# Oatmeal in mylar bags



## mikhailfrankovich (Jun 28, 2017)

Hey all,

For the final step of my long term food storage, I am going to seal a final 19 kilograms of instant oats into 19 one gallon mylar bags.

I have had problems sealing these oats in the past, issues with a lot of spillage, and just a great amount of difficulty in general. 

To make it easier, would it work if I put the 1 kg bag of oatmeal directly into the mylar bag, cut the plastic of the oatmeal bag, add the O2 absorber, and seal the mylar? This would make things much easier for me. 

The plastic of the oatmeal bags must be food grade. Would it be safe to keep it in the mylar bag for a number of years?

Thank you,


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## SouthernWolf (Sep 17, 2017)

If the oatmeal bag with fit inside the mylar bag... why not cut the top of the oatmeal bag with it standing upright, slide the mylar bag over the oatmeal bag, then flip everything upside down and pull the oatmeal bag out of the mylar bag from its bottom.

Now you've emptied the oats directly into the mylar without any spillage or mess.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

If you trust the contents of the original packaging to be free of bugs, then your proposed solution should work fine. One benefit of transferring is to allow visual inspection.
As long as the packaging is open, the O2 absorber will do its job as it normally would.

Wolf's solution is equally viable, since you did imply that the original packaging will fit inside the Mylar completely.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

mikhailfrankovich said:


> Hey all,
> 
> For the final step of my long term food storage, I am going to seal a final 19 kilograms of instant oats into 19 one gallon mylar bags.
> 
> ...


sorry your heart and thought are on the somewhat correct track - but - nothing but the food goes inside the mylar bag - no other materials - don't even put ink markings or labels on the outside of the bags .... the mylar bag interiors are manufactured as clean & uncontaminated as possible - but not sterile (02 absorbers are !!!!) - the poly layers and the mylar that compose the bags are not off gassing materials ... you don't include other materials that could be contaminated or will be off gassing toxic chems - last thing you want is your food steeping in a toxic chemical swill for 10-15-20-25 years ....

in regard to bucket filling - in the old days - when a buck meant more - I'd tape together a bucket filling funnel out of corrugated paper ... been using oversized (12'' plus funnels - buckets are 12'' diameter) poly rectangle shaped funnels for years - the rectangle shape fits the bag mouth better - find the largest spout diameter you can - there's food grade ones available .... here's one source I use for everything poly - https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=1152&parentcatid=580

another packaging tip in regard to powdery/dust/grit type foods like flour and grains - wipe the throat of mylar bag clean before trying to heat seal the bag closed - the poly layer involved needs to meet clean & unimpeded - you can get bad results from an incomplete melt like a bad seam and/or bubbles & pockets ....


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> sorry your heart and thought are on the somewhat correct track - but - nothing but the food goes inside the mylar bag - no other materials - don't even put ink markings or labels on the outside of the bags .... the mylar bag interiors are manufactured as clean & uncontaminated as possible - but not sterile (02 absorbers are !!!!) - the poly layers and the mylar that compose the bags are not off gassing materials ... you don't include other materials that could be contaminated or will be off gassing toxic chems - last thing you want is your food steeping in a toxic chemical swill for 10-15-20-25 years ....


You're suggesting that the food grade materials used in the original packaging would be harmful to the contents over time?
You're also suggesting that Mylar is permeable to ink used on the outside of the bag?

Is that true? I've never heard these things, and it calls into question some packing methods I've seen used and used myself.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

i used a canning funnel


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Kauboy said:


> You're suggesting that the food grade materials used in the original packaging would be harmful to the contents over time?
> You're also suggesting that Mylar is permeable to ink used on the outside of the bag?
> 
> Is that true? I've never heard these things, and it calls into question some packing methods I've seen used and used myself.


It's possible over a long period of time the oatmeal might take on the taste of the plastic bag.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Annie said:


> It's possible over a long period of time the oatmeal might take on the taste of the plastic bag.


If that's true, then I've put way too much faith in what a "food grade" plastic is.
Since Mylar bags are often lined with a plastic material too, can we be sure they are safe from leaching chemicals?


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Canning funnel and I use Mylar bags with ziplock seals. Makes heat sealing so much easier.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Kauboy said:


> If that's true, then I've put way too much faith in what a "food grade" plastic is.
> Since Mylar bags are often lined with a plastic material too, can we be sure they are safe from leaching chemicals?


I should hope that mylar lined with plastic would be enough to keep it perfect, since that's what the mylar is all about--long term food storage.

I only know what the taste of plastic is from food that's been kept in original containers too long past the expiration date. So that alone would give me pause to wonder about whether the original oatmeal bags are good for long term use. I'm only wondering, not sure though.


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