My dentist recommended Clove Oil when I had a toothache and it worked great. Put a drop on a Q-Tip and rub it over the tooth. Reapply as needed. I used it on a cracked tooth until I could get in to my dentist.
A loss of hydrostatic pressure precedes a cavity. This lets the bacteria in, and oil will help seal the tooth, and clove oil is antiseptic. Clove oil also has eugenol, which is a natural anesthetic, making it a good choice for tooth pain.
Thanks for the tip. My son had a bad tooth a couple years ago and I went crazy looking for the toothache meds now all I need to have on hand is clove oil.
Sealers are better than the jaw type. Jars take up a lot of space. I use sealer bags take up little room . Sugar, salt gets hard, still good. Crumble with knife,spoon. Date every thing. Use older sealed first. Daughter using jars. Losing much storage space. I use good totes with locking covers. I use moisture packs. Oxygen absorbers not needed with vacume sealer. God Bless. 🐻😍
When it comes to emergency food storage rice is on of the best items you can start with. Many people just getting into prepping begin with storing rice to address food security concerns. And for good reason. It is shelf stable for years if stored properly and very inexpensive per calorie. Rice can also be used to really stretch out a limited amount of protein. If you mix in a small amount of chicken or beef it can make a great meal that feeds the whole family and then some.
Well it wasn't really clear to me, I think she said not to use it with Brown Rice because it has a lot of oils in it and to prefer white rice. Though I don't know if it meant its better to choose white rice for long storage or for use with an oxygene absorber.
how about vacuum sealing in the mason jars for items like flour salt and sugar with no absorber? i use my food saver to keep pastas rice and beans fresh if we dont use the whole bag and it seems to keep in the dark cool pantry for quite some time.
I like to store my oxygen absorbers in Mason jars which I seal with a device used with a vacuum sealer and when I take one out I just re-vacuum seal the jar. I think this is more reliable than just heat sealing the pack they came in.
FoodSaver says only 24-34% of air is removed via the hose. So each time you revac seal the jar the remaining absorbers are going to absorb from the 66-76% air in the jar. Re-vacuuming sealing the bag is by far the better option. If the jar is packed full and you only do it once then the loss is minimal. But after a few openings and the jar is half full you can't know how many cc they are good for. They probably won't degrade evenly either.
Omg thank you for letting me know to angle the opener! I am in the middle of making soup and my pop-top broke off my can of black beans. I've never had this happen and I kind-of just stood in the middle of the kitchen like, "...what now?" 😅
I have literally been trying to understand when to use oxygen absorbers (versus silica gel moisture packs) for the last few days, i bought some a month ago and am scared to use them. THANK YOU.
ME TOO! 🤦🏻♀️ I purchased them for home dehydrated food but can not find good info. It is frightening to worry about what shape your food will be in when your family needs it the most! Especially if you can not rely on the appearance or your sense of smell. Sheesh!
@@Pretzelogic I wanted to use my oxygen absorbers on the frozen vegetables that I dehydrated as well. I just ended up vacuum sealing them and to be honest I'm not sure I will eat them, it was my first time dehydrating veg so I'm doubly unsure.
@@wordsbymaribeja1470 I understand completely. I got doubly paranoid about my dehydrated mushrooms. I Need to get a good book. If I find a comprehensive one, I’ll let you know. Good luck and safe eating!
@@Pretzelogic I bought a book after my first (and last for the moment) (oven) dehydration attempt, it is a really good book I definitely recommend it, have a look and see what you think: The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook by Tammy Gangloff (Steven Gangloff and September Ferguson). 😊
This was so helpful! I was sealing some foods up for the first time and was surprised at how hot the absorbers were getting. I ended up putting them in a gallon Ziploc bag only to wake up the next morning with wet (and useless) absorbers. Now I know why. Live and learn!
Yeah me too, im shocked at 1st why it gets hot then i put it in a fridge (silly me) 😊 only to realise it gets wet, not knowing why i immediately throw away
I have been prepping for years and have salt, sugar and flour all in Mylar with O2 absorbers and when I open them they are just fine. Not bricks as you indicated. I just want to make sure others are aware that these items are fine to use with O2 absorbers
Kim’s Kluckeds, this is not my opinion it’s a fact. I have countless examples of this method working perfectly with oxygen absorbers. That said I like in a very dry clinic Colorado which could have an impact on storage. Have you even tried either method to test?
jbswift when I first started using 02 absorbers I put them in everything. I ended up with bricks of brown sugar, salt, sugar and even corn starch. It was an awful and expensive learning lesson. You are the only one I have heard say otherwise. For the newbies out there we need to set an example of safe and proper food storage. Tell me how you did it without disastrous results.
Hello AG! A cheat sheet of this information would be great, the foods to not use 02 absorbers with and what size of absorber per container. It is easy to get mixed up when prepping several items. Thank you!
I was reading botulism grows on anything with a water activity greater than 0.92. Zero being totally dry, 1.0 is water wet. So 0.92 is pretty damp, but it may not be a linear scale. So now I can search online for water activity values for typical dried foods and hope to discover whether they’re dry enough to be safely stored in the absence of oxygen or air, at room temperature. In this case desiccation is our only protection against botulism, unless it’s an acidic food I’m remembering, like a mantra, acidity, dryness, oxygen and temperature (very cold or very hot) are the protections to consider.
I just used to freeze meats such as individual steaks in our big chest freezer. And, have a big bucket of water in the freezer, at the same time. When the meat was well frozen, i picked up each cut and dipped them into the very cold water in the bucket. Double coating them, after the first coat of water froze. And then bagged them. The thick coat of ice stopped freezer burn, Stopped all air, oyygen, fungi, and bugs, too. I made water the strong, perfect 'vacuum sealant'. Give it a try if you have a large freezer. Also there's no wrapping waste. You just pick out which steaks you want. And cook them.
I don't use Oxygen Absorbers, I purge the air with Dry Nitrogen at atmospheric pressure when sealing and include Silica Gel Desiccant packs to absorbe moisture. The Nirogen gets rid of most of the free Oxygen in the container, but the Oxygen in the food remains. I am thinking about getting a GammaRay and X-Ray source to reduce bacteria like what is done sometimes with eggs. I also seal all lids, bag ends, etc in hot wax. A quick dip is all it takes.
thanks. good needed info. I just started using absorbers and something is not working. About half the jars (quarts and pints), all with new lids and jars totally dry out of dishwasher, are not sealing properly. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks Jack
More great practical advice ! Been prepping for several years but always learn something new or the vids are a great refresher lesson. Thank you AG and may God bless and protect you and your family 🙏🏻
Thank you Alaska Granny! Another great vid. I have Several bags of powdered various veg & fruit powders. They came in heavy plasticky ish looking bags that also look metalish, for lack of better description. Had em a year now & wonder if they’d be alright just in those still if I use em within next couple yrs? Also have some dried pasta & beans in their original bags & cardboard boxes that were stored that long as well. Should I get those into a Mylar bag or glass jar asap? 😳 They are in a dry, cool room but still, I realize a year is awhile. Just have such lil storage space it’s pitiful.
@Paco awhile back, I looked for info on long term storage of dog food and I couldn't find what I was looking for but someone in the comments said he used oxygen absorbers and that he had to tap into his stache from over a year ago and his dogs loved it. So I'm trying it.
@Paco Heres my list: Quinoa both sprouted and not sprouted (Supposedly has a small amount of fat in it) Rolled Oats Sprouted Black Beans (Sprouted generally has a higher nutrition content, but I believe uses water for the "sprouting") Sprouted Brown Rice(She did say brown rice is less likely to hold up compared to white rice) Red Lentils Chickpeas (Raw) And some maple granola and hemp/flax granola, but I suppose I'll have to store those via mason jars But I suppose I can store them all with mylar bags, just not all with o2 absorbers Thoughts?
I just found this video, I m going to keep it for future use. I m new at doing prepping and, it nice to know what to use the oxygen absorbers on and what not to use on. I have a bunch of nuts and baking chips in my freezer from the last holidays ,I need to make room in my freezer so I want to vacuum seal them in quart jars.thank you for the information.
Thank you for this video! In short....I learned valuable information. Please tell me if a vacuum sealer: A. Does the same thing to storeing foods as O² absorbers "AND" moisture absorbers. B. Should one add an O² or moisture absorber to a vacuum sealed storage item? C. As botulism was discussed in your video, is there a chance of creating a vacuum sealed environment for botulism by vacuum sealing the wrong foods? D. Are there foods that should never be vacuum sealed? E. What foods once vacuum sealed must be refrigerated or frozen? Thank you in advance! IB
Thank you for this video. You have saved at least one life with it - no kidding! I am new to long term food storage and learning as I go. About a month ago, I stored 16 packages of granola (14 chromosome wheat with no allergenic ingredients) and of course vac sealed them with my food saver and an 02 absorber. grrr I am now understanding these are not safe to eat. Safety first of course but... My question now - is there are way I can salvage this i.e. open the packages and spread on a baking sheet and bake? for long long and temp? I also did this with coffee beans which I am now wondering about. Truly appreciate a reply....
I gotta dig OAs out of jars of brown rice. Only a few brown for husband. Used to control bugs (even though it's been froze and thawed). Guess I'll just use bay leaves.Thanks.
I have vacuum canned raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries and dried apricot halves from the supermarket. Before I vacuum can dried fruit snacks from the supermarket in canning jars, I first further dry the food in my dehydrator. Then I fill quart size canned jars with the now very hard and shrunken fruit pieces and add enough granulated real cane sugar to fill all the voids. Then I use the attachment for my Food Saver machine to pull out the oxygen and vacuum seal the canning lid onto the jar. I never use powdered sugar because it is soo fine it would get sucked into the Food Saver machine. I do not add any oxygen absorbers to the jars I vacuum seal either. If I have not dehydrated the fruit enough, the sugar will draw out the moisture and turn syrupy -- a sure sign the fruit was not dried enough. So, when I have dried the fruit properly, I now have jars filled with a combination of dried fruit and dry sugar. Which are two of the ingredients I need for making fruit cobblers and fruit cakes.
wow SO SMART! Also the sugar is a bona fide preservative keeping the food in good condition, PLUS the sugar is being 'stored' too. I love everything about your comment. I would use the sugar stored with dried lemon peel for my tea, and sugar stored with dried orange peel for my coffee! Of course, the actual dry peel would go into the teapot & coffee pot.
@@melmelbry5754 Yes. Some of the food buckets sold by food storage companies have those dried banana slice snacks packaged in Mylar. Make sure any dried, low fat food you package in Mylar is either crispy dry or very shrunken and hard. For example, raisins are not dry enough if they are soft enough to eat. They would need to be further dried in a dehydrator machine before packaging and would later have to be steeped in hot water to soften then enough to eat.
@gonefishing3644 So like banana chips, even if they aren't freeze dried, could go in mylar with 02 abs? What about cookies? Not oreos because they have "wet" stuff, but like Milano or Thin Mints? And do you happen to know if goldfish and other crackers are okay? Thanks!
Can you use a vacuum sealer such as a Food Saver too remove air out of jars or bags with the dried foods you mentioned that you can't use with oxygen absorbers?
I’m not new to long term storage when it comes to canning, thanks to granny! But I am new to long term for dry foods. I really appreciate this info but my question is, can you safely use O2 absorbing packets for FLOUR? How does one store Flour for years at a time? I know this video is a year old so not sure if anyone will see it or the creator here can help but I would love any reply. I’ll continue to comb through the internet to check for answers and check advise given. Thanks, I appreciate any help.
It's good information, thank you. I have been helping my sister get preps ready. Her dilemma is my niece and nephew are peanut/tree nut allergic - severe (almost lost my nephew when she first became aware of the allergy). Trying to find prepared long term food for people with peanut/nut allergies is very very very difficult, and it has become a fairly common allergy. The most frustrating thing to locate is nut allergy safe dry/powder whole milk. The few that are out there are very expensive. I think there is a big need for someone to create a food storage business that is nut safe. ;) I may invest in a freeze dryer to ensure we have items that are safe for them.
I just took a rather cursory glance at the label on my can of Meyenberg Powered Whole Goats Milk and saw no mention of nuts or nut allergy warnings. Might want to check their website for more info.
Walmart sells several brands of dry milk. Nido is a good quality for less than Auguson farms. The labels should state if its from a nut free packaging plant. Freezdryers have become less expensive with different sizes now offered. Harvest Right I think is the biggest supplier & they have sales. Good luck!!
I know your post was a year ago, but you mentioned you would like to get a freeze dryer. If you haven't got one already you might check out Canadian prepper. He has a TH-cam store where he gets I believe it's the Harvest Right freeze dryer and has some in his Warehouse he only had a few left but you might go to his channel and then you can go to the description box click on the link I guess to ask about it. God bless you
If you can, try to find someone with a freeze dryer! I have many people pay me to freeze dry foods/juices/candies for them because they have SEVERE allergies to many things found commonly in store bought foods! I put an ad out saying my services were available, but I've seen people LOOKING for someone with a freeze dryer that could freeze dry some things for them in exchange for payment, or some of the food to be freeze dried! I've also bartered/traded in exchange for my freeze drying services! This may be an option for you! One thing about freeze drying, is freeze dried goods are shelf stable for around 25 YEARS or MORE, AAAAND foods freeze dried retain 97% of nutrients, whereas dehydrating takes away a lot of nutrients! When you reconstitute freeze dried things, like orange juice, or salsa for example, you CANNOT tell it was ever freeze dried! 🥰 the process perfectly preserves the flavors, textures etc so it's an AMAZING option! Maybe you could put an "ISO SOMEONE WITH A FREEZE DRYER I CAN PAY/TRADE FOR FREEZE DRYING SERVICES" IN YOUR LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUPS FOR BUYING, SELLING AND TRADING IN YOUR SURROUNDING AREA! You'd be surprised at what you'd find! I even donate some time freeze drying for elderly, military, disabled etc because I KNOW what being low income is like. I have been low income most of my 33 years alive, and have been homeless too. You'd be shocked at what people will help with if they know of a person's struggles. 2 years ago, I couldn't even afford a Christmas gift from the dollar tree for my young 9 year old child... strangers went our of their way to send gifts and my kid had a great Christmas, and now we give to those in need because we are in a stable position in life and have enough to help people like we have been helped. 1 person that helped my child that Christmas just reached out to me! I'm sending her freeze dried candy and some jewlery that I make for sale! It's a wonderful feeling helping people, especially children! 🥰 I know someone would be more than happy to help you and the kiddo with severe allergies!
A great subject. Not something you often see talked about on prepping channels. Plus, I often think people can sometimes get freezer dried foods and dehydrated foods mixed up as well. Dehydrated foods tend to have a much higher moisture content, so like you have said they're not foods where you'd put in an oxygen absorber.
I use multiple hand warmers for the 55 gallon barrels of oats, corn meal, grits, white rice and beans. Because standard O2 eaters are tiny. I also nitrogen and CO2. Totally agree with moist foods. FWIW = techies use rice as a desiccant so you are 100% on target about adulterated foods.
All purpose white flour is a definite yes for oxygen absorbers in mylar bags. I have personal experience that it's just as fresh after 5 years of storage as the day it was sealed up. The rumor I hear is it will easily last 10 years but I can't say I've actually seen the proof. White flour can be difficult to seal because it's like a powder and sticks to sides of bag. I make a seal 3 to 6 inches wide for a little insurance. Plus, I always go over the amount of absorbers recommend. There's no such thing as too much.
No O2 absorber for brown rice, nuts, dried fruits that still bend, baking soda/powder (can explode), powdered foods (turns them hard). What'd I miss? Glad I saw this before I put an absorber in some dehydrated fruit that was still bendy. Thanks.
@@robertschmidt9296 Good news is you can open up those mylar bags, dump out rice and cut the bit you sealed off- and reuse for white rice. Put your brown rice in jars with silica packets and eat it.
Do not use oxygen absorbers with any of those products. The high surface area of powered products make the absorbers too effective, binding the powered product together. If you need to make heat shield resistant bricks, go for it, otherwise, just keep those products from moisture and temperature extremes.👍
How much exposure can it take before its useless? Took me about 5min or so to seal my bags, but about 15/50 did not seal properly, so I'm not sure if I have to do it again
Yep, I’m new at this and learning as I go. If the Mylar does not suck up tight around whatever is in the bags, cut a small opening and add another OA and reseal. Had to do this with a lot of my stuff. Also watch the color sensors that come with the OA. When the turn from pink to blue,done toss them. I wasn’t working fast enough with my OA and sealing. Even some of the sites that sell the stuff don’t lay this info out. They assume you learned what you needed to know somewhere else. They really need some blogs to help educate ppl about their products and use but probably don’t want the liability.
Alaska Granny, I have been watching you since 2020...now 8/22....long road we have been on. Question: I have several containers of California raisins in big cardboard containers in zip lock bags. Cannot afford mylar or oxygen absorbers...just me....well I have got food..but keep adding each mo. Canned only. Will raisins go bad or can I reconstitute with warm water. I have eaten raisins all my life Love your dedication and info...everything coming down to wire. So many people have different opinions on food storage...I have 3 cases of qt canning jars for storage and 1 case asstd sizes....never used...I do not know how to can, or do not want to use pressure cooker. I just keep flour and some dry milk in fridge...but not Nido..IT is going on 2 yrs old like everything I have... Unfortunately live in TX...flooded last night and today..all this wk rain and until end of mo. So...heat major problem...I have a turbo fan blowing on large pantry...NO basements in TX. HELP.
This is an EXCELLENT video. I need information on how to store dehydrated tomatoes. Just hearing this, I know not to use an oxygen absorber. So how do you store them for short and long term use. I just purchased a homdox dehydrator today. So excited to be getting that. If you have a video on that please share the link. Thank you for your hard work. New sub. One other question if you don't mind>>>what size absorber do I need to use for pint size jars. I use pints because I am a household of one. The oxygen absorbers I am getting from amazon will be 200 cc. I have never used them. You video was superior. I have a vacuum sealer machine but it does not have a means to attach a vacuum sealer for jars...just bags.
I vacuum sealed my oxy packets into packets of 5 and put into another bag so I have smaller amounts available and if in it a 5gallon container I need all 5!
OH you’re a GOD SEND at 5 minutes in you explained EXACTLY what I was wondering/thinking about for so long and nobody ever talks about it!!! I always wondered how long after you opened the cans on the pre ready emergency foods how long it’d be good for considering you have to re open the container to get your portion out to cook it. What’s the process on recanning those emergency ready foods? Do you have a video on that? How to do it and shelf life once rescanned in more appropriate sized portions to fit our needs, etc.?
Oh my gosh you even explained about oxygen absorbers!!! Love it!!! Thank you. Do you have a video in depth for what size jar, product and what ccs oxygen absorber to use? I’ve never seen anything like that broken down and explained anywhere. Thanks!!!
Well you did a wonderful job explaining all this. I'm new to preparing for the whatever and really want to get it right the 1st time as I can't afford to mess it up. But who can? Thank you!!
Do you drink coffee? I got some specialty whole bean coffee from star bucks and read that vacuum sealing is best. I recently have been watching videos on vacuum sealing foods for storage. The only thing that has me nervous is this botulism thing. Can botulism grow in coffee beans that are vacuum sealed? This morning I just did my first vacuum seal on some coffee beans in ball mason jars with the handheld food saver and the mason jar seal adapters.
This might sound like a silly question but I’m going to ask anyways. I recently bought Mylar bags and o2 absorbers and have been reading about food storage etc. I ran across a article, I am not sure if it was USDA or CDC- anyways it stated that food with a moisture content above 10% cannot be stored in a oxygen free environment due to botulism. It was always my understanding botulism would need much more moisture than that. Anyways I looked up the moisture content of pasta and pinto beans, both of which appear to have a 12% moisture level. Are these items safe to store in a oxygen free environment? Because I have been doing it but the information I read has me confused. Any insight?
@@QueenMary.A.L - You won't be cooking anything hot enough to kill botulism. That's why pressure canning was invented. The pressure raises the temperature hot enough.
@@gman21266 Botulism toxin can be killed in by cooking it. The toxin is heat-labile though and can be destroyed at 185°F after five minutes or longer, or at 176°F for 10 minutes or longer. Boiling homecanned foods for 10 minutes or longer is recommended.
Can you pour out those bags of dried fruits, and or jerky and dehydrate them, then put them in mylar? What about nuts in the same way, or would it be best to just put those in a glass jar then on the shelf/dark room? I'm unsure, having never used oxygen absorbers, or how many to use in say a 5 gal food grade bucket of flour or white rice. Per the sugar, do you just put that in jars? thanks
Beef jerky does have oxygen absorber packets inside. I have stuck them to the fridge with a magnet (because oxygen absorbers are made of powdered iron.
Does this lady really know shats she's talking about im going to have to really study. Something isn't right what does Botchulism have to do with oxygen I thought it grew when there wasn't enough acid. Same with any mold got some studying to do
@@wd1501 Hi W.D,, thank you for your input. I am new at freeze drying and I would like to know if nuts are good candidates to be freeze dried for long storage. I have plenty of hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts and almonds, all or most all are raw. What would be safer and better, to freeze dry them and them vacuum seal them in mylar bags with O2 absorbers, or just vacuum seal them as they are , in mylar bags without O2 absorbers? should I use dessicant also? if yes, in what instance? thank you again.
These things won't last and can get botulism. You store them for 25 years like everything dry. Jerky in stores uses nitrates and 02 absorbers to prevent botulism. Raisins and squishy stuff like cured with these things will allow for the botulism bacteria. Just don't risk it at all. Only freeze dried stuff
Thank you AG, I found this information very helpful, and something I was not aware of. I have mylar bags and oxygen absorbers being delivered any day now, so now I know how best to use them!
I'm certainly no expert, but from what Alaska G is saying that would be a bad idea, vacuum sealing will create an anaerobic atmosphere, ripe for botulism. 💚
Vacuum sealing removes excess air only and doesnt extend the shelf life of dried fruit by much, since the fruit still has moisture content if 10%+. Freeze dried fruit has a very low moisture content 2-8%, and can retain its taste at the cost of texture (feel of the food). Vacuum sealing is good to keep contents packed together and protect from contamination. Raisins have a high sugar and moisture content..bacteria's favorite hangout. They need to be preserved with additional chemicals and if freeze dried, they no longer resemble raisins (they look like gravel with its hardness). Grapes can be freeze dried, that is your closest alternative.
Botulism is what I was worried about. I vacuum seal to keep fresh as I usually consume within 1 year (purchase large bags). How does everyone here keep their dried fruits fresher for longer? Thanks so much💞
Sandy Holbrook I have asked this same question to so many people. The best answers I got was to just pour them in a clean canning jar with a very tight lid.
Hi Alaskan Granny I urgently need to know ,I bought a company's whole egg powder and I put in a tub with Oxegen Obsorbers,after a year I've now put in Mylar bags is that egg powder at risk of food poison ,if so it will HV to go out it cost me £50.00 ,I'm just learning about long term storage ,thanks for Ur help it's a delima as I don't know what to do
Thank you for sharing this because I just finished putting some mushrooms from the freeze dryer into mylar bags with the oxy absorbers 👀🫠. They were very dry and brittle though, would they still be safe to store or do I need to toss them now?
Dehydrated vegetables (if done well) should be fine. It’s a very low risk. Just don’t use them in anything that has a lot of oil (nuts) or water content.
My dentist recommended Clove Oil when I had a toothache and it worked great. Put a drop on a Q-Tip and rub it over the tooth. Reapply as needed. I used it on a cracked tooth until I could get in to my dentist.
A loss of hydrostatic pressure precedes a cavity. This lets the bacteria in, and oil will help seal the tooth, and clove oil is antiseptic. Clove oil also has eugenol, which is a natural anesthetic, making it a good choice for tooth pain.
Thanks for the tip. My son had a bad tooth a couple years ago and I went crazy looking for the toothache meds now all I need to have on hand is clove oil.
Yes! It works GREAT for short term ❣️
Where do they sell clove oil? I used it as a child and teen. Thanks.
@@erickabursma5552 health food stores are the only place that I seen them at, if you got to the stores. You can also get it at amazon.
Thank you for the potentially life saving advice. I'd never considered that O2 absorbers were inappropriate for any low acid food.
Me too. Happy I found this video!
can I use an Oxygen asorber in dried instant mashed potatoes?
@@DianeDeCenzo-jh8qpI like to know that aswell
@@christinakoller7489me too!
Sealers are better than the jaw type. Jars take up a lot of space. I use sealer bags take up little room . Sugar, salt gets hard, still good. Crumble with knife,spoon. Date every thing. Use older sealed first. Daughter using jars. Losing much storage space. I use good totes with locking covers. I use moisture packs. Oxygen absorbers not needed with vacume sealer. God Bless. 🐻😍
Depending on the item, vacuum sealers rarely get all the air out of the bag. The more ‘nooks and crannies’ the more likely some air will be left.
@@chalaronreally
@chalaron I bet you can put a o2 absorber in the package before food sealing. Best of both worlds
When it comes to emergency food storage rice is on of the best items you can start with. Many people just getting into prepping begin with storing rice to address food security concerns. And for good reason. It is shelf stable for years if stored properly and very inexpensive per calorie. Rice can also be used to really stretch out a limited amount of protein. If you mix in a small amount of chicken or beef it can make a great meal that feeds the whole family and then some.
Great tips.
So do I need oxygen absorbers for rice that's vacuum sealed? or do I can them?
@@rubyserenity90 watch the video she tells you
Well it wasn't really clear to me, I think she said not to use it with Brown Rice because it has a lot of oils in it and to prefer white rice. Though I don't know if it meant its better to choose white rice for long storage or for use with an oxygene absorber.
@@Tanouuuu white rice is best for long term food storage. Oxygen absorbers will extend the storage life for white rice.
how about vacuum sealing in the mason jars for items like flour salt and sugar with no absorber? i use my food saver to keep pastas rice and beans fresh if we dont use the whole bag and it seems to keep in the dark cool pantry for quite some time.
I like to store my oxygen absorbers in Mason jars which I seal with a device used with a vacuum sealer and when I take one out I just re-vacuum seal the jar. I think this is more reliable than just heat sealing the pack they came in.
FoodSaver says only 24-34% of air is removed via the hose. So each time you revac seal the jar the remaining absorbers are going to absorb from the 66-76% air in the jar.
Re-vacuuming sealing the bag is by far the better option.
If the jar is packed full and you only do it once then the loss is minimal. But after a few openings and the jar is half full you can't know how many cc they are good for. They probably won't degrade evenly either.
Omg thank you for letting me know to angle the opener! I am in the middle of making soup and my pop-top broke off my can of black beans. I've never had this happen and I kind-of just stood in the middle of the kitchen like, "...what now?" 😅
I have literally been trying to understand when to use oxygen absorbers (versus silica gel moisture packs) for the last few days, i bought some a month ago and am scared to use them. THANK YOU.
ME TOO! 🤦🏻♀️ I purchased them for home dehydrated food but can not find good info. It is frightening to worry about what shape your food will be in when your family needs it the most! Especially if you can not rely on the appearance or your sense of smell. Sheesh!
@@Pretzelogic I wanted to use my oxygen absorbers on the frozen vegetables that I dehydrated as well. I just ended up vacuum sealing them and to be honest I'm not sure I will eat them, it was my first time dehydrating veg so I'm doubly unsure.
@@wordsbymaribeja1470 I understand completely. I got doubly paranoid about my dehydrated mushrooms. I Need to get a good book. If I find a comprehensive one, I’ll let you know. Good luck and safe eating!
@@Pretzelogic I bought a book after my first (and last for the moment) (oven) dehydration attempt, it is a really good book I definitely recommend it, have a look and see what you think: The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook by Tammy Gangloff
(Steven Gangloff and September Ferguson). 😊
@@wordsbymaribeja1470 Excellent book, I you get only one book, this should be it.
This was so helpful! I was sealing some foods up for the first time and was surprised at how hot the absorbers were getting. I ended up putting them in a gallon Ziploc bag only to wake up the next morning with wet (and useless) absorbers. Now I know why. Live and learn!
Why do they get hot?
Yeah me too, im shocked at 1st why it gets hot then i put it in a fridge (silly me) 😊 only to realise it gets wet, not knowing why i immediately throw away
@@Vimokshadaka exothermic reaction of iron with oxygen.
I have been prepping for years and have salt, sugar and flour all in Mylar with O2 absorbers and when I open them they are just fine. Not bricks as you indicated. I just want to make sure others are aware that these items are fine to use with O2 absorbers
Do not trust this advice. I wouldn't want my food wasted based on this person's advice. This just isn't wise.
Kim’s Kluckeds, this is not my opinion it’s a fact. I have countless examples of this method working perfectly with oxygen absorbers. That said I like in a very dry clinic Colorado which could have an impact on storage. Have you even tried either method to test?
jbswift when I first started using 02 absorbers I put them in everything. I ended up with bricks of brown sugar, salt, sugar and even corn starch. It was an awful and expensive learning lesson. You are the only one I have heard say otherwise. For the newbies out there we need to set an example of safe and proper food storage.
Tell me how you did it without disastrous results.
What about nonfat dry milk? Is that safe to use with an oxygen absorber?
Can you not just hammer the hard sugar up and melt it into whatever you're cooking?
Hi, what about dried milk ?
Great video! Is there a printable list of foods that can/cannot be used with OA's?
Hello AG! A cheat sheet of this information would be great, the foods to not use 02 absorbers with and what size of absorber per container. It is easy to get mixed up when prepping several items. Thank you!
Honestly. You would trust someone else as if they are the authority on OA.
Not to take the place of this channel, but the rogue prepper has a list of these things
@symo lol
Make your cheat sheet, she already told you which foods you can snd cannot use them in
@symo 😂🤣
Like S you answered all the questions I had on OA. I enjoy learning from all your videos. Thank you for all the great advice
Glad it was helpful!
I was reading botulism grows on anything with a water activity greater than 0.92. Zero being totally dry, 1.0 is water wet. So 0.92 is pretty damp, but it may not be a linear scale. So now I can search online for water activity values for typical dried foods and hope to discover whether they’re dry enough to be safely stored in the absence of oxygen or air, at room temperature. In this case desiccation is our only protection against botulism, unless it’s an acidic food
I’m remembering, like a mantra, acidity, dryness, oxygen and temperature (very cold or very hot) are the protections to consider.
Would you add an OA to oatmeal or flour?
Following
@@danaking3568 No, they’re powdered, oatmeal main ingredient in granola too, probably high in oil.
I just used to freeze meats such as individual steaks in our big chest freezer.
And, have a big bucket of water in the freezer, at the same time.
When the meat was well frozen, i picked up each cut and dipped them into the very cold water in the bucket. Double coating them, after the first coat of water froze. And then bagged them. The thick coat of ice stopped freezer burn,
Stopped all air, oyygen, fungi, and bugs, too.
I made water the strong, perfect 'vacuum sealant'.
Give it a try if you have a large freezer. Also there's no wrapping waste.
You just pick out which steaks you want. And cook them.
@@Ever8eliever really smart thanks for that tip
Well I've been using my oxygen absorbers all wrong and I really really appreciate this video!
The companies ship jerky with a silica pack.
@@alphaomega8373 My Jerky has a Oxygen Absorber so it's fine
@@alphaomega8373
No.
All the brands of jerky I have purchased have had OA's in them, I have never had Any with silica gel pkts in them.
Excellent teaching, thank you Alaska Granny!
I don't use Oxygen Absorbers, I purge the air with Dry Nitrogen at atmospheric pressure when sealing and include Silica Gel Desiccant packs to absorbe moisture. The Nirogen gets rid of most of the free Oxygen in the container, but the Oxygen in the food remains. I am thinking about getting a GammaRay and X-Ray source to reduce bacteria like what is done sometimes with eggs. I also seal all lids, bag ends, etc in hot wax. A quick dip is all it takes.
thanks. good needed info. I just started using absorbers and something is not working. About half the jars (quarts and pints), all with new lids and jars totally dry out of dishwasher, are not sealing properly. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks Jack
THANK YOU...FINALLY somebody answered my concerns directly...
Help Alaskan Granny! New to prepping. Can you use silica packets and vacuum seal dehydrated veggies (soup mix) ?
More great practical advice ! Been prepping for several years but always learn something new or the vids are a great refresher lesson. Thank you AG and may God bless and protect you and your family 🙏🏻
Glad to help, thanks for sharing the blessings.
What should we use to store baking products
Thank you!!! I have made some mistakes with O2 absorbers. I need to go back and fix it. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge 😊
Thank you Alaska Granny! Another great vid. I have Several bags of powdered various veg & fruit powders. They came in heavy plasticky ish looking bags that also look metalish, for lack of better description. Had em a year now & wonder if they’d be alright just in those still if I use em within next couple yrs? Also have some dried pasta & beans in their original bags & cardboard boxes that were stored that long as well. Should I get those into a Mylar bag or glass jar asap? 😳 They are in a dry, cool room but still, I realize a year is awhile. Just have such lil storage space it’s pitiful.
So what items need an absorber and which do not? It's a but confusing.A basic list of dos and don'ts would be helpful.
@Paco So nuts would not get an absorber? What about dehydrated vegetables? I assume they get one too?
@Paco what about cat biscuits ? Would it make them disintegrated?
@Paco ok thanks I will check about the animal fat
@Paco awhile back, I looked for info on long term storage of dog food and I couldn't find what I was looking for but someone in the comments said he used oxygen absorbers and that he had to tap into his stache from over a year ago and his dogs loved it. So I'm trying it.
@Paco Heres my list:
Quinoa both sprouted and not sprouted (Supposedly has a small amount of fat in it)
Rolled Oats
Sprouted Black Beans (Sprouted generally has a higher nutrition content, but I believe uses water for the "sprouting")
Sprouted Brown Rice(She did say brown rice is less likely to hold up compared to white rice)
Red Lentils
Chickpeas (Raw)
And some maple granola and hemp/flax granola, but I suppose I'll have to store those via mason jars
But I suppose I can store them all with mylar bags, just not all with o2 absorbers
Thoughts?
Hello from the Netherlands..how much cc you use lady? 100cc or 300cc for the macular bags 20x30 cm or just a can like you use? Bless you all
I had no idea. Thank you! Your videos are so useful.
Glad you like them!
I just found this video, I m going to keep it for future use. I m new at doing prepping and, it nice to know what to use the oxygen absorbers on and what not to use on. I have a bunch of nuts and baking chips in my freezer from the last holidays ,I need to make room in my freezer so I want to vacuum seal them in quart jars.thank you for the information.
Thank you!
Finally this information in a straight forward clear manner.
Great infor, thanks. What about using them with Dry Rolled oats?
You can use oxygen absorbers with oats.
Thank you for this video! In short....I learned valuable information.
Please tell me if a vacuum sealer:
A. Does the same thing to storeing foods as O² absorbers "AND" moisture absorbers.
B. Should one add an O² or moisture absorber to a vacuum sealed storage item?
C. As botulism was discussed in your video, is there a chance of creating a vacuum sealed environment for botulism by vacuum sealing the wrong foods?
D. Are there foods that should never be vacuum sealed?
E. What foods once vacuum sealed must be refrigerated or frozen?
Thank you in advance!
IB
Thank you for this video. You have saved at least one life with it - no kidding! I am new to long term food storage and learning as I go. About a month ago, I stored 16 packages of granola (14 chromosome wheat with no allergenic ingredients) and of course vac sealed them with my food saver and an 02 absorber. grrr I am now understanding these are not safe to eat. Safety first of course but... My question now - is there are way I can salvage this i.e. open the packages and spread on a baking sheet and bake? for long long and temp? I also did this with coffee beans which I am now wondering about. Truly appreciate a reply....
Iam wondering the same?..
I'm glad I saw your video because I was going to use oxygen absorbers on a lot of the foods that you're not supposed too. Thank you for posting this.
I just put OAs into my homemade jerky today. I am taking them out. Glad I saw this video.
Alaska granny, is using a vacuum sealer to seal your jars the same as using an oxygen absorber? Will it have the same results?
I gotta dig OAs out of jars of brown rice. Only a few brown for husband. Used to control bugs (even though it's been froze and thawed). Guess I'll just use bay leaves.Thanks.
I have been told that brown rice is not a good item for long term storage because of the oils it contains. This can cause the rice to go rancid.
Brown rice is a 12 month item only. Too much moisture. @Tammie Marlie
@@AlexWindncer I only stored about 7 quarts. The bag it came in gave a longer date than I'll need it for. Husband has to eat brown rice now.
Keep it in the freezer for longest life. Just package it in smaller freezer bags.
Hey AlaskaGranny this is awesome. Thank you very much. ❤
You are so welcome.
Thanks again for all the info.
Any time!
Can regular glass jars with just twist on covers?
Thank you once again Alaska G, my very best wishes to you and yours! 💚
Same to you!
Loved this video. Thanks for this valuable info.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. I'm a little confused because in the old days, my parents didn't have oxygen absorbers and we grew up well.
such great info - thank you! I just bought some oxygen absorbers, and did not know not to use them for everything.
Would dry boxed cereal be okay to use with 02 absorbers using jars to vacuum seal ?
can you use a vacuum sealer on the jars on baking soda/powder, and left over freeze dried goods?
Same question
Wow Life saving information!!! I really didn't know! I was looking up Chamber sealers and stumbled upon your video. Thank you so much!!!
You are so welcome!
I have vacuum canned raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries and dried apricot halves from the supermarket. Before I vacuum can dried fruit snacks from the supermarket in canning jars, I first further dry the food in my dehydrator. Then I fill quart size canned jars with the now very hard and shrunken fruit pieces and add enough granulated real cane sugar to fill all the voids. Then I use the attachment for my Food Saver machine to pull out the oxygen and vacuum seal the canning lid onto the jar. I never use powdered sugar because it is soo fine it would get sucked into the Food Saver machine. I do not add any oxygen absorbers to the jars I vacuum seal either. If I have not dehydrated the fruit enough, the sugar will draw out the moisture and turn syrupy -- a sure sign the fruit was not dried enough. So, when I have dried the fruit properly, I now have jars filled with a combination of dried fruit and dry sugar. Which are two of the ingredients I need for making fruit cobblers and fruit cakes.
Brilliant!
wow SO SMART! Also the sugar is a bona fide preservative keeping the food in good condition, PLUS the sugar is being 'stored' too. I love everything about your comment. I would use the sugar stored with dried lemon peel for my tea, and sugar stored with dried orange peel for my coffee! Of course, the actual dry peel would go into the teapot & coffee pot.
Can I put banana chips in mylar with 02?
@@melmelbry5754 Yes. Some of the food buckets sold by food storage companies have those dried banana slice snacks packaged in Mylar. Make sure any dried, low fat food you package in Mylar is either crispy dry or very shrunken and hard. For example, raisins are not dry enough if they are soft enough to eat. They would need to be further dried in a dehydrator machine before packaging and would later have to be steeped in hot water to soften then enough to eat.
@gonefishing3644 So like banana chips, even if they aren't freeze dried, could go in mylar with 02 abs?
What about cookies? Not oreos because they have "wet" stuff, but like Milano or Thin Mints?
And do you happen to know if goldfish and other crackers are okay?
Thanks!
Can you use a vacuum sealer such as a Food Saver too remove air out of jars or bags with the dried foods you mentioned that you can't use with oxygen absorbers?
I’m not new to long term storage when it comes to canning, thanks to granny! But I am new to long term for dry foods. I really appreciate this info but my question is, can you safely use O2 absorbing packets for FLOUR? How does one store Flour for years at a time?
I know this video is a year old so not sure if anyone will see it or the creator here can help but I would love any reply. I’ll continue to comb through the internet to check for answers and check advise given.
Thanks, I appreciate any help.
Check out videos here on TH-cam about ''dry canning" in an oven
Good advice.
But we wouldn’t knowingly order things from the morman organization. There are many other suppliers for Mylar bags.
It's good information, thank you. I have been helping my sister get preps ready. Her dilemma is my niece and nephew are peanut/tree nut allergic - severe (almost lost my nephew when she first became aware of the allergy). Trying to find prepared long term food for people with peanut/nut allergies is very very very difficult, and it has become a fairly common allergy. The most frustrating thing to locate is nut allergy safe dry/powder whole milk. The few that are out there are very expensive. I think there is a big need for someone to create a food storage business that is nut safe. ;) I may invest in a freeze dryer to ensure we have items that are safe for them.
I just took a rather cursory glance at the label on my can of Meyenberg Powered Whole Goats Milk and saw no mention of nuts or nut allergy warnings. Might want to check their website for more info.
Walmart sells several brands of dry milk. Nido is a good quality for less than Auguson farms. The labels should state if its from a nut free packaging plant. Freezdryers have become less expensive with different sizes now offered. Harvest Right I think is the biggest supplier & they have sales. Good luck!!
@@liberty8424 Mine was delivered in February :) I actually have a dairy set of trays getting ready to go into the machine.
I know your post was a year ago, but you mentioned you would like to get a freeze dryer. If you haven't got one already you might check out Canadian prepper. He has a TH-cam store where he gets I believe it's the Harvest Right freeze dryer and has some in his Warehouse he only had a few left but you might go to his channel and then you can go to the description box click on the link I guess to ask about it. God bless you
If you can, try to find someone with a freeze dryer! I have many people pay me to freeze dry foods/juices/candies for them because they have SEVERE allergies to many things found commonly in store bought foods! I put an ad out saying my services were available, but I've seen people LOOKING for someone with a freeze dryer that could freeze dry some things for them in exchange for payment, or some of the food to be freeze dried! I've also bartered/traded in exchange for my freeze drying services! This may be an option for you! One thing about freeze drying, is freeze dried goods are shelf stable for around 25 YEARS or MORE, AAAAND foods freeze dried retain 97% of nutrients, whereas dehydrating takes away a lot of nutrients! When you reconstitute freeze dried things, like orange juice, or salsa for example, you CANNOT tell it was ever freeze dried! 🥰 the process perfectly preserves the flavors, textures etc so it's an AMAZING option! Maybe you could put an "ISO SOMEONE WITH A FREEZE DRYER I CAN PAY/TRADE FOR FREEZE DRYING SERVICES" IN YOUR LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUPS FOR BUYING, SELLING AND TRADING IN YOUR SURROUNDING AREA! You'd be surprised at what you'd find! I even donate some time freeze drying for elderly, military, disabled etc because I KNOW what being low income is like. I have been low income most of my 33 years alive, and have been homeless too. You'd be shocked at what people will help with if they know of a person's struggles. 2 years ago, I couldn't even afford a Christmas gift from the dollar tree for my young 9 year old child... strangers went our of their way to send gifts and my kid had a great Christmas, and now we give to those in need because we are in a stable position in life and have enough to help people like we have been helped. 1 person that helped my child that Christmas just reached out to me! I'm sending her freeze dried candy and some jewlery that I make for sale! It's a wonderful feeling helping people, especially children! 🥰 I know someone would be more than happy to help you and the kiddo with severe allergies!
I opened the oxygen packets 2 days ago are they good still
Great information. Thanks. I had no idea that you have to be so careful with which foods can use O2 absorbers. Subscribed!
can store bought dry onions be stored long term with oxg asorb
Thank you Alaska Granny sooo much for all of your helpful tips!
I do not use them with any mixes.
Valuable information. Thanks so much.
Glad it was helpful!
A great subject. Not something you often see talked about on prepping channels.
Plus, I often think people can sometimes get freezer dried foods and dehydrated foods mixed up as well. Dehydrated foods tend to have a much higher moisture content, so like you have said they're not foods where you'd put in an oxygen absorber.
Awesome video! Thank you for this info! Can you add a clove leaf to prevent bugs in your dried goods in Mylar bags or mason jars?
Try bay leaf.
I use multiple hand warmers for the 55 gallon barrels of oats, corn meal, grits, white rice and beans. Because standard O2 eaters are tiny. I also nitrogen and CO2.
Totally agree with moist foods.
FWIW = techies use rice as a desiccant so you are 100% on target about adulterated foods.
how do i find the homemade granola that she mentioned in this video? cant find it on her webste..
I have a question, how about white flower for making bread .yes or no for oxygen absorber. great information love your channel. thank you
I have used bay leaves in flour. Sheryl is right, flour will go rancid. You can tell by the smell, it smells funny.
All purpose white flour is a definite yes for oxygen absorbers in mylar bags. I have personal experience that it's just as fresh after 5 years of storage as the day it was sealed up. The rumor I hear is it will easily last 10 years but I can't say I've actually seen the proof.
White flour can be difficult to seal because it's like a powder and sticks to sides of bag. I make a seal 3 to 6 inches wide for a little insurance. Plus, I always go over the amount of absorbers recommend. There's no such thing as too much.
@@CM-ve1bz thank you ever one for the info much appreciated.
What about using OA in powdered milk and powdered butter?
No O2 absorber for brown rice, nuts, dried fruits that still bend, baking soda/powder (can explode), powdered foods (turns them hard). What'd I miss?
Glad I saw this before I put an absorber in some dehydrated fruit that was still bendy. Thanks.
you don't have that right look above someone made a list
What about banana chips? Are these dry enough for mylar?
Does it depend how long you want to store the food?
This is so helpful! I bought some but haven’t opened them. I would have made some mistakes if not for this video!
Glad it was helpful!
I put some in brown rice two weeks ago and then found out that brown rice won't store for long term.
@@robertschmidt9296 Good news is you can open up those mylar bags, dump out rice and cut the bit you sealed off- and reuse for white rice.
Put your brown rice in jars with silica packets and eat it.
Great educational video. I came back to it for a refresher.
Glad you found my video helpful.
I loved the video. Do you not seal flour, pancake mix, cornmeal or any powdery food with oxygen absorbers?
Do not use oxygen absorbers with any of those products. The high surface area of powered products make the absorbers too effective, binding the powered product together. If you need to make heat shield resistant bricks, go for it, otherwise, just keep those products from moisture and temperature extremes.👍
I was curious about this because I did vacuum seal on my mason jars with sugar and flour, so I’ll go through them all and pop the lids
The no OA does not apply to freeze dried foods, right?
How much exposure can it take before its useless?
Took me about 5min or so to seal my bags, but about 15/50 did not seal properly, so I'm not sure if I have to do it again
Yep, I’m new at this and learning as I go. If the Mylar does not suck up tight around whatever is in the bags, cut a small opening and add another OA and reseal. Had to do this with a lot of my stuff. Also watch the color sensors that come with the OA. When the turn from pink to blue,done toss them. I wasn’t working fast enough with my OA and sealing. Even some of the sites that sell the stuff don’t lay this info out. They assume you learned what you needed to know somewhere else. They really need some blogs to help educate ppl about their products and use but probably don’t want the liability.
Alaska Granny,
I have been watching you since 2020...now 8/22....long road we have been on.
Question: I have several containers of California raisins in big cardboard containers in zip lock bags. Cannot afford mylar or oxygen absorbers...just me....well I have got food..but keep adding each mo. Canned only. Will raisins go bad or can I reconstitute with warm water. I have eaten raisins all my life
Love your dedication and info...everything coming down to wire. So many people have different opinions on food storage...I have 3 cases of qt canning jars for storage and 1 case asstd sizes....never used...I do not know how to can, or do not want to use pressure cooker.
I just keep flour and some dry milk in fridge...but not Nido..IT is going on 2 yrs old like everything I have...
Unfortunately live in TX...flooded last night and today..all this wk rain and until end of mo. So...heat major problem...I have a turbo fan blowing on large pantry...NO basements in TX.
HELP.
This is an EXCELLENT video. I need information on how to store dehydrated tomatoes. Just hearing this, I know not to use an oxygen absorber. So how do you store them for short and long term use. I just purchased a homdox dehydrator today. So excited to be getting that. If you have a video on that please share the link. Thank you for your hard work. New sub. One other question if you don't mind>>>what size absorber do I need to use for pint size jars. I use pints because I am a household of one. The oxygen absorbers I am getting from amazon will be 200 cc. I have never used them. You video was superior. I have a vacuum sealer machine but it does not have a means to attach a vacuum sealer for jars...just bags.
Hi, can you please tell me if wild rice needs an oxygen absorber....Thankyou.
I vacuum sealed my oxy packets into packets of 5 and put into another bag so I have smaller amounts available and if in it a 5gallon container I need all 5!
Smart!!!
Very smart. I will do that or put them in a mason jar.
OH you’re a GOD SEND at 5 minutes in you explained EXACTLY what I was wondering/thinking about for so long and nobody ever talks about it!!! I always wondered how long after you opened the cans on the pre ready emergency foods how long it’d be good for considering you have to re open the container to get your portion out to cook it. What’s the process on recanning those emergency ready foods? Do you have a video on that? How to do it and shelf life once rescanned in more appropriate sized portions to fit our needs, etc.?
Oh my gosh you even explained about oxygen absorbers!!! Love it!!! Thank you. Do you have a video in depth for what size jar, product and what ccs oxygen absorber to use? I’ve never seen anything like that broken down and explained anywhere. Thanks!!!
Well you did a wonderful job explaining all this. I'm new to preparing for the whatever and really want to get it right the 1st time as I can't afford to mess it up. But who can? Thank you!!
So glad you found my video helpful. Do a little at a time, and you will be ready to face anything!
Can I use an OA for Instant Mashed Potatoes? Thank you, enjoy your videos? Love to Teddy !
Thank you for this information!!
Glad it was helpful!
Do you drink coffee? I got some specialty whole bean coffee from star bucks and read that vacuum sealing is best. I recently have been watching videos on vacuum sealing foods for storage. The only thing that has me nervous is this botulism thing. Can botulism grow in coffee beans that are vacuum sealed? This morning I just did my first vacuum seal on some coffee beans in ball mason jars with the handheld food saver and the mason jar seal adapters.
This might sound like a silly question but I’m going to ask anyways. I recently bought Mylar bags and o2 absorbers and have been reading about food storage etc. I ran across a article, I am not sure if it was USDA or CDC- anyways it stated that food with a moisture content above 10% cannot be stored in a oxygen free environment due to botulism. It was always my understanding botulism would need much more moisture than that. Anyways I looked up the moisture content of pasta and pinto beans, both of which appear to have a 12% moisture level. Are these items safe to store in a oxygen free environment? Because I have been doing it but the information I read has me confused. Any insight?
You will be cooking the beans and pasta. Cooking will kill the bad things in the food.
@@QueenMary.A.L - You won't be cooking anything hot enough to kill botulism. That's why pressure canning was invented. The pressure raises the temperature hot enough.
@@gman21266 Botulism toxin can be killed in by cooking it. The toxin is heat-labile though and can be destroyed at 185°F after five minutes or longer, or at 176°F for 10 minutes or longer. Boiling homecanned foods for 10 minutes or longer is recommended.
Should we use a desiccant for dried fruit for long term storage?
Wonderful information! I’m new to bulk/long term food storage! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge!!
You are so welcome!
Can you pour out those bags of dried fruits, and or jerky and dehydrate them, then put them in mylar? What about nuts in the same way, or would it be best to just put those in a glass jar then on the shelf/dark room? I'm unsure, having never used oxygen absorbers, or how many to use in say a 5 gal food grade bucket of flour or white rice. Per the sugar, do you just put that in jars? thanks
I never heard about foods not to use them on. Thanks for the tip!
You are so welcome!
An excellent and useful video! Thanks!
You're welcome!
What about pancake mix, do you OA in them, or just vacuum pack?
I wouldn't.
Great information.
Beef jerky does have oxygen absorber packets inside. I have stuck them to the fridge with a magnet (because oxygen absorbers are made of powdered iron.
Does this lady really know shats she's talking about im going to have to really study. Something isn't right what does Botchulism have to do with oxygen I thought it grew when there wasn't enough acid. Same with any mold got some studying to do
@@HORIZON8026 You are right on the money. I freeze dry foods and if there is no moisture, you can use OA.
@@wd1501 Hi W.D,, thank you for your input. I am new at freeze drying and I would like to know if nuts are good candidates to be freeze dried for long storage. I have plenty of hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts and almonds, all or most all are raw. What would be safer and better, to freeze dry them and them vacuum seal them in mylar bags with O2 absorbers, or just vacuum seal them as they are , in mylar bags without O2 absorbers? should I use dessicant also? if yes, in what instance? thank you again.
These things won't last and can get botulism.
You store them for 25 years like everything dry.
Jerky in stores uses nitrates and 02 absorbers to prevent botulism.
Raisins and squishy stuff like cured with these things will allow for the botulism bacteria.
Just don't risk it at all. Only freeze dried stuff
Very helpful! Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Wow! undamaged Augason Farms #10 cans. Very impressive.
can you use O2 absorber for dehydrated foods?
This was very clear and helpful instruction. Thank you!
Very helpful video! Thank you 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you AG, I found this information very helpful, and something I was not aware of. I have mylar bags and oxygen absorbers being delivered any day now, so now I know how best to use them!
Glad my video helped.
Great info! I assume OA will work with all-purpose flour and bread flour in mason jars?
Question? Can you vacuum seal dried fruits, like raisins? Thanks
I'm certainly no expert, but from what Alaska G is saying that would be a bad idea, vacuum sealing will create an anaerobic atmosphere, ripe for botulism. 💚
Vacuum sealing removes excess air only and doesnt extend the shelf life of dried fruit by much, since the fruit still has moisture content if 10%+. Freeze dried fruit has a very low moisture content 2-8%, and can retain its taste at the cost of texture (feel of the food). Vacuum sealing is good to keep contents packed together and protect from contamination.
Raisins have a high sugar and moisture content..bacteria's favorite hangout. They need to be preserved with additional chemicals and if freeze dried, they no longer resemble raisins (they look like gravel with its hardness). Grapes can be freeze dried, that is your closest alternative.
Botulism is what I was worried about. I vacuum seal to keep fresh as I usually consume within 1 year (purchase large bags). How does everyone here keep their dried fruits fresher for longer? Thanks so much💞
Scroll up to Linda Wright, I think her suggestion will help you.
Sandy Holbrook I have asked this same question to so many people. The best answers I got was to just pour them in a clean canning jar with a very tight lid.
Hi Alaskan Granny I urgently need to know ,I bought a company's whole egg powder and I put in a tub with Oxegen Obsorbers,after a year I've now put in Mylar bags is that egg powder at risk of food poison ,if so it will HV to go out it cost me £50.00 ,I'm just learning about long term storage ,thanks for Ur help it's a delima as I don't know what to do
Thank you for sharing this because I just finished putting some mushrooms from the freeze dryer into mylar bags with the oxy absorbers 👀🫠. They were very dry and brittle though, would they still be safe to store or do I need to toss them now?
Do you know of any documented cases of botulism in dehydrated foods that have been preserved with oxygen absorbers?
Dehydrated vegetables (if done well) should be fine. It’s a very low risk. Just don’t use them in anything that has a lot of oil (nuts) or water content.
Can you us oa. in five gallon. Buckets of oats
@@noelreynolds8909 yes! It's fine for oats and oatmeal.
Great inf thank you.
Glad it was helpful!