20 pack of o2's will I have to use them immediately?

[C_Heath]

I just ordered a 20 pack of mylars and o2's. I have 10 buckets (5 gal) ready with lids. The o2's are packed in a sealed bag. Well, do I have to use them ALL immediately or what?

In other words, do I need to have all the buckets ready to seal?

Thx!

[Uncle Bob]

After opening the O2 absorbers I store them in a canning jar untill used up.

[stephpd]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

After opening the O2 absorbers I store them in a canning jar untill used up.

I do this as well. Just choose the smallest jar that your unused ones will fit in. Don't forget to put in the indicator too.

Others have just resealed the original bag that they came in.

[kev]

Open the package of oxygen absorbers, take out what you need, seal the rest in a small air tight mason jar.

[StorminMormon]

Originally Posted by C_Heath

I just ordered a 20 pack of mylars and o2's. I have 10 buckets (5 gal) ready with lids. The o2's are packed in a sealed bag. Well, do I have to use them ALL immediately or what?

In other words, do I need to have all the buckets ready to seal?

Thx!

Yeah, it's a pain - I don't know why that can't just sell individually sealed o2 absorbers instead of 20...or 100 to a pack. I don't like the idea of having to expose mine to oxygen, and then put them in a canning jar. But...them's the breaks.

If I had 5 or 6 left over, put them in a jar, and then months later went to use them....I'd probably err on the side of caution and put two of them in the next bucket. That's just me.

[kev]

Originally Posted by StorminMormon

Yeah, it's a pain - I don't know why that can't just sell individually sealed o2 absorbers instead of 20...or 100 to a pack.

I am buying mine in packs of 10.

[Chey's Daddy]

use 2 o2's per bucket, the extra $1 for extra security is worth it in my eyes

[OhioMan]

I do everything is small chunks, I get around (10) buckets and the food ready and order a small amount of o2's to just cover that...then our family goes into an assemly line type deal and we pack everything at one time and never worry about storing the o2's. I can get 02's within a few days so why not have them fresh with no worries.

If I do have any left (usually over kill on the 02's) I put in a canning jar and thrown them in on the next run.

[Allamakee County]

If you can get hold of Hot Hands hand warmers, those come in 2-packs and are big - not sure how big, but they are certainly comparable to a 2000 cc O2 absorber at least. Overkill for most needs, but you can buy only a couple if you want.

[lean]

huh.....never thought about hand warmers as o2 absorbers....thx

[C_Heath]

yea, I saw the hot hands thing on youtube thanks!

[stephpd]

Are those hand warmers food safe?

And which of the 4 different types of O2 absorbers do they most resemble in operation?

What's their rated capacity.

From what I've read they use a different form of Iron too.

I'd rather stick with something designed for food storage then some makeshift stuff from China. If it were as good or better and cheaper you'd think the food packing places would be using them.

[Allamakee County]

Originally Posted by stephpd

Are those hand warmers food safe?

And which of the 4 different types of O2 absorbers do they most resemble in operation?

What's their rated capacity.

From what I've read they use a different form of Iron too.

I'd rather stick with something designed for food storage then some makeshift stuff from China. If it were as good or better and cheaper you'd think the food packing places would be using them.

I first heard about them on this board, and it was on that thread that it was stated that the same company makes them, it's just different packaging.

[stephpd]

Originally Posted by Allamakee County

I first heard about them on this board, and it was on that thread that it was stated that the same company makes them, it's just different packaging.

I seriously doubt that since O2 absorbers are available in many different formulas for different applications. There are also O2 absorbers that don't even use iron.

My biggest problem is all this always stems from the same youtube video of some guy in bib overalls. I can't find one piece of scientific information on any study of hand warmers being used for removing Oxygen for food storage. Plenty of studies for O2 absorbers out there. Do a google search and all you'll find is link to forums but nothing else.

Or as Lowdown3 (someone that did this for a living) wrote and needs to be repeated;
http://www.survivalistboards.com/sho...d.php?t=160658


The methods we used at our cannery we copied from "the big boys" in the industry. We copied them because they work and they produce a QUALITY product both now and after years in storage.

Not long after we put up the first packing video on youtube, we got all the quasi experts saying all kinds of non sense like "you have to use DE", "you should use handwarmers instead" and other similar guff.

Again, I would retort- "What do the professionals do?"

The professional packing houses do NOT use:
1. Dry ice
2. DE
3. Mylar party balloons
4. Salt as a dessicant/supposed oxygen absorber
5. 2 litre soda pop bottles
6. Idiotic hand warmers in place of oxygen absorbers







Why chance your food storage to an internet rumor with no scientific papers to back it up?

If the price of O2 absorbers is breaking the bank on your food storage and you think saving a penny here is good advice fine. Just don't keep telling everyone else they are the same, because they are not. The chemistry may be similar but there's more that goes into making O2 absorbers then just a simple equation or they wouldn't have so many different types.

[Allamakee County]

Originally Posted by stephpd

If the price of O2 absorbers is breaking the bank on your food storage and you think saving a penny here is good advice fine. Just don't keep telling everyone else they are the same, because they are not. The chemistry may be similar but there's more that goes into making O2 absorbers then just a simple equation or they wouldn't have so many different types.

I hope this was not meant as a personal attack against me. It reads like one.

[OhioMan]

Originally Posted by stephpd

Are those hand warmers food safe?

And which of the 4 different types of O2 absorbers do they most resemble in operation?

What's their rated capacity.

From what I've read they use a different form of Iron too.

I'd rather stick with something designed for food storage then some makeshift stuff from China. If it were as good or better and cheaper you'd think the food packing places would be using them.

Here's a thread I did a while back on that very issue:

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=99140

[stephpd]

Originally Posted by Allamakee County

I hope this was not meant as a personal attack against me. It reads like one.

Nope.

It just really bothers me when folks continue to pass around bad information. I spent considerable time looking into packing food right. Lowdown3's videos are the way to do it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/delta69alpha

He's got a few videos on that page, several on food storage.

I consider food and water two very important items to prep for. Taking shortcuts here could be costly in the long run.

[OhioMan]

Originally Posted by Allamakee County

I hope this was not meant as a personal attack against me. It reads like one.

honestly, I seriously doubt that. stephpd is a first class person with loads of very, very good info and experience. I've never seen him hostile, a very nice person.

2 cents

[stephpd]

Originally Posted by OhioMan

honestly, I seriously doubt that. stephpd is a first class person with loads of very, very good info and experience. I've never seen him hostile, a very nice person.

2 cents

I try not to be hostile, mean or angry in my posts. Frustrated sometimes. I just try to nip it in the bud (bad information) to try and keep it from spreading.

As pointed out to me in another thread, it's not just the folks active in the thread but possibly hundreds more just reading them. I don't want them getting and using bad advice either.

Now if someone would post some real evidence that they are the same, show supporting documents (not internet innuendo) then I'll change my stance. But I can't find anything on this.

[billwilla]

I vacuum seal mine with the pink oxygen indicator pill it comes with. There are people who will tell you that it's evil to do that, so if anything, I do it just to **** those people off.