# Using my stored foods



## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

With items in the food stores getting a little scarce here and there, I decided to pull some of my older staples, like rice, flour, ect. and use them in my daily foods. Nothing extreme, but have some items dating back to 2005, so I opened a few. My next trip to the grocery will replace them. So far nothing has tasted off or looked bad upon opening. In my first stores, I used a nitrogen purge before adding oxygen absorbers. Obviously the puge pretty well eliminates any air, so the bags do not collapse as the oxygen is absorbed. While I have faith, I still worried a tad since a collapsed bag indicated a good seal. When I went thru my nitrogen, I decided to follow the the path of ease and went to just oxygen absorbers like most preppers do. One thing I changed was I did away with the 5 gallon bags and have switched to one gallon bags. Makes handling the bags easier but actually takes up more space. The other thing I changed, I switched to bags with the ziplock closure. I know I can keep an opened bag sealed from bugs and other nasties once it is opened. and the cost difference is negligible. It also makes handle bags before heat sealing a lot easier. Nothing worse than having a bag tip over and spill the contents. Plus I know the seal area will not become contaminated with food dust and prevent a good seal.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Do the zipper tops offer an air tight seal, or do you also have to heat seal the bags?


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Heat sealing is recommend. Zippers leak.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Piratesailor said:


> Heat sealing is recommend. Zippers leak.


Thanks, that's what I thought, but wanted confirmation.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I'm digging way back.

Home canned stuff 10-15 years old is fine (will need jars soon). Store stuff, not that old has been good too. I have dried goods >10 years old great too (spices, mushrooms, peppers, ...)

Surprised some mylar sealed commercial rice/bean mixes are good as new too (Zatrians, carolina rice, etc...). No spoilage from oils within.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Definitely seal the bags. The zip lock is just a bonus. But it allows me to set all my bags, 
drop the oxygen absorbers in, ziplock the bag and continue with all bags, then heat seal.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

paraquack said:


> Definitely seal the bags. The zip lock is just a bonus. But it allows me to set all my bags,
> drop the oxygen absorbers in, ziplock the bag and continue with all bags, then heat seal.


If the stuff will take some heat, put in glass canning jars in an oven to ~145 oF (pasturized) and tighten lids when you take them out, they will seal. No O2 (well VERY little) and rodent proof .


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## izzy95 (Apr 19, 2020)

I can confirm this.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

While I agree it would be rodent proof, I doubt it is earthquake proof. But why do you bake it first. 
You could just put the oxygen absorbers into the jars and let them do their job. Even baking the 
product to temporarily raise the atmospheric pressure in the jar to create a *partial vacuum* 
in the jar as it cools does not remove the oxygen. You still need the oxygen absorbers to get rid of 
the reduced oxygen in the jar.

Made me wonder, so I did the jar in the oven thing at 200 degrees (lowest my oven goes) then 
tightened the lid. After allowing to cool, I inverted the jar in a sink full of water and opened the 
jar. The vacuum sucked in 7 fluid ounces of water, a little less and 25% of the volume. To me, 
that means there is still 75% of the oxygen in the jar. While the baking would kill off any critters,
the food product would still be subject to degradation from oxidation.


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