# Handwarmers in dry food?



## AccursedPoppy68 (Feb 8, 2020)

I’ve heard that hand warmers will remove oxygen from dry food bulk storage. True or false?


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## NKAWTG (Feb 14, 2017)

I believe that's correct. However I'm unsure if they're food safe.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

AccursedPoppy68 said:


> I've heard that hand warmers will remove oxygen from dry food bulk storage. True or false?


True.

But you can buy Oxygen Absorbers to use in sealed mylar bags containing dry foods and the O2 absorbers are much less expensive. But same chemical process I beleive.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Slippy said:


> True.
> 
> But you can buy Oxygen Absorbers to use in sealed mylar bags containing dry foods and the O2 absorbers are much less expensive. But same chemical process I beleive.


You sure you should be giving out free advise there Slip? :tango_face_grin:


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Hand warmers are just packets of iron filings. When iron is exposed to oxygen, and a little bit of water in the air, it begins to corrode (or oxidize). The iron and the oxygen bond, release some electrons (an exothermic reaction, and why hand warmers get hot), and form iron oxide (rust).

To call this "absorption" is a bit of a misnomer, as nothing is absorbing the oxygen. It's just being bonded to another atom to form a molecule. This has the benefit of removing the free oxygen molecule from the air where it could react with other atoms, such as your food, where it can begin to combine with and degrade them, just as it does with iron.

So yes, handwarmers *can* be used as a substitute for commercially sold O2 absorbers, since they both do the same thing. However, without knowing the right amount to use based on the air volume of your container, it might be far more expensive (requiring a lot) or completely ineffective (not using enough).


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## LanceM (Feb 26, 2021)

Kauboy absolutely nailed the science. The hand warmers "absorb" more oxygen than the small packets. I don't like using them. The only application I would actually use this in is for large barrel storage with more open air space would be the only application we would use the handwarmers Preferably barrels that you don't intend to move. I'd also put the handwarmer in a paper bowl or on a paper plate when putting it in the barrel, because they can release particles, also why I wouldn't want to move it. I haven't found any research that says its toxic, or that it even tastes bad, but if my wife opened a barrel and saw rust dust, I worry she'd throw it out without talking to me first. Here's the blog post where I put my research if anyone's interested. Oxygen Packets 101 - Apocalyptic Prepping


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## Nick (Nov 21, 2020)

Can't imagine why anyone would use hand warmers for o2 absorbers given they cost a lot more. If you needed something in a pinch and that was all you had on hand I guess.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

O2 absorbers are sized for things like vac-sealed1-gallon mylar bags and smaller. You can use hand warmers if you're using mylar bags in 5-gallon buckets and larger.


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

O2 absorbers come in any size you want. Amazon has them (at least) up to 2,000cc for 5 gallon bags. 

_100cc for quart size bags
300cc for gallon size bags
2000cc for 5 gallon size bags _

Handwarmers will bind oxygen and iron to form iron oxide but it's an expensive and unpredictable way to preserve food. 

...any air you can suck out of the container before you seal it is that much less o2 your absorber has to deal with.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Handwarmer at Walmart: 57¢.
2000cc O2 absorber on Amazon: $2.00



https://www.walmart.com/ip/HotHands-10-Hour-Hand-Warmer/17808715




https://www.amazon.com/2000cc-Oxygen-Absorbers-Individually-Sealed/dp/B00H57MOKA


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

*2000cc O2 absorber* on Amazon: $.0.60

5 gallons of spoiled food because you tried to save 3 cents and use handwarmers instead of o2 abosorbers... priceless

EDIT:
You had to search pretty hard to find the most expencive absorbers on amazon for your example. But even using your numbers, is it worth risking a 5 gallon bag of food just to try and save $1.43


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

"VacYaYa"?

Sounds like a brand I'd try to avoid like the plague. Probably 50% lead.

Storing food knowing you're using quality components.... priceless.


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

If your just going to start making shit up, I'll leave you to it.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Here's some shit I just made up:

Don't cheap out when it comes to food and water.


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## NMPRN (Dec 25, 2020)

A few posts ago you said to use cheap chinese, non-food grade, walmart handwarmers to protect your food because they were cheaper than o2 absorbers. Now your saying don't cheap out on food storage?????


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Here’s a fact. A lot of stuff you buy on Amazon is cheap chinese fakes, old stock, or just plain junk. If you buy an O2 absorber, you really have no idea if it’s any good or not. With a hand warmer, if it heats up it’s good.

And as far as being unpredictable, the process of forming rust absorbs oxygen. How much or how little...... who knows? I do know that people have died by going into a rusting tank before properly ventilating it. In any event, the packaging on those O2 absorbers does not specify exactly how much oxygen is remove either. So both products are rather vague. Here locally, I can buy handwarmers off the shelf. But nobody local sells O2 absorbers.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

NMPRN said:


> A few posts ago you said ........


Um..... no, I didn't.

You read what you wanted to read just so you could argue about it. Go ahead.... argue.

You'll be arguing by yourself.


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## Trihonda (Aug 24, 2020)

lol @ the bickering ITT...

To the OP, reliable and cheap food grade O2 absorbers can be had at a number of websites. I like these ---> Oxygen Absorbers

I agree that using non-food safe tested hand warmers seems odd, and only has the potential to save a few cents (at best).

The 2000cc absorbers there are less than $1 each, and are perfect for a 5gal mylar container of rice. Considering we're trying to make this food stable for 20-30 years, why not have some confidence in the product you're using? I think the same is true of the Mylar bags.. I've heard stories of folks trying to save a few pennies on cheaper/thinner bags, and they tend to have a higher fail rate.


We always seal up our 5gal mylar containers, and let sit before sealing up and shelving the buckets. We have had a few (out of a 50) that failed to seal or the O2 absorbers were bad. If the bag shrinks up solid, we know it's good to go. We also use the trick of sucking out excess air with a vacuum cleaner, then sealing it up quick. This removes a ton of the air in the bags, so the O2 absorbers don't have to work nearly as hard.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

AccursedPoppy68 said:


> I’ve heard that hand warmers will remove oxygen from dry food bulk storage. True or false?


Bet so. The hand warmers consume the 02 and thats when they quit heating till they get more. I keep mine in a tightly sealed snack bag between useage at my crossing guard gig. Usually get four or five uses out of the cheap ones. Wished Creppy Joe would get that 15 buck minimun wage thing in high gear before too long.


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## Nick (Nov 21, 2020)

I prefer to use these ones. You may be able to find them cheaper but I've ordered from this person several times and have never had one not work. .40 cents/ea. for 1000cc o2 absorbers. I was just in Walmart yesterday and the handwarmers they had in the store were like $2.50/ea.









PackFreshUSA 1000cc Oxygen Absorber Packs Food-Grade Non-Toxic - 50 Pack | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for PackFreshUSA 1000cc Oxygen Absorber Packs Food-Grade Non-Toxic - 50 Pack at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> Bet so. The hand warmers consume the 02 and thats when they quit heating till they get more. I keep mine in a tightly sealed snack bag between useage at my crossing guard gig. Usually get four or five uses out of the cheap ones. Wished Creppy Joe would get that 15 buck minimun wage thing in high gear before too long.


When he does make that mandatory, a number of folks will loose their jobs. Others that were full time got cut back to part time. Employers can only afford so much in payroll. Some states have already tried this. Only the feds have an unlimited budget.


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