Oxygen Absorbers: How to Use Them and Keep Them Viable for Next Time

[@angiekay5790]

my biggest tip: don't try to reshape the product(beans/rice) after sealing to fit a bucket. It will just puncture the Mylar. Let the brick be.

[@primrozie]

It also helps to use a zip top freezer bag as a liner creating an extra layer between food and mylar preventing punctures.

[@littlegreenpatch98]

Put it in the bucket right away. It will suck in and conform to the bucket. Works great for me in the last ten years.

[@KKIcons]

Thanks, that is just the type of thing I would try to squeeze in one more etc.

[@nadiafox9255]

Still have no idea why I keep them!?

[@marygallagher3428]

I vacuum-seal my dried foods in glass canning jars with my Foodsaver and its jar attachment but I put an Oxygen absorber in each jar also to extend the shelf-life as long as possible :-)

[@Marcel41021]

I do the same as it is added insurance against O2 infiltration. I also store spare O2 absorbers in the same manner. I am planning to use #10 cans in place of jars.

[@lakeshiamurphy]

Thank you for this video, I thought I had failed on over half of my bags because they still had puffiness on them. Now I know I don't have to start all over on so many things!!!

[@michaelbest7872]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Provident Prepper for this information about oxygen absorbers! It's July 1, 2022, so I apologize for just getting to one of your past video's and asking questions. I have watched and enjoyed your channel, when I have the time, and THIS video of yours came up as a video that may answer my question about how to use oxygen absorbers for food storage. I had recently bought some absorber packets, and wonder how long they last, along with storing them and what to use them with! I have never used oxygen absorbers. First, I know what they are, and what they do. That's why I bought them. My questions I have about using oxygen absorbers for food storage is... how many absorber packets should I use in ONE container? Is ONE packet all I need to put in that jar or mylar bag, or bucket with food? Is the rule of thumb, one absorber packet per container? If so, does that also mean 1 packet per 5-gallon bucket? Is the "rule of thumb" the same for a 5-gallon bucket as it is for a mylar bag? If not, how many absorber packets should one use, even if the bucket is airtight? I'm sure more absorbers in one container will not hurt! Meaning I could throw a hundred of them in one container! That would be a waste of oxygen absorbers! Is there a generic ratio (a chart to follow or something) if you know, of how many oxygen absorbers should be used, depending on container size, and depending on what kind of food is stored?

[@gsdalpha1358]

Not personally fond of mylar, just seemed more labor intensive? I package all my dry leagues, rice, and pasta in vacuum sealer bags after cutting a slit in the original packaging. But all my flours and dehydrated items are stored in mason jars with oxygen absorbers. I'll add a desiccant to dehydrated items. Maybe that's overkill but we're using items dehydrated 3 years ago and they're fine! They're also stored in a cool, dark and dry basement. I lost a quart jar full of oxygen absorbers a couple years ago - same issue as you! They didn't discolor but they were rock hard. And, yeah, I failed to notice the jar lid hadn't dimpled, too.

[@goofyroofy]

Another great video, not just for the hows and whys of OA, but it's helpful to show ppl that things like that can happen to anyone and not to worry about ti, thanks for showing that, some YT'ers might not have. Timely reminder about them, I have some 5gal bags and OA's coming soon to keep on stacking dry food. To everyone out there, I HIGHLY recommend the Mylar bag video mentioned at the end of this video if you're new to it, it was my guide to doing my first ever batch of many, many bags of rice and beans, giving me much peace of mind, many blessings to you all XD.

[@PeterPete]

According to wiki oxygen absorbers/scavengers work by extracting the moisture from the air. The oxygen absorbers contain iron powder, activated carbon and a salt which is hygroscopic; similar to a dessicant. So by extracting the moisture from the air inside the container, a small vacuum is pulled. Interesting how hand warmers are made from similar materials but, unlike oxygen scavengers, they contain water which is released when the hand warmer comes into contact with air.

[@ponygirl1073]

I’m a new subscriber after watching you on The Urban Prepper. I’m going back to get more good info. 🙋‍♀️

[@kamokatfish4858]

Yall have a really great way of presenting information together 💯👍

[@siry5164]

@@TheProvidentPrepper thanks for the great info. So I’m guessing you can’t reuse the absorbers that come in some bags from store bought foods? Like jerky etc.?Please anybody?!🙏

[@rockyalvarez520]

I only buy individually wrapped oxygen absorbers and I always put more than is needed in the bag just to make sure. I don't wanna come back five years later find out the food is bad because of failed oxygen absorbers

[@constitutionalrepublic1966]

Make your own by using new unbleached tea bags (Amazon) and silica catlitter. Just add a spoonful in the tea bag and you have homemade oxygen absorbers. There are recipes here on KZbin to do them. Check them out. Its cheaper to buy silica crystal cat litter, which will last forever, and unbleached new tea bags (600/pack Amazon)

[@k9luv3]

Can you use the white plastic lids that are made for mason canning jars instead of the metal ones?

[@easttennesseeexpat7545]

My experience is limited on this topic. I have some beans purchased at Walmart in 2001 and stored in air tight plastic buckets - no oxygen absorbers. Also purchased a 45 lb bucket of navy beans from Pleasant Hill Grains in 2009. Mylar bag, vacuum seal, oxygen absorbers. This many years later, I lack the discernment to tell if one is in better condition than the other. Beans do seem to lose a bit of moisture over extended storage. I recently weighed some of those 2001 beans and found that 5 lb of packaged beans weighs about 4 lb 6 oz now. For whatever that's worth. I've had rice go bad twice over the years and thought oxygen was the culprit. But ~10 years ago, I purchased several 1 lb bags of silica gel and tossed them in with rice. Problem solved! Moisture ingress was the real problem. I feel foolish offering my opinion when your experience may be 50X greater than mine - but here it is: A filled, air tight container doesn't have space for a lot of oxygen. Therefore, the damage oxygen can do is probably low. (The dynamic may change in a half-filled container). Uncontrolled humidity can be a more serious issue. In another life, I did a series of experiments to determine the affect of Relative Humidity on the stability of a drug ingredient. In sealed containers, I could maintain RH at 10% at 72 degrees F. By varying storage temperature, RH changed very dramatically. RH = 10% at 72 degrees translates to RH = ~100% at 32 degrees. The same weight of moisture is present at all times but the air's capacity to hold it as a gas (rather than condensed liquid) is temperature dependent. Contrary to expectations, stability of the drug ingredient was nearly infinite at room temperature but the ingredient became inactive within two hours at the freezing point. I do not have data to support the notion that %RH is the primary determinate in dry food shelf life but I have assumed that it is true. Whether true or false, I have not been disappointed in the quality of recently prepared 'ancient' food products. A fortunate property of silica gel is its huge capacity to regulate %RH at about 13% over a wide temperature range.

[@margaretruiz9655]

Nice work, explained well. Thank you! Bottom line, both silica to control effects of humidity and oxygen absorbers to diminish O2 are superior. Dual use Should be considered for more fragile preps.

[@pkschack]

I watched this with great interest as we had our own recent issues with oxygen absorbers. We chose to buy 100 packaged in packs of 10 which should solve the problem.

[@Slayer_Habit]

Thats what I just got

[@JB-le6zm]

We had issues with o2 absorbers "newly" purchased so I just use my vacuum sealer now. Not willing to chance it

[@robertb3077]

I called my local Pinto Bean Farmer and asked if pintos need to be vacuumed packed. He said "No, they will just get a little darker and take a little longer to cook, but they will never go bad." But, of course, it your choice.

[@sharriceowens913]

Is that for all beans

[@rw7594]

I get a decent vacuum seal on standard mylar bags. It's easier with 5 gallon bags but will work with smaller bags. Use the hair straightener to seal all but the last inch. I use my hand held vacuum to suck out the air. Wash the small vacuum attachment first! Then pinch the bag just under then finish the seal with the straightener. Obviously I put the O2 absorber in first. Once sealed the O2 absorber has less work to do and little to no air in there is good for food and not for contaminants especially for those in apartments without air conditioning.

[@bearrivermama6414]

I don't know why but Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers intimidated me 🤷🏻‍♀️ thanks for sharing your knowledge! It helps me feel a little less intimidated. I just a couple months ago bought my first pack of oxygen absorbers and started adding them to my vac sealed mason jars. Still have not ventured into the world of Mylar. I like using canning jars so I can store tons of extra jars without giving up any extra space. This way in the event of an event I will have plenty of jars to can our food so we won't be dependent on electricity. Plus.... I can share with others that are not as well stocked up.

[@bearrivermama6414]

The Provident Prepper it was wonderful! We went Friday and Saturday. Just my husband and I which was fantastic. We finally found the time to go on a date! 😂 fish slime and all! We caught lots of fish, got to go snowmobiling, had a delicious fish fry and I made fish chowder which was delicious! It could easily be added to our list of food stores recipes 👍🏻 everything in it except the fresh walleye came from my pantry. I just saw your video you did with the urban prepper. I enjoyed the interview very much! Other folks really seemed to love you guys too! You guys are growing by leaps and bounds! Has it felt overwhelming at all? I know your lives are full of many other wonderful things so it made me think that maybe the increased opportunities might be making things feel a little hectic. I hope you continue to grow and grow and reach the multitude! But that the growth is a continued blessing for your family.

[@priusdwelling504]

I think you guys would be really happy with a chamber vacuum rather then your clamp type sealer. Dont worry they are well worth the price, Avid Armor is my favorite.

[@gmwwc]

I have a Avid Armor 32 and it has completely changed the way I store food.

[@tracycouture3955]

Thank you, must check my jars closely. 🙏❤

[@jaysilverheals4445]

do you realize a bag of beans is good for 30 years?

[@christopherkeillor9728]

I am a Christian prepper I believe in prayer prepping and no panicking - proverbs 22:3 Luke 22:36 Matthew 24:9. I am looking for a group of like-minded people. Near Helena Montana

[@ng3069]

I read that you should use oxygen absorbers within 6 to 8 months.

[@shara4389]

Do you guys have any thoughts on why some OAP's taken out of a new bag and laid out on the kitchen countertop would NOT get hard? Grant, we do live where the humidity is very low, but out of 3 OAP brands tested (Harvest Right, PackFresh, and the LDS store) the first two are still soft and pliable 13 days later, but the LDS packet was hard in a MUCH shorter time frame. To me, this says the first two were failures, but maybe I'm missing something here? I felt them a couple of times a day and never felt any of the 3 getting warm. Thoughts are appreciated!

[@Sharon2426]

Thanks for sharing y'all knowledge. I was not aware of those SteelPak Mylar Vacuum Seal Bags. You'll always give good information.

[@TFDchief-fk2sc]

@Provident Prepper Are you using a flat iron to seal some of the Mylar bags? I enjoy your channel!

[@RATED4EVER]

I just purchased my 1st set of oxygen absorbers that arrived in the mail and they are ALL ROCK HARD. Are oxygen absorbers initially supposed to be ROCK HARD when you receive them? If not, I need return these right away!

[@Impulse_Photography]

Is it OK to just pour my dry food into a 5-gallon bucket with a Gamma Lid? I put 2000 in Oxygen Absorbers on top of the food before closing the lid - I packed a bucket full of Cheerios and dry Cat Food like this. But then I am not planning on it keeping for more than 2 maybe 3 years of storage. I buy in bulk to save money, but I am buying for a couple years at one shot, like I said.

[@LoveMyCoffee10]

This is my first time w/Oxygen Absorbers. Do I open the packet itself and put in jar or just put the packet as a whole into the jar? Thank you!!!

[@rcx7093]

I just learned how to dry pack can a few weeks ago. I used mason jars. My only question was if I should remove the ring or not. Some say yes others say no.

[@amechealle5918]

I heard Mylar like aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s why is it so often used for food storage? Wouldn’t that contaminate your food storage? My Mom had Alzheimer’s and went a little crazy with food storage long before she was diagnosed.

[@DocKingliveshere]

I'm just starting out with my freeze dryer and all this mylar bags "stuff." O2 absorbers freak me out cause there is no real way to know they're working until you open a bad batch. Some of my bags 'shrink" down; but most don't. Are those that don't good? Won't know until i open it 20 years down the road. :)

[@sunflower-ic6hc]

Hi. I tried using oxygen absorbers yesterday --- for the 1st time. I noticed, that they got warm to the touch, as I was placing them in my bags --- which I read is normal? The concern I had though --- was that when we went to seal up our left over oxygen absorbers --- I noticed a great deal of condensation, on the inside, of the bag they came in --- and when I began taking the oxygen absorbers out, they felt wet! We put them in with dry food (mylar bags) and am now worried --- that the inside of our sealed bags, could contain moisture --- which of course could spoil all our food! Any help you could offer, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you:)

[@jezzahd5304]

Awesome tips thank you 🙏 I purchased Mylar bags the 7.5 mil size 30cm by 40cm what size oxygen absorbers are suitable for them ?

[@Allin1mom]

Is there way to save those oxygen absorbers?...I also hove some gone bad😩😩 I don’t know where but I read or hear I can put them in the microwave...I don’t know if I’m mixing information, I was probably reading about something else. 🤔😔

[@TracyZdelar]

Thanks for doing this. I just ordered my first pack of oxygen absorbers and when I saw how they arrived I wasn't sure how to keep them fresh after opening. I don't use mylar so I will keep in a jar. Thanks!

[@geg3758]

Just got my first order of oxygen absorbers Needed to see how they’re stored

[@Thisisit120]

Do you have any insight on using oxygen Absorbers in my Mylar bags to preserve freeze dried milk? Also what about using the oxygen absorbers and gallon pickle jars, does the lid ever popped down?

[@Theshoemarkable]

Thanks for all your videos! So helpful! How many oxygen absorbers this size would I need in a 10 litre plastic bucket of rice? Would I need to remove the rice from the original packet?

[@pauletterichards4755]

I used wallaby Mylar bags from wallaby’s the bags are still not shrunk up I used the oxygen obsorber that came with them 400cc

[@patty6128]

I am new to prepping and last year I put oxygen absorbers in glass jars filled with crackers and cookies! I just found out recently that you are only supposed to use them with dry foods. Ugh!!! Does that mean I have to throw it everything away?

[@jessicamiddlebrooks1143]

Question! When I placed my oxygen absorbers into a jar after opening once to use more condensation built up in the jar. They were also warm to touch. Does the condensation make them ineffective? Or unsafe to use in mylar bags or jars?

[@realmanpwns]

will pickle jars seal air tight (like Mt. Olive) for use with Oxy Absorbers?

[@talulahwest710]

My big question is how many absorbers? How many cc's per pint, quart, mylar bags???

[@anthonyaguirre1498]

Hello just wondering, if the oxygen Absorbers are causing condensation inside the mason jar is that good or bad? Does that mean that my oxygen Absorbers are working?

[@zhongjimmy5849]

Great video. We are oxygen absorber manufacturer from China, please message me if you have any inquiry, hope we can work together in the future. Have a great day.

[@anthonykenny2631]

We gave up on oxygen absorbers and instead invested in an Avid Amor vacuum chamber, using mylar bags or inexpensive three mill plastic bags.

[@lorainewilliams592]

I have never had a jar seal with an oxygen obsorber. I use 150cc in a quart jar. They only remove oxygen, not air.

[@tabithabrown8215]

I opened my oxygen absorbers an had them open 30 mins. They became hot an the bag was moisture in it? What happened did I just loose $20

[@josephheavener56]

Thanks for this video. I recently started using mylar and oxygen absorbers and you answered quite a few questions I had. Especially about the bags not having to look like they were vacuum sealed. I'm testing cookies now and I'll let you know in a year what the results are.

[@josephheavener56]

@@TheProvidentPrepper you didn't ruin anything. Thank you so much.

[@jimneysweep9810]

@@TheProvidentPrepper would this mean cat biscuits can’t be stored in myler bags ?

[@daze4341]

Perfect timing for me with this one

[@southerngrits920]

I am new to oxygen aborsers. I am confused on storing and the time they are exposed to air. I have 100 absorb ers. Should I put 10 per jar as I am working alone. If I only need a few can I pull out those a save for later? I am fighting party moths so I am storing every thing long term storage or air tight containers. We have no basement or pantry. So space is a problem too.

[@fabricdragon]

nod. i had a bad couple oxygen absorbers and to this day i have no idea what went wrong- probably was some kind of minor chip in the glass and i just didnt notice

[@ladycobra3]

I packaged over 10 items in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, not a one of them appeared to be losing any of the bubble in the bag. I had some 7 ml bags and an unopened bag of absorbers so I repackaged them. Repackaging them did the trick. I don't think it was the absorbers fault. After holding the bags up to light you could almost see straight through them. I ordered them from Amazon and I think I got cheap bags with a hefty price. I am very careful who I order my bags and absorbers from now.

[@ruthdoyle3572]

I had the same problem with useless vacuum bags and rolls I ordered on Amazon so I ordered foodsaver bags and rolls from foodsaver and I'm having problems with some of them too letting in air.

[@TonyGarrett-p1c]

Oh yeah, the transparent bags are useless.

[@rockyalvarez520]

Did you know that there is a way to vacuum still all mylar bags even the seven mil 8 mil? There's actually a KZbin video online that showing you how to do it

[@widowswatch6610]

I am sorry did you say how long they last after you open them and put into a ball jar? One ball jar with them in it seems okay because the lid top is sunk it tight. Put them in there 1 1/2 months ago thanks

[@stringkmcc7817]

I have a mylar bags question-- can I seal a reg mylar bags with my food saver. Just to seal it, not get air out..

[@charleencnossen9930]

So would grains in a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid and an oxygen absorber draw IN oxygen?

[@michaelstlouis2472]

chocolate chips??? really.. lol just kidding going to check my jar with o/ a in there...

[@heartforchrist7004]

So I have a ton of oxygen absorbers that I keep in a small mylar bag and they are all hard. So you said that they turn hard when they are no longer good. Does that mean mine went bad??

[@wd4313]

Thank you for the video my Friend, do you have a brand and size that you recommend? Also wondering do you consider it necessary to use mylar bags inside of the plastic buckets for storing large quantities of dried goods with an oxygen absorber Thank you

[@wd4313]

@@TheProvidentPrepper Thank you very much for your guidance help and for the links, Greatly Appreciated: )

[@carolynmacaluso4957]

So if the oxygen absorbers are a little puffy in the mason jar, but still flexible, does that mean they are still good to use?

[@Acolis]

wow i have a lot of jars and im going to inspect them now. i only use them for weed and shrooms, but still.

[@mariapagani1214]

Hi which brand you recommend for the mylar bags?

[@jasspett]

Jonathan and Kylene question PLEASE? Newbie here again, I packed-up seven (7) bags of rice last night and to ensure that all of the oxygen is removed I added extra absorbers, again being a Newbie, but the next day was a surprise. The last three (3) that were sealed about 90% as I added the extra oxygen absorbers, nest used a vacuum nozzle to remove as much as a possible to ensure all was well. The following evening the last three (3) bags appeared to still be puffy and not drawn in as my more successful bags. My guess is that I may have taken too long after I opened the 10 pack of oxygen absorbing and maybe five to ten minutes may have passed before I completed the last three (3) bags so I am assuming, which is not my first choice, but is the only logical thought at this moment. So PLEASE, to Jonathan and Kylene I ask you first for some advice for this Newbie? Lastly, I ask anyone who has the experience to PLEASE share a few words of advice too? Thank you all in advance to anyone who has any helpful advice!😊 Be well and be safe too, Jasper

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

Reach out to me at theprovidentprepper.org/contact-us/ I'll reply back with my email and you can send me photos. We'll figure this out :)

[@Bittagrit]

How can o2 absorbers be refreshed? If they’re hard, can they be recharged to absorb.

[@Carol-tq1fb]

I have a question for you all. We have the oxygen absorbers and I went to use them one day while doing dry canning. I got all my jars ready and opened up my small jar of absorbers. I started putting them in the jars when all of a sudden I noticed they were getting pretty warm to the touch. The jar was getting warm that I have them stored also. So I dumped them on the counter and then seen that they were getting wet. I picked one up and it smelled so bad. What the heck was going on with these little buggers? I have no idea....so I took them out of my jars and just vacuumed sealed them up. Now I am afraid to order any more. Has anyone else had this problem? Or can anyone tell me what I did wrong? I need some adult supervision.lol Thanks

[@Hklbrries]

Didn’t see your question answered so thought I’d add my two-cents worth. I had the same question and looked into it. My understanding is that this is normal and means they’re working. Assuming you’re keeping fresh ones in tightly-capped Mason jars (as I do between use), it is also common to see a bit of condensation in the jars. In addition to the good information The Provident Prepper provides, I research on Cooperative Extension and University sites. Here’s one on oxygen absorbers from Utah State University: digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1196&context=extension_curall

[@rozalynanderson8459]

Do you have to repackage the absorbers in a mylar bag or can you use a regular vacuum seal bag?

[@cherieozga5879]

Can you use the plastic vac bags instead of mylor

[@brightstarr57]

Thanks for the info!

[@EatsTreatsMREs]

Thanks for sharing this. Great tip tip to look out for.

[@frabjousmonkey7479]

Is there a trustworthy website that lists ALL the foods you can use oxygen absorbers with and which to avoid using them with? After looking on quite a few websites, I mistakenly decided to use oxygen absorbers in my popcorn. It has been stored like this for about 3 weeks. Is it ruined now? Thank you Provident Prepper family for helping my family so much. You present in a way that is very productive and not nightmares and panic inducing. I move forward with more faith and continue taking care of my family because of your writing and videos. You even got my husband to pull his head out of the sand. Thank you so much.

[@TonyGarrett-p1c]

Alaska Granny did a video, warning to not use O2 absorbers with certain foods.

[@flintstonegirl3372]

I love your videos! Very informative! I'm just wondering, can you reseal the original pkg that the oxygen absorbers came in, with your flat iron? Or do you have to put them in another container once they're opened?

[@flintstonegirl3372]

@@TheProvidentPrepper ok thanks so much! If I try it that way I will definitely let you know😉

[@rahelmoore5495]

@TIA SVETNIK This is so helpful. I bought a bag of them and haven't opened them because I am worried that they will get ruined. This is such a great idea to seal them with the vacuum sealer!

[@MetaJamm]

Standart plastic bottles (PET) have poor barrier function against oxygen and water steam, and not suitable for long term (years)food storage.

[@Andy-fr6nj]

The Provident Pepper have made a video that says the opposite.

[@sandyshephard4571]

Can I use an OA in a jar of dehydrated vegetables?

[@marilynpetty6717]

I just purchased the attachment for my foodsaver to vacuum seal quart jars. Have you tried or had experience using this method?

[@bearrivermama6414]

The Provident Prepper I found a handy trick for the fine powders, I bought some of the food saver canisters and I place the jar I want sealed in the canister the jar has the lid on as well as the ring (finger tight, don't over tighten) you than vacuum seal the canister. When you release the seal on the canister you can hear the canning lid "pink" on the jar. I made homemade onion powder, tomato powder, and celery powder and this worked beautifully to seal them up. I have also done flour and powder sugar. The onion powder was the fluffiest and sealed very nicely.

[@raincoast9010]

I store extra oxygen absorbers in the smallest canning jar they will fit in and if there is any extra space i fill it with marbles (you could also use clean pebbles) and then vacuum out the air with my FoodSaver machine.

[@bearrivermama6414]

rain coast the marbles are a great idea. So smart! Thank you for sharing your idea.

[@AnnieSmith-y8q]

The manufacturer of the oxygen absorbers I use told me store them in a ziplock bag, inside another ziplock bag, inside another ziplock bag and then into an airtight tupperware type of container that is placed into the freezer.

[@AnnieSmith-y8q]

@@TheProvidentPrepper I've been using Oxygen Absorbers for 18 years and have always stored them this way, with no problems. Thanks for the video!

[@mikeholman4284]

I buy 100 packed in bags of 10. Any leftover, I seal in a plastic food bag. I make sure I feel the oxygen absorbers warming up. I've only got about 1500 lbs of rice stored, but am working on storing other things. Otherwise, we've bought a ton of canned foods. The struggle is real :).

[@levenusine5095]

I don't like the idea of protecting oxygen absorbers in a canning jar, because, in order to protect them, you have to use them. Then, those oxygen absorbers that are not at 100% of its capacity are going to a bag of food.

[@levenusine5095]

@@TheProvidentPrepper Thanks for your kind reply. I'm new to this topic.

[@pauletterichards4755]

How long does it take to sealin a jar with the oxygen obsorber

[@jesus.maryandjoseph8880]

Hi, Great video! Very helpful! Do you need to vaccum seal the canning jar when you put in the oxygen absorbers? Also, We recently Freeze Dried chicken breast. I did 5 of the 1/2 gallon bags with 300cc absorbers, and 2 of the 1/2 gallon bags with 700cc absorbers (what we had opened and needed to use up prior to opening the 700 cc absorbers. They were all processed in the same amount of time and in the exact same manner. Absorbers were put in the bags and immediately sealed, getting out as much air as possible in each bag, prior to sealing. We used our Harvest Right sealer, and did every bag twice to ensure a good seal. The ones with the 300cc absorbers all were 3/4 filled with chicken, and by the next day, had shrunk down considerably, while the ones with the 700cc absorbers were only about 1/2 filled, and they almost didn't shrink at all. To me, it seems there is still a lot of air. Both of the 300cc and 700cc absorbers were previously opened 3-5 days prior, and I had immediately resealed them with the HR sealer in the original vacuum sealed plastic in which they came from Harvest Right. My concern is that there is still a lot of air in the 700cc ones. We have found that we have been getting pretty inconsistent results with all of our batches (14 thus far), that we have completed in our freeze dryer. All other batches, we utilized the same guidelines and precautions, very rapidly opening and resealing and using up the absorbers. I did the water bottle test to see if they were working, and they were. I do understand that only about 21% of the air is oxygen, and that some nitrogen can remain, leaving the bag a bit "puffy", but why is it that with all of our batches, many seem like they still have a lot of air in them? All of our bags are double or triple sealed, used fresh absorbers, there were even a batch of 10 bags that we cut open and redid to make sure everything was okay. The bags didn't change. They looked the same as they did prior to redoing them. It is just strange to me because we are removing excess air out of every bag, and with exception of this batch of chicken, every bag is weigh and measured, so it has the same amount of food as the others, and they are all done at once, but maybe one or two of them almost completely shrink up, and the most of the others remain puffy, with little to no change in some of the bags. Same O2 absorbers from exact same batch (ours are packaged in vacuum sealed packages of 10). Any advice, guidance you can offer? We have done about 60-70 mylar bags in the last 13 batches and only about 10% of them show any kind of real shrinkage. I am telling you for certain, it is not user error. Do we have cause for concern? Thanks, again! 🙂

[@coreysullivan7401]

Awesome video. How many oxygen absorbers for gallons of white rice and flower? Thanks in advance

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

This video should be helpful kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIfUY4uglr12Y5Y

[@mariapagani1214]

Hi, last night i did by “the book” all my 30 bags and today all are puffy, maybe all where bad?? So sad!!!!

[@mariapagani1214]

@@TheProvidentPrepper ok thank you very much, i look at your videos and i have learned a lot thank you,i am knew to all this and it was the first time doing it!!! 😊

[@jarretlingle2553]

I've put leftover OA in a jar but have had them fail so I prefer to buy them in smaller portions and only bag new prep when I can do it all in one session so I use them all up. Then I buy more and start stocking up on items to bag up for the next session.

[@widowswatch6610]

I just checked my oxygen absorbers in my new ball jar, top lid was not caved in it was still was popping. I checked the new 1/2 gallon jar it had tiny chips in the rim I hadn’t noticed it before!!! So I threw them out.

[@evelyn247]

I purchased 5 mil quart Mylar bags that came with 300cc OAs... Since I was using these for the first time, I initially threw all the OAs in a mason jar. Within a few minutes that I was ready to use them, the jar (the top did seal) had suddenly a lot of moisture! The OAs were warm but still soft. Mason jar had been dried for days and I had just opened the OAs which indicator still showed good.. I hope this isn’t a silly question.... I live in super humid Florida and it’s been raining for days. Could the moisture content in the air have caused the moisture to appear in the sealed OA mason jar? If not, how could this have happened when I had opened all supply packaging right then and there? Also, are the OAs now no good since exposed to moisture like that? Please and thank you in advance!

[@MikeTrieu]

Eh, why buy special mylar bags when you could just buy a good chamber vacuum sealer and use any good quality, cheap, unembossed bag? I'd think the initial investment would pay for itself after not too long.

[@bobsbunker3090]

why when I use oxygen absorbers (2000 cc) in mylar bags in 5 gallon buckets for rice it doesn't seem to get all the oxygen or is it just left over gases? I know have a good seal, just want to make sure its not supposed to look like it has been vacuum sealed.

[@rivershere01]

Oh no. I put my popcorn in a mylar bag with an oxygen absorber. Did I ruin it?

[@justjoanie8068]

What did you mean about the 'nitrogen?'

[@bleuicon]

I just dry canned 9 quarts of dry pinto beans. Immediately, the lids ‘pinged’ but there was a tiny bit of condensation inside most of the jars. I think that I am going to open the jars and put the beans into mylar bags along with oxygen absorbers. Does this sound good? Also wondering if the beans have too much moisture or will the oxygen absorbers take care of that.

[@marywatson5537]

I put my oxygen absorbers in a canning jar and awhile later when I went to use them, they were warm and it’s seemed there was condensation in the jar. Are they still good to use or will my food spoil because of the moisture that was in the jar with the oxygen absorbers

[@marywatson5537]

@@TheProvidentPrepper thank you so much for the reply! 😊

[@Matt-nj]

Great information! I subscribed and look forward to seeing all your ideas. Thanks!

[@littlegreenpatch98]

Thank you for this video. It answered so many questions that I had of late. I searched and searched so I am glad I can across this video.

[@ShadowScoutSwede]

Great video and well, we all makes mistakes even if you have years of experience but it is hard to see if a can is not damaged sometimes especially when it is something small like a chip on the can. I have myself no experience in using oxygen absorbers. And by the way we learn as long as we live.

[@ShadowScoutSwede]

@@TheProvidentPrepper Yeah it is :)

[@Lisa-yogurt]

I’ve been reading on storing Mylar bags in a cool, dark and dry area. Usually a basement is a good place for this because it keeps a constant temperature. My home doesn’t have a basement, but we were thinking of storing our bags in a refrigerator to maintain a constant 40 degree temperature for longest freshness. We also live in a really hot place. What are your thoughts? Can I store spices with oxygen absorbers in Mylar bags? Any thoughts on storing dry pet food? Thanks!

[@Lisa-yogurt]

@@TheProvidentPrepper thanks for the insight! I forgot about the fat content in pet food. How much is fat content is considered too high for long term food storage? Is it any fat at all? I was thinking of packing Cheerios since they’re in my diet and because they’re fortified they’d provide plenty of nutrients like iron during an emergency. They range between 2%-5% fat per serving. I’m just not sure if it’s best to have zero fat in long term or if some fat is okay. A good example is my cats canned food, it had around 2% fat per can. Any thoughts? I’m new to this and overwhelmed by all my questions. Thank you so much for replying!

[@caralyn-ca-5016]

I’m scared of using Mylar bags. I’ve really invested in it watched u and Rudy on alaska prepper and many others and I know I did them right. I only get about 2 out of 5 that look shrieked tight. I buy 5 ml. I feel like when I need them some day they won’t be good. I get rid of any dusty residue toward tops I do everything. It makes me think the companies should not fold them to ship ,cuz they will break at the joints

[@sherrylew519]

I have a vacuum sealer that comes with heavy duty plastic bags. Do you think I can seal Mylar bags with it or do you have to have a special sealer machine for that? Thanks!

[@terrywilliams1112]

I'm really new but want to learn please teach me

[@1daywrapsdotcom229]

When storing seeds in mylar bags, should i be using oxygen absorbers? How do I know how many oxygen absorbers per mylar bag?

[@debralynnbailey6527]

I never did this before. And I cut my bag open put my beans in my 5 lbs bucket I didn’t know how many to use, then I went to do rice and Exhorters were hot and they were starting to sweat so I did put them in a canning jar