This is not small. Even the shelf life of something like olive oil, which tends to be quite limited, can be extended many, many fold, if it is frozen. This could be important in the next few years. PH is important. If you’re storing foods that are fairly basic in terms of pH, that’s an important factor in terms of botulism. Graph absolutely right about those three big factors, but there’s a reason why people stopped canning pumpkin purée, and for which it’s a bad idea to store foods with a significant moisture content, at a basic pH, add warm temperatures, where there’s some oxygen involved. Really, you’re dealing with about five factors that are necessary for botulism to thrive and poison your food. It’s important to know this, and beyond that, these five factors give you five ways in which you can limit or maybe even prevent botulism from colonizing in we’re thriving in your Food storage. Thank you for your extremely valuable videos. You are among those who provide all sorts of untold opportunities for the average person who has become comfortable with practises that are being established for the generations, to examine those practices, and apply the newest knowledge, resulting in a much face safer food supply and storage. Thank you very much for this.
This is so helpful and confusing! haha Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! I have some tomato powder that is hard as a brick. Should I use a desiccant?
Hello! Thanks for an informative video. I wish to store homemade dry cat food, and I’m wondering how long would it be edible using this technique and what is the effect of opening the bag daily to scoop the food? I wish to store the food for 4 months if possible.
Shelf life of unopened oxygen absorbers? You mentioned to me having reached out and asked the manufacturer about this. Wondering if you’d heard anything? I ask again because this is a new video and I thought the question might have been overlooked. Thanks!
Hello again! It’s been a year and I’m again watching this (I forget things! 😅) and wondered if you yet happen to have an answer to my question. I’m super-interested in knowing if we can store Oxygen Absorbers themselves LONG TERM. 🤗
Question. I am new to storage and O2 absorbers. So I’m wondering if I have a gallon glass jar but it has a sturdy plastic screw on lid. Not a metal or canning type lid. Could I use an absorber packet in that?
Will an oxygen absorber seal non mason jars? I usually vacuum seal and use oxygen absorbers in mason jars but haven’t tried it yet in pickle jars, salsa jars ect.
Can you talk more about using both oxygen absorbers and descant? 19:47ish. "Other powder foods" What are you talking about foods I powder or baking powder stuff? I freeze-dried my eggs and veggies do I need to put both in? The eggs are slightly oily, should I expect clumping?
Maybe I missed it. Another video I watched said, if I am going to vacuum seal grain in a Mylar bag that it has to be frozen for 2 days as well? To kill bug eggs. Wouldn't the vacuum seal and oxygen absorber do that as well?
Good morning Provident Preppers! I have a couple quick questions... 1) I stored some beans, cocoa powder, quinoa, etc. in half pint mason jars using 100cc of oxygen absorbers and they did seal. Did I use the correct size because they did seal? 2) This quesrion is in reference to mylar bags.I am going to use for my 4x6 bags because I'm a party of one, so my question is how many cc's in an absorber do I need? Thanks!
I want to get some of the oxygen absorbers. I listen to your video and maybe I missed it but I need to know what size I should buy. I have 5 gallon buckets of wheat, I also have pint jars of dehydrated cherries. And that’s a big spread so which size of oxygen absorbers should I purchase
I have food grade 5 gallon buckets with gamma lids. I just dumped my Dry Cereal into the bucket, added 2500 in O2 absorbers on top and closed it. If left alone, will this bucket allow oxygen to leak through? What is the difference from a Food Grade Bucket to a normal (non-food-grade) bucket:?
The O2 packets that I buy are not individually packaged so I store my O2 packets in Mason jars and vacuum seal to create an O2 free environment to begin with. This method should extend the life of the packets when I take them out to use them for dry canning.
@@TheProvidentPrepper I use the hand warmer size for every 25lbs or so of dry goods (about a 5 gallon bucket). My son gets them for free at work, therefore I get for free lol 😂 Otherwise, Sam’s Club after the winter season’s over😉
You said “These you can’t use to many” “can’t over do and use twice as much” at minute 18.44 were you referring to oxygen absorbers? I am freeze drying meals for my special needs daughter who eats a special diet so i plan on using pint and half pint canning jars. What size oxygen absorbers? Quart? Pint? Half pint? I only have 300cc. Is that overkill?
Hi! I'm new to this... I'm buying 50# bags of some staples, to simply have to cook with and rotate through the daily pantry but I believe I'll need two 5 galloon buckets for each 50# bag, so I'm considering that 2nd bucket as possibly needing higher level of protection as it waits to be used. Would the cheapest/best method be a mylar bag with oxygen absorber inside the bucket or dry ice method or am I way off? (I live in upstate NY, plan to use my basement. Chilly, some humidity but we use a dehumidifier constantly). Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
What is the best way to store dry pasta (spaghetti)? Mylar bag with O2 absorber? What about plain mashed potatoes? How is it best stored for long-term? How long does canned/jar spaghetti sauce last (shelf life)?
I tried one that I HATED! It was a pain and never sealed correctly. However, I've been very pleased with the M1 MasonKing. Works every time. This is the one I use amzn.to/3yvmcw2
The question that I have for you when I use my oxygen absorbers in my jars, does it matter if I put it on the bottom or on the top or just in the jar somewhere please help I'm new to this
How long could freezedryed apple snacks be stored in a mylar bag without oxygen absorbers or vacuum sealing? We were thinking of selling them at our highschool for snacks in the cafeteria. We would expect them to be consumed that day or within a week with a consume by date. Do we need Oxy absorbers for something that short term?
QUESTION Do i need oxygen absorber if I'm using the vacuum sealer attachment / canning lids/ canning jars to store rice, pasta, popcorn, dried beans etc?
I think of it this way, all foods in mylar bags, jars or buckets get oxygen absorbers EXCEPT Salts, Sugars (because they will clump up & become hard as brick) and Seeds which are more suited with silica dessicant to keep dry Crazy because I’ve always heard it was only OAs not to use with Salts and Sugars. So basically according to this video, it shouldn’t have either? hmm
Oxygen goes in food though your dehydrated fruit needs to be under 10% moisture content so make sure it's very dry. Silica packs should only be used to control moisture with non food items like metal and brass. In my opinion Silica packs have no place in food storage.
I’m having a hard time finding a list of popular food items that we should not put oxygen absorbers in the Mylar bags. second part would be when you buy say a package of almonds that have not been opened. Do you just leave them in the original bag?
I personally leave those in the original bag in my cool, dark storage room because I rotate through them. If you want a longer life check out this video th-cam.com/video/ZuKQBQpBeio/w-d-xo.html This is for low moisture nuts only! You can find the moisture level at fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html
Hi, I see this was posted a year ago, but I'll ask a few question and hopefully someone with knowledge might respond. Can I use the oxygen remover with bay leafs and also how do I store yeast? Since dry yeast come in (and are used) in small quantums - any tip of storage? And baking powder, can I still use glas jars or mylar bags without the ox.remover? And I guess the same question goes for vanilla sugar. Thank's to anyone for responding!
Do you have to freeze grain to kill bugs before storing for long term? I keep seeing both methods but am more concerned about moisture if grains were frozen.
From what I understand from watching the videos if you use the proper oxygen absorber size in your mylar bag and you seal it properly then you do not have to do the freezing thaw method unless you decide you want to because removing all the option from the environment will not allow any pests or pests eggs to thrive while you're doing your long-term storage.
If you use oxygen absorbers along with a vacuum sealer, then does flour still need to be frozen for several days prior to sealing in order to kill off the bugs/bug eggs? I have heard from so many people that it is required but I didn't freeze prior. I recently simply vacuumed sealed flour with oxygen absorber and did NOT freeze prior. I am concerned that bugs will hatch... thanks for the input. Oh also, I did the same for oats - vacuum sealed with oxygen absorber - without prior freezing. Would you freeze those vacuum sealed bags to kill bugs or start all over by freezing first, then seal and oxygen absorber...?
Meat is a low acid food, so if you are going to home can it, it must be pressure canned. You can dry it (jerky) or freeze it, but you can't can it without a pressure canner. Waterbath canning is only good for high acid foods like fruits, and even then, it is advised to add some acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to some fruits to bring them up to safe levels. Pickled foods can usually be waterbath canned because of the acid level in the vinegar used for the pickling process.
@@alindasue thank you! yes i actually have a water bath canner and am aware of this but she didn’t say she pressure canned it… didn’t she say she added an oxygen observer to it ? 🤔
I put my oxygen absorbers in a mason jar right away after using them, but the color changed on the indicator spot... I tried to do it quickly. Can I still use them?
I have a question... when you stack your buckets with Mylar bags, what can you use to lift off cement floor that’s affordable? Shelving is now tooexpensive.
I have many pounds of white rice that I purchased for long term storage (mylar bags in 5 gallon buckets). But I tested the rice moisture content (tester from Amazon) and it is consistently testing at 13.5%. Should I dry it further in my oven at a low temperature (say 170° F, that's the lowest my oven goes) for several hours until it tests at or below 10%? I don't want to store all of this now, only to open it later and find it spoiled!
@@TheProvidentPrepper I am fairly certain that the tester is accurate. I have tested across several 10 lb bags and I am getting the same result. Much research on-line has led me to believe that drying white rice down to 13% is common and acceptable for the commercial process. On the other hand, I've also found lots of info about being at or below 10% for long term storage.... Not sure what to do. I can contact the manufacturer, but I won't be surprised when they say that they dry to 13%. What are your thoughts on drying it further in the oven though? Thank you for your reply too, I really do appreciate it. And on the opposite side of dry goods and oxygen absorbers, your water storage video is gold standard! I still refer back to it and suggest it to friends and family! Please keep doing what you're doing! Thank you for all of your hard work!!!!! 😁👍👍
The Oxygen Absorber Indicator in the package of oxygen absorbers that I ordered from Amazon was deep purple to a black color, it should of been Pink in color, should I throw the oxygen absorbers in the trash ?
Now I understand why some of my jars didn't seal or seem to work. I was putting a desiccant pkg in all my jars of freeze dried foods along with the oxygen absorber. Please keep offering us all this good information. Food is too expensive to waste because of not knowing.
Before I complete the seal using my iron, I always leave a corner of the mylar bag open then I insert a straw and such out the air. With that process and the oxygen absorber my bags always developed dimples. Success!
I love your channel and I watch it often. I don't know if this helps any one, but I'll share it anyway. When I open a long term storage container, say a # 10 can of dehydrated vegetables, or a larger mylar bag of rice, I place the items into usable size mason jars with both a moisturizer absorber and a loose leaf, draw string, empty teabag full of salt. The larger the jar, more I fill the teabag with salt. The salt does absorb some moisture, and if I had to hand someone a jar of food in an emergency or a barter situation, the jar also contains a teabag full of valuable salt!
Thank you so much for bringing up this topic again.
I think many feel the same way I do that I am completely on my own when problems arise on this topic, I have no one to ask. Except TH-cam, and especially your videos because they offer me really reliable information.
Wouldn't you like to create a downloadable brochure (possibly also for a fee) on this topic? Especially for beginners it is really difficult to find reliable instructions and information.
A brochure in which all information would be bundled, possibly with trouble shooting, would certainly be helpful for many.
Kind regards and stay safe!
@@TheProvidentPrepper
You just got another subscriber, We just spent quite a bit on supplies including a waterbath canner & accessories, all I have are 2 different types of food grade siica packets. Thankfully I haven't packed everything as the supplies are just coming in & I have a lot of canning to do & vacuum packing as well. My new vacuum sealer will be arriving tomorrow, so this information is timely & will be put to good use.
Thank you so very much for uploading this video. I will save it as well. I'm still learning how to use the technology we have today, & I feel like a dinosaur. My hubby's 81 & he works online & doesn't know how to use smart phones & doesn't want one. I don't blame him 🙄. Lol! O was told I'd never be able to fill up all the space I have on this Samsung Note 9 & Google keeps teling me my storage is full. I am besides myself with this phone! Lol ❣ I need to borrow a techie teenager with patients❣😄 😖🥲
@@TheProvidentPrepper
Thank you, hlad to be a part of your online family❣🥰🙆♀️👍
I’ve actually went to different sites looking for more info on oxygen absorbers and yours was one of them and you actually helped me on an older video. Now with this video I will definitely put this one in my saved file.
I watched this video to confirm I’ve done my food storage correctly. Ha Ha! Well, I can clearly see I’ve made a couple of minor mistakes, but I feel grateful to know how to rectify this, & that they can be easily corrected. Thank you for always being cautious. I think I heard you say ‘2005’ as an approximate date given for a food storage item you did in the past. Now THAT’S experience, not to mention you’ve carefully prepared & stored your food to be 100% safe for your children & other family members. I realize it’s not a competition, but it kinda makes you guys ‘The Experts’ in my opinion. You KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING, so I hope viewers & subscribers alike will pay attention to what you say.
Great video. I put too many oxygen absorbers in beans and after 3 years I needed to get in to my stash. They were fine to eat of course but the skins were tough and needed to be soaked for a couple of days instead of one and cooked a bit longer. This meant the inside of the bean would be mushy even though the skins were a bit hard. An experienced prepper told me it was because I had put in too many oxygen absorbers.
Since then I heard about nixtamalizing which is a process used for maize, cooking it or soaking it in an alkaline solution (ash was traditionally used but lye, lime water, sodium bicarbonate are all fine). I tried it with some tough skinned dried peas I had and it worked very well. One quarter of a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in the soaking water for 2 cups of peas is enough, any more and it will go too mushy.
It is also sufficient if you only add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water during cooking.
In my buckets I put my vacuum sealed and Mylar bag sealed food with the oxygen absorbers inside with the food and after I fill the bucket with the bags I throw a couple of descant bags inside the bucket to help pick up any moisture that might be in the bucket during storage. Weather or not it is doing it’s job it should help somewhat and it gives me peace of mind.
Wow thank you for this! I'm a seasoned prepper and I didn't know about the bags being fine if they look like they have air in there still! I always assumed it needed redone if it didn't suck in and have that vac sealed look!
I redo mine when doesn't seal hard
@@maggiehumble7822 Hi Maggie, now we know that redoing is not necessary if it is done correctly.
Thank you for your very educational videos. I have learned so much from watching your videos. I didn't think I could use regular glass jars (non-canning variety) or PETE plastic for storage even with oxygen absorbers.
A excellent summary. One that will likely be referred to many times by many preppers. And should be.
I would note that while the glass does not pass air, those little rubber seals in the canning lids do, albeit very slowly. Mylar does have a longer storage life, but more likely talking 25 years as opposed to 5 years (assuming you get an initial seal).
Another item is that the density of what you store can be important. There is a lot less air in that gallon bag of rice that there is in that gallon bag of freeze dried broccoli crowns. You may want to be overly safe at times and use more OA when the food packed in is not so dense,
Personally, if possible I both vacuum seal and use OAs -- overkill is always good.
Been watching you for years. Was awesome to see Lynette have you guys on her channel. 😎👍
Wow, it always impresses me that if somebody drops a video I’m the first one to like it and watch it
Hi Kylenre and Jonathan. Another great and full review in detail. I'm glad I already knew much of the information in this video. Why am I confident? Because of you two. I have watched all your vids and review them often. Fantastic channel guys.
Yes, I am a Wallaby guy too. Great reputation, US company, and they make it almost idiot proof. Can you you find cheaper products? Possibly, but I don't know because I've always stuck with what I know for sure works. Most of my Mylar stores done years ago still look vacuumed sealed if done correctly.
Good talk. One thing--I have used a lot of desiccant packets in glass jars with foods that are in powder form and have come to the conclusion that the packets are useless for things like flour, milk powder, gelatin, etc... The jars almost without fail eventually lose their seals. And I do make sure the rubber seals and the glass rims are super clean before I secure the lids. However, I have never experienced any clumping of the foods.
KYLENE & JOHN - 2 QUESTIONS :
1) Which size of oxygen absorber do I need per each gallon Mylar bag?
2) Please explain WHY you can’t use silica gel with an oxygen absorber - what is the reaction if using both together in one Mylar bag or jar?
I'm neither Kylene nor Jonathan, but hopefully this will help!
1. 400 cc for 1 gallon mylar bag - USA Emergency Supply has an excellent resource on this: www.usaemergencysupply.com/information-center/packing-your-own-food-storage/oxygen-absorbers-recommended-amounts
To be honest, though, I use 500 cc on anything 1 gallon and below. I always go over the recommendation.
2. Using silica gel with an oxygen absorber renders the oxygen absorber useless, because the oxygen absorber needs the moisture in the air to activate and absorb the oxygen in your mylar bag. If you remove that moisture with the silica gel, your oxygen absorber won't work.
Thank you so much for this clear, easy-to-follow video! I'm very new to prepping and have been bingeing all sorts of videos and channels, but there's a lot of conflicting, or just incomplete, information out there that has made the process extra confusing.
I just put up my first 200 pounds of various foods and was stressing because my Mylar bags had not "sucked in" like they'd been vacuum sealed. I was worried the oxygen absorbers weren't working. The other problem I encountered was that my first attempt at heat-sealing the bags wasn't totally successful. I got slightly thicker bags and evidently had not put the heat setting on a high enough level. They were ziplocked, at least, and partially heat sealed, but I ended up going back and redoing the heat seal on all of them. Hopefully that's enough!
I always throw used desiccant packs that come with things I order online into my ammo cans.
This was SO informational! I was considering getting the SteelPak Mylar bags and skipping the oxygen absorbers but now I understand that the oxygen absorbers are the best way for long term storage. I think the SteelPak bags will be good to replace my FoodSaver bags for short term freezer storage. Thanks!
Fantastic information! Now I have to figure out why TH-cam is not putting your videos on my feed, even though I have the notification bell on. I’ve missed a lot of videos. I have to catch-up
I have mason jars with the clip and rubber as the seal, does this still work or does it have to be the screw lids? Its very difficult to get good food storage in Ireland where i am. Many thanks
Was just wondering if I needed these! Thanks for your videos!
Thank you so much for sharing all this information. I watched another chanel where they said grain stored in plastic bottles with oxygen absorber will still be good for 15 years. And that's what I did . Now I have to look for another way to store my grain long term. How long home cooked and dehidrated beans and lentils last stored in plastic or glass containers?
Thank you for your information, I just came across your TH-cam channel and find you very interesting and knowledgeable. I do have a question in regards to the best way for me to store homemade beef jerky so that I could send it to my son in the military overseas. I'm looking forward to hearing your reply, thank you again, and God bless
When I have extra oxygen absorbers I crimp the plastic bag they come in with the hair straightener that I use too seal the Mylar bags. It takes just a quick close of the straightener and it deals them back into the plastic. I try to pen the bags carefully so there's enough bag left to seal again. Having 10 in a bag makes it easy to reseal.
Question: I just put a number of lbs of wheat berries into Mylar bags with o2 absorbers. (I believe I used the correct amt. of absorbers per bag sizes). I put up hard wheat and soft wheat as well as oat groats and quinoa. I didn’t think about the moisture content and live in a humid location in the northeast. I thought that wheat berries and the other mentioned items were ok for long term storage and gave no thought to moisture. Your video mentioned that not all wheat is
I’ve been using wallaby for over a year now and I love them. One question, can I store bullion (say herb ox) or broth powder (or ring tin farms from Walmart), long term with an oxygen absorber in Mylar bag? I can’t seem to find anything that gives moisture content. I even went as far as to freeze dry the powdered broth (Orrington farms from walmart). When it finished drying, it felt the exact same way as when it went into freeze dryer. May be just the way powdered broth feels. Can’t find moisture content anywhere online for either. Thanks so much!! ❤️❤️🤗
Thank you, this info is so helpful to us newbies. Re rotisserie chicken, I would think that has lots of moisture; confusing that this is a candidate for O2 absorbers??
With my job I get some of the desiden packets with parts and I reuse them in our ammo crates.
Can I vacuum seal Baking powder or baking sofa? I’m new at this and you guys are a wonderful source, Thank You so much for all your helpful information Bless You
I’ve seen on other videos that baking powder/soda can explode if you take out the oxygen. I would research this before I did anything with them.
Prescriptions.. can you use an oxygen absober in medications and vitamins?,in smaller mylar bags..
Also cream of wheat?
Thank you so very much ❤
Hey guys! Greatly appreciated the fantastic presentation y’all took the time and effort to PREPare😂!! Im Dino from San Antonio and I recently started taking an interest in food storage at home. I’ve known about the benefits of oxygen removal from food for some time and wanted to know if & how there were products available for the consumer industry. I learned much from you.
I’m greatly empowered by this knowledge and look forward to employing it in my life.
Thankfully,
Dino from San Antonio
Thanks for joining us Dino!
Question. Then should you add a oxygen absorbors inca har add vacuum seal it?
Ugh..... I was hoping you would answer a question I have had for quite sometime. Perhaps this is not as common as I thought. I use glass jars, with the appropriate food inside with an oxygen absorber, and about 40 percent of them with don not hold the seal, or they do initially, then within a month or so, the seal does not hold. I am constantly checking the lids for that dreaded popping sound. St. George Utah, shelves in the basement that is cool, dry and dark. PLEASE HELP!
New to freeze drying and have a question. I got my machine going about a week ago and I freeze dried several half gallons of fruits and veg's. I used a VP05 electric mason jar vacuum sealer. I did not put an oxygen absorber in the bottom of the jars. My question is do I need to redo the jars and put the absorbers in the jars ?
So I’m curious if this would work with ground coffee or can you not store coffee for long Term?
Good question! I can’t go without my coffee!
Great video! I did notice at 5:38 it looks like you are adding oxygen absorbers to brown rice in the white buckets ?
Very important question to make my chocolate chips last🤣…do you vacuum seal them? I’ve been binge watching all your videos, you both are awesome for giving us folks all your valuable information! Thank you very much
Thanks I watched someone packaging raisins with oxygen absorbers yesterday. I think they are 15% , so a no no then. I was going to do that today so great timing.
@@TheProvidentPrepper thanks for the imfo.
I sprinkle diatomaceous earth on my dry stuff before sealing
Since I had vacuum packed the food seems fine but the lids didn't pull down and stay down. I will have to check it all and redo things.
Say you have purchased a 50lb bag of wheat & will be using as needed, how would you kill any bugs or larvae that might be present (that aren’t visible) while getting into the bucket every few weeks or so? Would you put a new oxygen absorber any time you open the bucket?? Thank you so much!
How do you know if your absorber is working if there is still puffiness in your mylar bag after it is sealed?
You don't know for sure
The provident prepper. I would agree with you about your policy of staying below 10% moisture. Because if you get more than that then you’re having to juggle the other factors, it gets a bit formulaic and convoluted. Complicating matters has never been a great way to success.
There are a couple of other factors that we can throw in here that might be useful for your purposes.
Temperature could be important here. If you’ve got goods even if they have a little more moisture counted in them, keeping them At a very consistent, low temperature tends to really limit biological activity; it will also reduce oxidation and the rate at which any fats will go rancid. This is not small. Even the shelf life of something like olive oil, which tends to be quite limited, can be extended many, many fold, if it is frozen. This could be important in the next few years.
PH is important. If you’re storing foods that are fairly basic in terms of pH, that’s an important factor in terms of botulism. Graph absolutely right about those three big factors, but there’s a reason why people stopped canning pumpkin purée, and for which it’s a bad idea to store foods with a significant moisture content, at a basic pH, add warm temperatures, where there’s some oxygen involved. Really, you’re dealing with about five factors that are necessary for botulism to thrive and poison your food. It’s important to know this, and beyond that, these five factors give you five ways in which you can limit or maybe even prevent botulism from colonizing in we’re thriving in your Food storage.
Thank you for your extremely valuable videos. You are among those who provide all sorts of untold opportunities for the average person who has become comfortable with practises that are being established for the generations, to examine those practices, and apply the newest knowledge, resulting in a much face safer food supply and storage. Thank you very much for this.
This is so helpful and confusing! haha Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! I have some tomato powder that is hard as a brick. Should I use a desiccant?
In the plastic bottles, where do you add the oxygen absorber? Top or the bottom
Great video, as always. Thank you! Any chance you could show how to vacuum seal using a freeze dryer? A slow step by step for dummies, please. - Nora
If you buy freeze dried food can you divide it into small mylar bags and put a oxygen absorber to keep and how long will it keep
Hello! Thanks for an informative video. I wish to store homemade dry cat food, and I’m wondering how long would it be edible using this technique and what is the effect of opening the bag daily to scoop the food? I wish to store the food for 4 months if possible.
Shelf life of unopened oxygen absorbers? You mentioned to me having reached out and asked the manufacturer about this. Wondering if you’d heard anything? I ask again because this is a new video and I thought the question might have been overlooked. Thanks!
@@TheProvidentPrepper THANK YOU! 💕
Hello again! It’s been a year and I’m again watching this (I forget things! 😅) and wondered if you yet happen to have an answer to my question.
I’m super-interested in knowing if we can store Oxygen Absorbers themselves LONG TERM.
🤗
I was hoping you had a video on O2 absorbers, and came to look! Thank you 🙏🏻
Watched this twice. Excellent information. Thank you.
Question. I am new to storage and O2 absorbers. So I’m wondering if I have a gallon glass jar but it has a sturdy plastic screw on lid. Not a metal or canning type lid. Could I use an absorber packet in that?
Will an oxygen absorber seal non mason jars? I usually vacuum seal and use oxygen absorbers in mason jars but haven’t tried it yet in pickle jars, salsa jars ect.
Yes I’d like to know this too - regarding previously used “other” jars…
Can you talk more about using both oxygen absorbers and descant? 19:47ish. "Other powder foods" What are you talking about foods I powder or baking powder stuff? I freeze-dried my eggs and veggies do I need to put both in? The eggs are slightly oily, should I expect clumping?
Maybe I missed it. Another video I watched said, if I am going to vacuum seal grain in a Mylar bag that it has to be frozen for 2 days as well? To kill bug eggs. Wouldn't the vacuum seal and oxygen absorber do that as well?
Good morning Provident Preppers! I have a couple quick questions...
1) I stored some beans, cocoa powder, quinoa, etc. in half pint mason jars using 100cc of oxygen absorbers and they did seal. Did I use the correct size because they did seal?
2) This quesrion is in reference to mylar bags.I am going to use for my 4x6 bags because I'm a party of one, so my question is how many cc's in an absorber do I need?
Thanks!
Anything that small only needs 100ccs.
If it was a quart, you'd use 200cc. Pint is 100cc
I want to get some of the oxygen absorbers. I listen to your video and maybe I missed it but I need to know what size I should buy. I have 5 gallon buckets of wheat, I also have pint jars of dehydrated cherries. And that’s a big spread so which size of oxygen absorbers should I purchase
I have food grade 5 gallon buckets with gamma lids. I just dumped my Dry Cereal into the bucket, added 2500 in O2 absorbers on top and closed it. If left alone, will this bucket allow oxygen to leak through? What is the difference from a Food Grade Bucket to a normal (non-food-grade) bucket:?
The O2 packets that I buy are not individually packaged so I store my O2 packets in Mason jars and vacuum seal to create an O2 free environment to begin with. This method should extend the life of the packets when I take them out to use them for dry canning.
I’m frugal, so I use the Hot Hands product. It’s the same exothermic reaction and does a superb job sucking 😂. Thanks
@@TheProvidentPrepper I use the hand warmer size for every 25lbs or so of dry goods (about a 5 gallon bucket). My son gets them for free at work, therefore I get for free lol 😂 Otherwise, Sam’s Club after the winter season’s over😉
You said “These you can’t use to many” “can’t over do and use twice as much” at minute 18.44 were you referring to oxygen absorbers?
I am freeze drying meals for my special needs daughter who eats a special diet so i plan on using pint and half pint canning jars.
What size oxygen absorbers?
Quart?
Pint?
Half pint?
I only have 300cc. Is that overkill?
Hi! I'm new to this... I'm buying 50# bags of some staples, to simply have to cook with and rotate through the daily pantry but I believe I'll need two 5 galloon buckets for each 50# bag, so I'm considering that 2nd bucket as possibly needing higher level of protection as it waits to be used. Would the cheapest/best method be a mylar bag with oxygen absorber inside the bucket or dry ice method or am I way off? (I live in upstate NY, plan to use my basement. Chilly, some humidity but we use a dehumidifier constantly). Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
Can you vacuum seal a mason jar with Vanilla Wafers and an oxygen absorber?
SOOOO INFORMATIVE
Wow. Praise God For You. I'm Learning
What is the best way to store dry pasta (spaghetti)? Mylar bag with O2 absorber? What about plain mashed potatoes? How is it best stored for long-term? How long does canned/jar spaghetti sauce last (shelf life)?
@@TheProvidentPrepper Thanks, you are one of the FEW websites that I trust for reliable information. Thanks for being here.
How do store bacon bits in a jar or Mylar and do they need to be refrigerated?
should dry yeast be stored in a glass jar with a packet?
What are your thoughts on the Electric mason jar sealer. I've noticed several different versions that you charge using a USB.
I tried one that I HATED! It was a pain and never sealed correctly. However, I've been very pleased with the M1 MasonKing. Works every time. This is the one I use amzn.to/3yvmcw2
The question that I have for you when I use my oxygen absorbers in my jars, does it matter if I put it on the bottom or on the top or just in the jar somewhere please help I'm new to this
How long could freezedryed apple snacks be stored in a mylar bag without oxygen absorbers or vacuum sealing? We were thinking of selling them at our highschool for snacks in the cafeteria. We would expect them to be consumed that day or within a week with a consume by date. Do we need Oxy absorbers for something that short term?
My question is can you use both an oxygen absorber in mylar and vacuum seal together i use a chamber vac. ??
QUESTION
Do i need oxygen absorber if I'm using the vacuum sealer attachment / canning lids/ canning jars to store rice, pasta, popcorn, dried beans etc?
Following
For long-term storage, yes. Vacuum sealing only reduces oxygen levels to about 2% while oxygen absorbers reduce it to 0.01%.
Thank you everyone for your help!
Silica paks and oxygen packs are confusing. There needs to be a concise list of which food gets which pak.
I think of it this way, all foods in mylar bags, jars or buckets get oxygen absorbers EXCEPT Salts, Sugars (because they will clump up & become hard as brick) and Seeds which are more suited with silica dessicant to keep dry
Crazy because I’ve always heard it was only OAs not to use with Salts and Sugars. So basically according to this video, it shouldn’t have either? hmm
Confusing? Silica is for moisture and oxygen absorber are for oxygen.
@@jimsandall2073 So does silica or oxygen paks go in a bag of dehydrated fruit?
Oxygen goes in food though your dehydrated fruit needs to be under 10% moisture content so make sure it's very dry.
Silica packs should only be used to control moisture with non food items like metal and brass. In my opinion Silica packs have no place in food storage.
Can you put OA in corn meal or coffee or flour and can you put them in a quart Mylar bag? (Meal and flower is5 pound)
How do you know if oxygen eliminator is working after putting it in a jar. I can see it but it looks the same as the day I put it in?
How do you store ice tea powder for long term?
I’m having a hard time finding a list of popular food items that we should not put oxygen absorbers in the Mylar bags. second part would be when you buy say a package of almonds that have not been opened. Do you just leave them in the original bag?
I personally leave those in the original bag in my cool, dark storage room because I rotate through them. If you want a longer life check out this video th-cam.com/video/ZuKQBQpBeio/w-d-xo.html This is for low moisture nuts only! You can find the moisture level at fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html
What about an oxygen absorber in a vacuum sealed bag? Belt and suspenders?
Hi, I see this was posted a year ago, but I'll ask a few question and hopefully someone with knowledge might respond. Can I use the oxygen remover with bay leafs and also how do I store yeast? Since dry yeast come in (and are used) in small quantums - any tip of storage? And baking powder, can I still use glas jars or mylar bags without the ox.remover? And I guess the same question goes for vanilla sugar. Thank's to anyone for responding!
a wealth of important information, thanks....🥰
Question on the Rotisserie chicken. So do I just shred it and put in the jar but don't do the canning process in a canning pressure cooker?
I believe she said it was freeze dried first.
So moisture absorbers or dessican packets are great for dehydrated foods, right?!?
Thank you for this information. Your videos are so informative & educational !
Do you have to freeze grain to kill bugs before storing for long term? I keep seeing both methods but am more concerned about moisture if grains were frozen.
From what I understand from watching the videos if you use the proper oxygen absorber size in your mylar bag and you seal it properly then you do not have to do the freezing thaw method unless you decide you want to because removing all the option from the environment will not allow any pests or pests eggs to thrive while you're doing your long-term storage.
If you use oxygen absorbers along with a vacuum sealer, then does flour still need to be frozen for several days prior to sealing in order to kill off the bugs/bug eggs? I have heard from so many people that it is required but I didn't freeze prior. I recently simply vacuumed sealed flour with oxygen absorber and did NOT freeze prior. I am concerned that bugs will hatch... thanks for the input. Oh also, I did the same for oats - vacuum sealed with oxygen absorber - without prior freezing. Would you freeze those vacuum sealed bags to kill bugs or start all over by freezing first, then seal and oxygen absorber...?
Do you have a video about storing the rotisserie chicken without pressure canning it ? 😱🤯
Meat is a low acid food, so if you are going to home can it, it must be pressure canned. You can dry it (jerky) or freeze it, but you can't can it without a pressure canner. Waterbath canning is only good for high acid foods like fruits, and even then, it is advised to add some acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to some fruits to bring them up to safe levels. Pickled foods can usually be waterbath canned because of the acid level in the vinegar used for the pickling process.
@@alindasue thank you! yes i actually have a water bath canner and am aware of this but she didn’t say she pressure canned it… didn’t she say she added an oxygen observer to it ? 🤔
Top notch info, as usual! Thank you!
Can I just pour rice into a food grade bucket and use oxygen absorbers instead of having to freeze the rice first or use bay leaves?
@@TheProvidentPrepper Well, I made up a bucket of rice in which I didnt freeze the rice, I only used bay leaves. So, what should I do?
What do you recommend for storing a large quanitiy of dry medicine tablets for long term prep storage?
I know, right??
Like can we do this with ibuprofen (non gel) etc???
Prefect timing! I needed this video!
I put my oxygen absorbers in a mason jar right away after using them, but the color changed on the indicator spot... I tried to do it quickly. Can I still use them?
Should I use an oxygen absorber or vac seal Nuts?
Nuts are high in fat and store best in the freezer.
Thank you. This really helped👍
I have a question... when you stack your buckets with Mylar bags, what can you use to lift off cement floor that’s affordable? Shelving is now tooexpensive.
@@TheProvidentPrepper that link is a wealth of information! Thank you for all your hard work!
I have many pounds of white rice that I purchased for long term storage (mylar bags in 5 gallon buckets). But I tested the rice moisture content (tester from Amazon) and it is consistently testing at 13.5%. Should I dry it further in my oven at a low temperature (say 170° F, that's the lowest my oven goes) for several hours until it tests at or below 10%? I don't want to store all of this now, only to open it later and find it spoiled!
@@TheProvidentPrepper
I am fairly certain that the tester is accurate. I have tested across several 10 lb bags and I am getting the same result. Much research on-line has led me to believe that drying white rice down to 13% is common and acceptable for the commercial process. On the other hand, I've also found lots of info about being at or below 10% for long term storage.... Not sure what to do. I can contact the manufacturer, but I won't be surprised when they say that they dry to 13%. What are your thoughts on drying it further in the oven though?
Thank you for your reply too, I really do appreciate it. And on the opposite side of dry goods and oxygen absorbers, your water storage video is gold standard! I still refer back to it and suggest it to friends and family! Please keep doing what you're doing! Thank you for all of your hard work!!!!! 😁👍👍
The Oxygen Absorber Indicator in the package of oxygen absorbers that I ordered from Amazon was deep purple to a black color, it should of been Pink in color, should I throw the oxygen absorbers in the trash ?
Same thing as moisture absorbers?
So, this is probably a really dumb question, but I’m a complete newbie. Can you put too many oxygen absorbers into a container?