I have a question about my mylar bags

[yorkiebeebs]

I just got my mylar bags from the LDS catalog on the internet. They are awesome bags and heavy. My question is....I put one oxygen absorber in each bag (as directed) and sealed them. I thought the oxygen absorbers would suck in the bag but I wonder if the bags are to heavy for that.

I don't see any difference when I look at the sealed bags. I'm wondering if it's because the bags are thick. Every bag is the same and these oxygen absorbers are good so I'm assuming that I don't have to worry about them.

Have you used these thick bags before and have you experienced this?

[UrbanFool]

They don't suck the bag in. They just replace the oxygen. You should press as much of the air out as you can manually. I didn't realize they sold these in the LDS catalog!

Don't hesitate to use 2 of the oxygen absorbers by the way. They're cheap compared to the food.

[Cacinok]

depending on the size of oxygen absorber that you have, you probably didn't put enough in the mylar bag. the o2 absorber will indeed "suck" in the bag - it will also suck in or cause five gallon buckets to pucker as well. if your bag did not suck in, you either didn't use enough absorbers or you have a leak.

btw, they don't replace the oxygen, they absorb it, thus the name.

[UrbanFool]

Well, then I was talking about something else. Sorry for the misinformation! (Maybe dry ice.)

[marshac]

Instead of those lame oxygen absorbers (where you buy a pouch of 100, use 10, and the rest go bad), try using disposible hand warmers- they're just really really big oxygen absorbers. They cost a bit more of course, but they will burn through every bit of oxygen in the bag, and you can use only as many as you need.

[lindapruss]

hi again! :-)

what size absorber are you using??? 100 CC??? 500?? 1,000????

size matters. I went with the old saying penny wise and pound foolish. I just use the largest size absorber I can get. Waste of pennies, maybe. But years from now I'll have fresh grain. Most companies were very reluctant to say exactly how many to use for each size container. Claiming that rice leaves smaller air spaces than say beans. I put everything in the mylar bags. just remember that little mice can chew right threw them. That's why I get 55 gallon barrels and put the bags inside them. You can find "recycled" sometimes through local businesses.

Just a hint: STORAGE IN A NUTSHELL IS A WONDERFUL BOOK! So good I got 2! I only started one year ago and already I have a years supply....all thanks to LDS....I was overwhelmed at first too...just take small steps and keeping asking questions. It helps us all.

linda

[dalepres]

hi again! :-)

what size absorber are you using??? 100 CC??? 500?? 1,000????

size matters. I went with the old saying penny wise and pound foolish. I just use the largest size absorber I can get. Waste of pennies, maybe. But years from now I'll have fresh grain. Most companies were very reluctant to say exactly how many to use for each size container. Claiming that rice leaves smaller air spaces than say beans. I put everything in the mylar bags. just remember that little mice can chew right threw them. That's why I get 55 gallon barrels and put the bags inside them. You can find "recycled" sometimes through local businesses.

Just a hint: STORAGE IN A NUTSHELL IS A WONDERFUL BOOK! So good I got 2! I only started one year ago and already I have a years supply....all thanks to LDS....I was overwhelmed at first too...just take small steps and keeping asking questions. It helps us all.

linda

I'm a 55 year old high school dropout so I have long since forgotten those science classes I did take but I was in an interesting class at work last week about how crude oil is extracted from the earth.

One of the presentations demonstrated that oil in fine sand or oil in large sand, the amount of oil is the same, all other conditions being equal. Take a bucket and fill it with small marbles. Fill the bucket with water and measure the amount of water it held. Now start over with big marbles. The amount of water it takes to fill the bucket remains constant because all of the marbles are spheres, thus the shape of the gaps and the shapes of the marbles stay the same. The only difference is the number and size of the holes.

So rice, being narrow and long, will pack differently than beans but big beans and little beans will pretty much have the same amount of oxygen. Now, granted, there will be some difference because not all beans are shaped exactly the same but, in general, they will be similar. And rice will probably be similar to wheat. But it's the shape of the content that makes the difference, not the size.

Interesting class.

[lindapruss]

Wow, very interesting! Thanks for sharing! I didn't think it made much sense why the mfr. would not know how their own product worked. So much to learn and so little time. Have a great thanksgiving.

[lindapruss]

hi, thanks for sharing about the hand warmers. i was not sure if these were "food safe" products. i totally agree that a few pennies spent on absorbers and being able to sleep at night are worth it. I was wondering even just how safe the absorbers are. I've found out over the years that "natural" is not always healthy. But, limited resources and knowledge of food storage I just go with the general consensus. Happy Holidays