storing your bulk foods

[bornthrifty]

I imagine moisture, and rodents are a concern, and I suppose any little eggs that are in the food itself

that in mind, if I buy whole grains, wheat rye etc,
do I, should I go with the mylar bags and air absorbers,


or have you had success, just keeping in bags,
or five gallon buckets, and using it with in a year or two?

or storing it this way long term?


thanks for your help

 

[CrimsonRose]

to get rid of buggies and their eggs freeze your grains in the freezer for 3-4 days...

after that just keep them air tight and dry... If you rotate your stock every 3-5 years then the mylar bags are over kill... just use what you store and replace it as time goes on.... Only time you need the oxygen absorbers and mylar is if you plan on LONG time storage of like 10-30 years....

air tight buckets should work fine as long as you plan on rotating every 5 years or so...

 

[AnnaRaven]

Talking about rotating your stores reminds me of a story a woman told at a talk on emergency preparedness. She said she knew you were supposed to rotate your stock. So every month, she would very carefully go in to her pantry and turn each can 1/4 turn...

 

[okiemomof3]

i don't do mylar bags and absorbers. i just use the gamma seal lids and i have had no problems with my grains at all.

 

[CrimsonRose]

Talking about rotating your stores reminds me of a story a woman told at a talk on emergency preparedness. She said she knew you were supposed to rotate your stock. So every month, she would very carefully go in to her pantry and turn each can 1/4 turn...

did anyone tell the poor woman any different?

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Talking about rotating your stores reminds me of a story a woman told at a talk on emergency preparedness. She said she knew you were supposed to rotate your stock. So every month, she would very carefully go in to her pantry and turn each can 1/4 turn...

did anyone tell the poor woman any different?

Was she the one teaching!

 

[AnnaRaven]

Talking about rotating your stores reminds me of a story a woman told at a talk on emergency preparedness. She said she knew you were supposed to rotate your stock. So every month, she would very carefully go in to her pantry and turn each can 1/4 turn...

did anyone tell the poor woman any different?

Was she the one teaching!

You guessed it! And yes, she had figured it out by then, so was using it as a story to illustrate the kinds of mistakes people make. She was definitely a "laugh at herself" kind of teacher - which was great.

 

[Icu4dzs]

i don't do mylar bags and absorbers. i just use the gamma seal lids and i have had no problems with my grains at all.

I agree with this however, I have been using Food Grade Nitrogen gas to displace the oxygen in the containers. It is very easy to do but you need a cylinder and some tubing and a wand (like the one you use in the shop to blow air).

The subject of oxygen absorbers is interesting. The ones you buy that are labled as such are rather expensive. They contain Iron compounds that do the absorbing. The very same contents are also found in those little packets used for "hand warmers". These are exactly alike but cost loads LESS than Oxygen Absorbers.

Actually, any form of rusting iron will do the same thing. The more surface area available to the gas, the more O2 it will absorb.

the Hand Warmers are really pretty cheap by comparison and you will be just as satisfied.

On the other hand, Nitrogen gas has no bad side effiects (unless you surfact from a dive too fast) and is quite clean to use and keep your foods stored without Oxygen for many years. Since wheat stores "Indefinitely" without any preservative, you can use the Nitrogen for other grains and food stuffs that are more sensitive.

Hope you find this useful.
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by the way was that teacher a blonde by any chance? (just kidding ladies)

 

[freemotion]

I only store a year or two of whole grains and I keep them in glass jars. It works out great because I can bring in what I need when I am grinding, and don't have to deal with a large bucket. Works for me!

 

[Icu4dzs]

I only store a year or two of whole grains and I keep them in glass jars. It works out great because I can bring in what I need when I am grinding, and don't have to deal with a large bucket. Works for me!

Be certain that they are adequately dry. You can get some spoilage and even botulism in glass jars with Oxygen absorbers.

(Clostridium Botulinum lives in anerobic conditions) but the toxin (the most poisonous in the known world other than fugu toxin) is heat labile so if heated to proper temperature, it is inactivated. The toxin can be destroyed if heated at 80C for 10 minutes or longer.

Small amounts of grain in jars are probably OK, but expensive.
Hope this helps.
YMMV
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