Storing spices in mylar

[meemo]

I have 1lb plastic containers of whole pepper, garlic and onion that I'm gonna put in mylar then buckets. My question is should I just leave em in the original containers and throw em in the mylar or actually empty them all out into the mylar bags. I also hav honey that I figure I'm just gonna leave in its origainal container and throw it in the bags. Anyone have any advice?? MuchThanx from a young prepper

[goose3]

Originally Posted by meemo

I have 1lb plastic containers of whole pepper, garlic and onion that I'm gonna put in mylar then buckets. My question is should I just leave em in the original containers and throw em in the mylar or actually empty them all out into the mylar bags. I also hav honey that I figure I'm just gonna leave in its origainal container and throw it in the bags. Anyone have any advice?? MuchThanx from a young prepper

I remove them from the container; I don't know in some cases what long-term storage will do to those containers.

I like to use smaller bags to create smaller amounts so I don't have to open a large amount at one time. I have just a few ounces of peppercorns in a mylar bag, for instance, so I don't have to compromise the rest I have stored when I open one of them.

Same with dehydrated onion and garlic; several smaller packages, in mylar w/ O2 absorbers.

Smaller packages also lend themselves to something I'll be doing soon, which is distributing my preps to more than one location. Much easier to spread them out when the preps can be broken into smaller packages.

[OhioMan]

I tend to do both, I have made lot's of small bags out of mylar and then drop in an 02 for some things and then just label them.

I like doing things 2-3 different ways, more is always better. As example, I canned my own butter in quart jars (18 of them) but I have also bought a bunch of red feather canned butter.

[Prepared N.D.]

You might get more efficient use out of your space if you take them out of the original and package individually in mylar.

I also use smaller sizes than 1lb. Spices will keep for a long time, but I hate the idea of exposing a huge batch all at once.

On a bit of a side note, I store grains in mylar in 5 gallon buckets that I have wrapped in wire mesh to discourage rats. In order to keep from unnecessarily exposing my food stores to oxygen, I grab anywhere from a quart to a gallon at a time depending on what it is and how often I use it. I add more o2 absorbers and reseal the bulk storage. I then store the smaller amount in a glass mason jar that I vacuum seal with a Foodsaver attachment. This keeps me from having to break open the 5gallon buckets as often.

It's not perfect, but it's the best I can come up with for my situation.

[Lisanna]

Originally Posted by meemo

I have 1lb plastic containers of whole pepper, garlic and onion that I'm gonna put in mylar then buckets. My question is should I just leave em in the original containers and throw em in the mylar or actually empty them all out into the mylar bags. I also hav honey that I figure I'm just gonna leave in its origainal container and throw it in the bags. Anyone have any advice?? MuchThanx from a young prepper

Check out this post for a cool way to recycle capri sun pouches for your spices

http://www.survivalistboards.com/sho...ight=capri+sun

[meemo]

Awsome answers guys. Thank you soooo much. Can I cut my 1.5gal mylar bags into smaller bags to make the seperate spice pouches?? I'm so blessed I found this forum and can actually get real answers from like minded preppers. KEEP EM COMIN!!!!

[Cryptkeeper]

Originally Posted by Lisanna

Check out this post for a cool way to recycle capri sun pouches for your spices

http://www.survivalistboards.com/sho...ight=capri+sun

: thanx for the link

thats a really good idea. i bet you could use small chip bags as well. you just need to remember and tag the bag

i leave seasoning packets in their packageing and i put salt in 2 liter bottles /w a few grains of rice.

but the capri trick made me think as i use those seasoning packets i can reuse those as well. i just used some just now and they look to be maylar on the inside so they should work to reseal

http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Seasoning-Mixes.aspx

i wouldnt even worry about the honey . i store mine like cann goods

[MikeK]

Remember, the goal of using mylar and O2 absorbers is so that the air that the food is exposed to, has no O2 in it to react with the food.

If you're going to use O2 absorbers in the mylar, leaving them in their original containers will keep the spices exposed to the O2 in the container. I'd dump them in the mylar, then maybe store the container somewhere so you have something to put the spices back into when you open the mylar.

Honey is best kept in it's original container. No need for mylar or O2 absorbers. It never spoils anyway.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by meemo

Awsome answers guys. Thank you soooo much. Can I cut my 1.5gal mylar bags into smaller bags to make the seperate spice pouches?? I'm so blessed I found this forum and can actually get real answers from like minded preppers. KEEP EM COMIN!!!!

You can make bags of any size out of mylar. It's versatility is one reason it's so popular.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Cryptkeeper

: thanx for the link

thats a really good idea. i bet you could use small chip bags as well. you just need to remember and tag the bag

i leave seasoning packets in their packageing and i put salt in 2 liter bottles /w a few grains of rice.

but the capri trick made me think as i use those seasoning packets i can reuse those as well. i just used some just now and they look to be maylar on the inside so they should work to reseal

http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Seasoning-Mixes.aspx

i wouldnt even worry about the honey . i store mine like cann goods

I'd be careful about what I reused. Most factory packaging isn't designed for long term. Chip bags are kinda thin but seem to resist air well, but those seasoning packets don't. I've seen them get caked up inside because of humidity passing through the bag. If they let humidity through, then they'll let O2 through also.

[Cryptkeeper]

Originally Posted by MikeK

I'd be careful about what I reused. Most factory packaging isn't designed for long term. Chip bags are kinda thin but seem to resist air well, but those seasoning packets don't. I've seen them get caked up inside because of humidity passing through the bag. If they let humidity through, then they'll let O2 through also.

i think your right they are easy to pop a hole in the seasoning bags, they are extremely thin.although i have never had a problem with any of them and i use those seasoning packets weekly

[Velvet Elvis]

Does anybody know how long various spices will keep when removed from their original packaging and put up with 02s and mylar?

I've got large containers of paprika, basil, oregano etc, but have no idea how long they will keep. Is there an online source for information on the shelf life of these items when packed for long term?

Maybe some of our forum merchants who sell mylar and 02s have some answers??

[blackswan]

I did these spice pouches our of mylar scraps.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Velvet Elvis

Does anybody know how long various spices will keep when removed from their original packaging and put up with 02s and mylar?

I've got large containers of paprika, basil, oregano etc, but have no idea how long they will keep. Is there an online source for information on the shelf life of these items when packed for long term?

Maybe some of our forum merchants who sell mylar and 02s have some answers??

Spices last a great many years properly packaged. The volatile oils tend to evaporate or oxidize away and that's what causes them to lose flavor so fast normally. But away from O2, those oils last a long longer. Though they will still lose some flavor over time to oils evaporating in the bag. Just use more of them to achieve the same flavor. Part of being a good cook is tasting as you cook, rather than following some carved in stone recipe.

I am using spices that are 20 years old. Most stored in their original packaging. Many of them are still usable. They're just not as intensely flavored as if they were fresh. I have also opened spices I packaged with O2 absorbers back in the '90s and they're almost like new. Again, it's just a matter of adjusting the seasoning as you go.

[Velvet Elvis]

Mike.. then as far as you know, there isn't any established / tested data for shelf life of spices packed in mylar & 02 then? Seems like some organization would have tested everything by now.

I just hate the idea of prematurely opening bags if they could still be good for another several years. After some googling, I see a few different blogs and similar private websites that have some information, but it varies greatly, making none of it seem authoritative.

My approach to spices I guess will be to remove from the original packaging, pick up some 50-100 CC 02s, subdivide and seal a 1 gallon bag into several compartments with various spices, and put a 15 year expiration date on it as an educated guess of sorts.

[TxHills]

After reading Vicdotcom's thread and a couple more, I used some Capri Sun pouches for spice and seasonings in June. Since my grand daughter drinks them...there here, and sorta free. Here's another thread talking about it. You'll some things I put up. A thread by me..........

http://www.survivalistboards.com/sho...d.php?t=176676

And one by tedennis........

http://www.survivalistboards.com/sho...ight=capri+sun

Vicdotcom was the instigator in this...........lol They're holding up good, and still sucked down good. Pepper and a few other things are hard as a brick. Parsley and onion flakes, not as much. I've also cut up 5 gallon bags and made small bags of pinto beans, corn meal, oatmeal, etc.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Velvet Elvis

Mike.. then as far as you know, there isn't any established / tested data for shelf life of spices packed in mylar & 02 then? Seems like some organization would have tested everything by now.

I just hate the idea of prematurely opening bags if they could still be good for another several years. After some googling, I see a few different blogs and similar private websites that have some information, but it varies greatly, making none of it seem authoritative.

My approach to spices I guess will be to remove from the original packaging, pick up some 50-100 CC 02s, subdivide and seal a 1 gallon bag into several compartments with various spices, and put a 15 year expiration date on it as an educated guess of sorts.

Well, they're dry, so they're not going to rot. Testing on something that is basically a flavoring would be subjective at best. As long as they retain a useful amount of flavor I consider it successful storage. About all you have to go on is people's individual results and they are going to vary quite a bit.

On thing I can suggest is to always store whole spices. Peppercorns instead of ground pepper, whole leaf herbs instead of ground, dried onion instead of onion powder, dried whole chiles instead of chili powder (make your own!), etc. The flavor and aroma holds up much better that way. I opened a very old jar of oregano leaves. It barely had any oregano smell at all, until I crushed the leaves between my fingers. It's still not as fragrant as a new bottle of oregano, but plenty powerful enough to have made some good food with. And that was without any special packaging. The spices I had stored in mylar with O2 absorbers were immensely better tasting.

[Elmo]

I have been experimenting with Meals In A Jar recipes. I use pint Ball or Kerr jars, put in the main ingredients (rice, barley, beans, whatever called for) then mix up the recommended spices and place the proper amount in small baggies that go into the top of the jars. The jars have O2 absorbers put in, then are vacuum sealed.

Each pint jar will make plenty of soup for 4 people (rinse beans, then add water, boil) and when needed the spices that are separated in the bag, I will smell to make sure it smells good to add to the cooked soup. If bad smell, I will throw the spices away. Still makes good soup.

This way everything necessary except water is contained in each pint jar. With these soups, one can add other things such as chicken, spam chunks, beef, or other meat items then available.

The are several sights on line that also have good soup recipes.

http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes...rm=jar%20soups


Added: I have tried the friendship soup and it is really good!

[stephpd]

Originally Posted by Velvet Elvis

Mike.. then as far as you know, there isn't any established / tested data for shelf life of spices packed in mylar & 02 then? Seems like some organization would have tested everything by now.

I just hate the idea of prematurely opening bags if they could still be good for another several years. After some googling, I see a few different blogs and similar private websites that have some information, but it varies greatly, making none of it seem authoritative.

My approach to spices I guess will be to remove from the original packaging, pick up some 50-100 CC 02s, subdivide and seal a 1 gallon bag into several compartments with various spices, and put a 15 year expiration date on it as an educated guess of sorts.

It's really difficult to find authoritative information on long term storage. Even harder for Mylar bags since they haven't been a round that long.

Mostly what I've found, outside of the studies at BYU on long term food storage, is from the food packing industry. And they're not real keen on long term storage. They want food to last long enough to sell it. If it goes bad at your home you'll probably throw it away and buy more, which helps their bottom line.

They call it turnover. Most stuff has a fairly short shelf life and that's about all they're concerned with. Like soda and PETE bottles. They have a short shelf life of only 6 weeks, I think. The stuff inside them might be fine for 3-6 months but after that there's no guarantee. It'll probably go flat or at least loose some fizz. But most of it only sits on the shelf for a week or two in high volume places. So they restock more frequently, not having an endless supply or a warehouse full waiting to be sold.

To spend the money needed on studying long term storage isn't something most food packers care about, leaving only places like BYU to do any actual studies. And they're more concerned with food items that already have a long shelf life, or has some use in their idea of what folks would need in bulk. Spices would be very low on that list since 'bulk' for those items isn't very much anyway.

Other then BYU the only thing I've seen was some of the research done by the military on MRE's. Even then they were only looking for 3 years to begin with. But then lots of that stuff is wet packed food. They've since upped the self life to something like 7 years.

Others have stored them longer then that and they're still edible. But these are all from non scientific, individual, experiences.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by Elmo

I have been experimenting with Meals In A Jar recipes. I use pint Ball or Kerr jars, put in the main ingredients (rice, barley, beans, whatever called for) then mix up the recommended spices and place the proper amount in small baggies that go into the top of the jars. The jars have O2 absorbers put in, then are vacuum sealed.

I hope you're boiling the lids and applying them hot. The sealant is heat activated. We had a few people discussing their jars losing vacuum and that's the only cause I could think of. We know the air didn't get in through the metal or glass.