"Food Grade" buckets
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It generally doesn't matter. You wouldn't want to have any toxic chemicals in the buckets previous to the mylar being used, as who would be *certain* that nothing could leach through the mylar, but you're right.
The mylar protects the food, the bucket protects the mylar.
A good reason--though perhaps not enough if you're getting them for free--to use food-grade buckets is that they'll retain food-storage usefulness after TSHTF.
A second reason is what happens to your food if the mylar is pierced or torn. Your food is now in contact w/ the bucket and whatever it held before.
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It really shouldn't matter since the food is isolated from the bucket. But are you absolutely sure that in the future you won't need to use those buckets for carrying water? Or perhaps for storing your newly harvested foods in?
Since food grade buckets are so easy to find and cheap, I just can't see taking the risk. We don't know what we'll need in the future. I'd like to know that the empty buckets I have left from eating my SHTF foods would be safe to store that deer meat I just dried, or all that dried corn. Or my water tank might have taken bullet holes and now I need the buckets to store drinking water.
Since food grade buckets are so easy to find and cheap, I just can't see taking the risk. We don't know what we'll need in the future. I'd like to know that the empty buckets I have left from eating my SHTF foods would be safe to store that deer meat I just dried, or all that dried corn. Or my water tank might have taken bullet holes and now I need the buckets to store drinking water.
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While you are talking about buckets, the ones at Home Depot are bright orange and the bottom has a "2" on it, which indicates that it is acceptable for food. Are any of you using Ditonamous Earth to avoid bugs in your grains? I am having trouble finding it locally and it is expensive to have shipped. What I did find was labeled "Feed" grade. If it is good enough for my dogs, it should be good enough for my family. Right?
I bought about 4# from my local Farmers Co-op for about $12. Food grade.
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"I've had several readers and consulting clients who have mistakenly been told that the the number 2 (with the number 2 inside the "chasing arrows" recyclable plastic symbol) refers to Food Grade HDPE, but that is not true. Not all "2" marked plastics are food grade!
Here is the distinction: The "food grade" designation is determined by plastic purity by and what mold release compound is used in the injection molding process--not by the plastic itself, since all virgin HDPE raw material is safe for food. For paint and other utility buckets, manufacturers sometimes use a less expensive (and toxic) mold release compound. For food grade they must use a more expensive formulation that is non-toxic. Unless the buckets that you bought are are actually marked "food grade", (or, marked "NSF", "FDA", or "USDA" approved), then you will have to check with the manufacturer's web site to see if they make all food grade buckets. "
This is worth repeating since many get it wrong. The recycle symbol doesn't indicate it's food grade. Release agents and dyes have to be approved for contact with food.
The Home Depot buckets are NOT food grade.
I posted a link in another thread last week that had the company spokesperson saying exactly that, as of November of last year.
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The orange ones are not. Apparently the grey ones are. And the white ones if they still have them are also food grade.
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The number is a recycling number. It only tells you what type of plastic the bucket is made from. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether the bucket is food grade or not. That depends entirely on the manufacturing process, not the type of plastic.
Non food grade buckets can be made from recycled plastics of unknown origin which can contain dangerous chemicals, and they use non food grade mold release compounds with can be very toxic and the dyes used can be toxic also.
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I'm wondering how many more times you, MikeK, and Stephpd have to say this until it sinks in. Of all the "bucket" threads started in the last two weeks (and there have been many) you would think this "number 2" crap would stop. I will never claim to be as knowledgeable as a majority of people on this site but I also don't see the point in posting this nonsense.
People, if you don't know what you're talking about please don't give your fact less advice. It could end up being dangerous to new people that don't know any better.
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I'm a fairly new member so I try and made the effort to dispel internet rumors. I can understand those that have been at this for many years getting tired of answering the same questions.
Since packing food in buckets, using Mylar and O2 absorbers is so new to me I'm still investigating and sorting out fact from fiction. (and there's plenty of fiction)
I just wish I had a better system, like Jerry Young with his lists. I'm in the collecting stage and don't know if I'll ever get to where it's all sorted out. My bookmarks folder is so disorganized I have a hard time finding links from what I posted last week, let alone over the last year.
Since packing food in buckets, using Mylar and O2 absorbers is so new to me I'm still investigating and sorting out fact from fiction. (and there's plenty of fiction)
I just wish I had a better system, like Jerry Young with his lists. I'm in the collecting stage and don't know if I'll ever get to where it's all sorted out. My bookmarks folder is so disorganized I have a hard time finding links from what I posted last week, let alone over the last year.
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I don't think it ever will. On a site like this, it's sort of like trying to teach the world one person at a time. Just when one person learns something new, the next one comes along that hasn't learned it yet, won't search or read threads first, and posts the exact same thing that the first person did.
It does get old after a while, but this is just how it works. We really need to have a FAQ section on this site, with a message to new members to spend some time browsing it.
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A FAQ-section is a good idea. I'm new here too and I didn't know this about the food-grade-thing. I was ready to go out and spend a good amount on buckets at Home Depot.
Thanks to the OP.
I am going to use the home depot orange buckets for two reasons.
One, I am going to line them with a plastic bag.
two, The food I store in them is going to be pre-measured into re-sealable bags.
rice and beans and the recipe to use them. 2 cups rice, 2 cups beans.
Then I am going to pack other dry foods and survival items in each tube. Small first aid kit, metal utensils, metal cup, matches, ramen noodles, bullion cubes, dried vegetables, seasoning packets, pocket knife, and other things i can think of. toilet paper? canned cheese, canned crackers, canned oatmeal. Honey, jelly?
Still be mostly food, well protected, but with extras in case you lose or run out of items along the way. Also it will be useable as trade goods in premeasured amounts. I wonder if I can get a months worth of food for 4 people in one bucket
Nothing toxic, nothing wet. All dry pack.
One, I am going to line them with a plastic bag.
two, The food I store in them is going to be pre-measured into re-sealable bags.
rice and beans and the recipe to use them. 2 cups rice, 2 cups beans.
Then I am going to pack other dry foods and survival items in each tube. Small first aid kit, metal utensils, metal cup, matches, ramen noodles, bullion cubes, dried vegetables, seasoning packets, pocket knife, and other things i can think of. toilet paper? canned cheese, canned crackers, canned oatmeal. Honey, jelly?
Still be mostly food, well protected, but with extras in case you lose or run out of items along the way. Also it will be useable as trade goods in premeasured amounts. I wonder if I can get a months worth of food for 4 people in one bucket
Nothing toxic, nothing wet. All dry pack.
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it doesnt matter if they are in mylar.
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As a group, we really have a lot of solid information here. I'm hoping that in time, we'll be able to put together a FAQ. We have a bunch of questions that are asked literally nonstop and I think it would be helpful for all of us. I know I'd sure like to have it as a resource to save time when I need to look something up.
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