How to store dehydrated food?

[Cogent Design]

I've been experimenting with my food dehydrator for a few months now; looking for a way to store the dehydrated food long term. I've heard of people using ziplock bags and leaving them at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

Any truth to this? What do you guys do?

 

[grasshopperglock]

Vacuum bags will extend the life. Store the bags under preheated rock salt, then sealed in a 5gal bucket.

The heating of the rock salt gives a slight 'canning' effect. Pure rock salt for water softeners. As it comes in bulk.




"Sent from a puff of smoke"

 

[rsayloriii]

In a sealed container with a moisture desiccant, in a cool, dark place would be most ideal. I bought a vacuum Mason jar attachment for the vacuum sealer works well, as does the vacuum sealer itself (so long as the item isn't crushable).

The keys are moisture, oxygen (air), and sunlight. Control them and temperature isn't as much of a concern. The tighter control you have, the longer your food will last.

 

[grasshopperglock]

And dont be touching the food with bare hands.

Clean everything. Bleach, hydrogen peroxide. Boil it.

The cleaner, germ free you get it, the longer the stored food will last.




"Sent from a puff of smoke"

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Don't store it in an aquarium....

 

[London]

Mylar bags and dry ice.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Avoid to powerful oxidants: Moisture and air. Best place to store at home is a freezer. You can buy a good sized one for a few hundred bucks

 

[Cogent Design]

I could fill mylar bags with dehydrated food and keep at room temperature? This good for everything?

 

[vmax]

you didn't say how long you wanted to store the food. Weeks, months or years??

Oxygen is the enemy of food storage.

Mylar bags and Oxygen absorbers is what I would do.

This is how I store most of my bulk prep food.

you order the Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers together. Place your food in the bag, drop a couple of O2 Absorbers in, vacuum out what air you can and iron it shut.

there are hundreds of videos on youtube about how to do this.

 

[Cogent Design]

I guess a better question is what is the life span of a properly dehydrated food in a mylar bag with an o2 absorber? I have some rice, beans, etc done already but nothing I dehydrated.

 

[vmax]

I guess a better question is what is the life span of a properly dehydrated food in a mylar bag with an o2 absorber? I have some rice, beans, etc done already but nothing I dehydrated.

from what I have read and depending on how much moisture you remove from the fruit, I would say less than one year.
Rawles over at Survival Blog says to just use a vacuum sealer or standard mason jars to store dried fruit.
I might get into some of my books and read on this some more, you've got me interested now.

 

[London]

I have no idea how long it will stay good for. The CO2 should suffocate any pests or bacteria and render the contents of the bag unlivable for nasties.

Fruit is generally best eaten raw. Any decent amount of heat destroys nearly all of the vitamin C and long term storage degrades other vitamins as well.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Eatable storage time for dehydrated food can run into many, many years...key word is eatable, I did not say tasty. In fact properly stored it will last far longer than you will find it worth eating except for a survival mode.

In 1967 we received some cases of C rats that were dated 1946. Certainly they were eatable, some of the contents had sorta turned to mush but for a soldier out in the boonies they were very tasty...

 

[Sapper740]

Bulk food such as rice and beans can be placed in a sterile 5 gal food quality container with a Gamma lid. Just before sealing place sufficient dry ice on top to completely replace the normal atmosphere with CO2.

 

[Acera]

One key is rotation. Don't just buy/make food for long term storage once. Make it year long and consume old stock on the shelves. Initial hit to the finances is greater at first, then spreads out, but in long term it neutralizes as you replace what you eat. Let you projected needs determine how much you hold in reserve.

That way you keep an eye on it's performance, ability to eat it, what you like to eat, etc.

The lifestyle is best not left at 'buy and forget'. That way you avoid a disaster in x number of years when you really need it, only to find it spoiled.

Has not been mentioned in a long time here, but the Mormans are experts in this area. Self-Reliance - store.lds.org
They have a lot of local resources that will assist non-LDS members also.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

One key is rotation. Don't just buy/make food for long term storage once. Make it year long and consume old stock on the shelves. Initial hit to the finances is greater at first, then spreads out, but in long term it neutralizes as you replace what you eat. Let you projected needs determine how much you hold in reserve.

That way you keep an eye on it's performance, ability to eat it, what you like to eat, etc.

The lifestyle is best not left at 'buy and forget'. That way you avoid a disaster in x number of years when you really need it, only to find it spoiled.

Has not been mentioned in a long time here, but the Mormans are experts in this area. Self-Reliance - store.lds.org
They have a lot of local resources that will assist non-LDS members also.

GOOD point: Want to know about prepping your food stores then go find a orthodox Mormon, those folks are experts at it. Good friend of mine was one and he had it down pat...

 

[Acera]

Forgot to add, we are entering the harvest season. There will be plenty of prime foods ready to can, dehydrate, pickle, freeze, etc in the next few months. We all have enough time to research, procure the needed items, and get started. Local private farmers markets will be overflowing with farm fresh produce soon. We use a local one in Clear Lake and know most of the farmers/ranchers. Sometimes a vendor will slip in that buys in bulk from bigger suppliers and tries to pass off as their own, but they generally get found out and run off. Lots of the folks we buy from pull it from the ground that morning and you buy it roots and all.

Start small with something you and your family will want to eat immediately, like fresh fruit jellys and jams, and some other basics like pickles and green beans. Easy to get the needed materials at WalMart and your grocery. Make some to eat, and then store what is left for the rest of the year. Pretty soon you will find it's second nature and you have your shelves filling up.

Regarding the Church of Latter-Day Saints don't be afraid to call a local church and ask about food storage and purchasing their extras. Everyone I have met that is a member is a good christian and helps their fellow man, if he is willing to help himself. Many have under the radar food stores that will sell what their flock does not need. So no need to be a member of their church or any other church to partake.

 

[London]

Bulk food such as rice and beans can be placed in a sterile 5 gal food quality container with a Gamma lid. Just before sealing place sufficient dry ice on top to completely replace the normal atmosphere with CO2.

Food grade buckets slowly leak CO2, so you'll need mylar bags for that. Also, be careful what kind of rice you store. Brown rice goes bad fairly fast (about a year) because of its delicate oils. Parboiled rice is kinda considered the best, it has 80% of the nutrients of brown but a 2 year shelf life. It's about a dollar a pound at Wal Mart.

 

[breakingcontact]

you didn't say how long you wanted to store the food. Weeks, months or years??

Oxygen is the enemy of food storage.

Mylar bags and Oxygen absorbers is what I would do.

This is how I store most of my bulk prep food.

you order the Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers together. Place your food in the bag, drop a couple of O2 Absorbers in, vacuum out what air you can and iron it shut.

there are hundreds of videos on youtube about how to do this.

Same here.

Emergency Essentials - Food Storage Emergency Preparedness Emergency Kits

 

[Sapper740]

Food grade buckets slowly leak CO2, so you'll need mylar bags for that. Also, be careful what kind of rice you store. Brown rice goes bad fairly fast (about a year) because of its delicate oils. Parboiled rice is kinda considered the best, it has 80% of the nutrients of brown but a 2 year shelf life. It's about a dollar a pound at Wal Mart.

I didn't realize the food grade plastic buckets allowed transmission of any gas. Thank you for bringing that tidbit of information to my attention. From Your Family Ark website:

Enemies to Your Food Storage



Plastic Buckets– Only food-grade buckets with gaskets in the lid seals should be used. Dry ice (CO2) should be used to prevent insect infestation. Methods such as oxygen absorbers or nitrogen gas flushing are not effective in plastic buckets as they depend on the absence of oxygen to kill insects. Plastic buckets are not an oxygen barrier as there is a slow transmission of oxygen through the polyethylene walls of the container over time. Store buckets at least ½ inch off the floor to allow for air circulation. Do not stack over three buckets high. Check periodically to ensure lids have not broken from the weight.