Substitute for Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers

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Potoy

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Mar 26, 2013
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Naga City
I am from the Philippines and it is quite humid here. My concern is food storage and the goods needed to store dry crops such as rice. What are the alternatives for mylar bags and oxygen absorbers? I have no idea where I can purchase that in here.
 
I mentioned something that I've seen on tv but no one has given a thumbs up or down as to if it works. Using regular canning jars, you fill with pasta it other dry goods and it has a vacuum attachment that fits glass jars. Also another idea is ( look it up and research it further). Nitrogen vapor can be run through the jar as vacuum is being pulled and it will take any water vapor out. That comes from using it as a cleaning agent in the reactors when I was making polyester resins. Nitrogen isn't toxic so it should be safe with foods as well. But like I said. Research into it further
 
Thank you very much for the information... I will look it further the nitrogen stuff. Canning is a good option for me but I will do that for meat and vegetables. I am a Filipino and compared to westerners we eat a lot of rice, so jarring is not an option for me because it will be too small. A family of 5 members can consume about 50 kl of rice a month because it is our staple food and price of rice is soaring. Perhaps I will be looking for tougher plastic bags and vacuum seal it but sometimes I am doubtful of the quality and the safety because majority of the plastics here are imported from China (toxic stuff that are not checked for its quality and safety.) Thank you...
 
In your climate, I'd get the O2 absorbers and mylar online and use them for long term storage. Ask your grandmother or another older person how they stored rice and other foods before modern storage was available to them.
 
Thank you very much for the information... I will look it further the nitrogen stuff. Canning is a good option for me but I will do that for meat and vegetables. I am a Filipino and compared to westerners we eat a lot of rice, so jarring is not an option for me because it will be too small. A family of 5 members can consume about 50 kl of rice a month because it is our staple food and price of rice is soaring. Perhaps I will be looking for tougher plastic bags and vacuum seal it but sometimes I am doubtful of the quality and the safety because majority of the plastics here are imported from China (toxic stuff that are not checked for its quality and safety.) Thank you...

One option would be old pop bottles. These do not absorbe the oxygen, but they are a tougher plastic to help keep rodents out. Not sure what rice you use, but white rice has a shelf life of 10 years
 
Can I suggest something a little out there? I know your resources are limited in the Philippines, and ordering from overseas is not always viable there. There is a growing population of Mormons there, from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who do serious food storage and some use the Mylar and oxygen absorbers. These are usually made available for purchase to the members from a distribution center. If you have a Mormon friend, get them to get you some, or ring up your local church and they can point you in the right direction. Here in Australia we can ring the centre and order them. Also, ask the local church leaders for info on how they store for your area, they will know what's needed and they often run info sessions on this stuff. Good luck.
 
I've also had no problem storing in empty p.e.t. Containers. Collect any and all empty large two litre juice and soda containers from friends and family, wash and rinse very well, dry for up to a week, then fill with rice, dried peas, lentils, whatever. I have shelves full of these. You can put an oxy absorber in but the bottles are not completely impermeable. I don't use the absorber, and so far so good, but I have a quick turnover of these things as we are mostly vegetarian. This does help with pest deterrents. Anything you do is better than nothing so give it a try.
 
Mylar and glass work best. Hand Warmer's work better and longer than o2 absorbers.
 
Large mason jars can be reopened and sealed again and again. You can use a vacuum caner or hand warmer to remove O2. Just place a paper towel between sugar and warmer.
 
I used 5 gal. buckets with hand warmers to store some sugar later I read where your not supposed to use O2 absorbers with sugar so I opened one of the buckets and found a 5gal. sugar cube they say sugar doesn't need o2 absorbers but I'm leaving them in the ones I've already done. I figure hard sugar is better than moldy sugar. Does anyone know for sure if they are needed ?
 
Guys, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't use mylar or O2 thingies and I've not ever had problem with anything. Think back to how your grandmothers stored their goods. Nothing has happened in the past 100 years to change why we need mylar and o2 thingies. Nothing. The goods you are storing aren't any different.

Mike, plastic buckets work fine for sugar and rice, if you want to keep some in your kitchen, use clean, empty soda bottles. They are lighter in your cupboards and pour easily. When the amount in those get low, refill them from your buckets.

If you start with a clean environment with your storage, you shouldn't have much in the way of bugs coming from your side of things (weevils, millers, things like that). Yes, you will get weevils coming in with your goods. Throw a few whole bay leaves in on top of your goods to repel them. Make sure you don't cook the bay leaves in with your food.

If by chance you open a bucket and you see a few weevils. Sift them out. They ain't going to kill you, and you don't need to throw everything away.

Sorry, I'll stop off my soap box now.
 
The hand warmers and O2 absorbers use a small amount of water to work. That's why the sugar turned to a brick. But Momma Bear is right you don't really need them for sugar and rice.
 
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I guess you're right, I do tend to watch over others. Doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, someone ends up calling me Mom, lol.
 
Hi Potoy, am from the Philippines too. What I currently do is vacuum seal the rice in 2-kilogram portions with a large Dessicant and so far, when I did a test of 1 year old stocked rice, it smelled as fresh as the day I purchased it.

I use the dessicant since dried rice still has a bit of moisture in it (about 7%-8&). This is to reduce the amount of moisture that will be retained in the grains.
 

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