Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I once had dealings with a person who saved all desiccant packs he found in packaging (like the type that come in shoe boxes) and threw them in his gun safe. I always thought there wasn't enough desiccant to really make a difference in that big of a space (5ft tall gun safe).
Is there any science to this?
I think the type of desiccant packs you are referring to are probably "spent" before he's tossing them in the gun safe, and even if they weren't, it's too large of an area for them to make a difference unless he's putting a bunch in all at once. But there isn't any harm in it either.
All this talk of desiccants and oxygen absorbers, what about the other option, vacuum sealing? We've vacuum sealed rice in mason jars using an attachment for our food saver, but this wasn't a "long term" thing, more like we bought a 25# sack and knew it would be awhile before we could use it all. I think we made it through the last of it in about 3 years. The rice cooked and tasted the same as fresh from the store. We've done it with both brown and white rice.
Just some observations:
...
Oxygen absorbers require some amount of moisture to work. Combining them with silica can render the absorbers inert.
I might be side tracking a bit going further on with the oxygen absorbers (because they are not desiccants),
...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunbiz1
Thanks for this info.
...; have considered repacking them minus the silica.
Thoughts....anyone?
I was trying to keep this to desiccants for a reason: simplicity.
O2 absorbers add a layer of complexity, and using them with excess moisture can give rise to botulism (there's my "thoughts"...) and probably a host of other problems. Loose talk of using 02 absorbers, over the past dozen years will probably end up killing a few of the part time preppers, when they get around to eating what they have (improperly) stored. That is why I like to keep things simple. Keep moisture away, and most of the problems go away.
When should they be used?
As I have a tendency to use silica packs in combination with O2 absorbers, even when packaging dry goods; which I'm guessing is not necessary.
I have read many times that desiccant and O2 absorbers tend to be self-defeating. Each each stop the other from working.
Some things tend to mold, those things need desiccant.
Other things [like oils and fats] react with O2 and go rancid, those things need O2 absorbers [or else steel].
A number of years ago, I found an online 'Florist supplier' who marketed an assortment of desiccants. Among their product line were desiccants that turned colors depending on how much moisture they absorbed. One product turns pink when it is saturated. Another product turns blue when it is dry.
I bought a big bunch of white, and the pink and the blue, and mixed them. So most of my desiccant will tell me when it needs to be re-charged.
This supplier has since gone out of business, the plannedemic closed down many retailers. But I am certain anyone with good Google ability should be able to find a retailer.
...A number of years ago, I found an online 'Florist supplier' who marketed an assortment of desiccants. Among their product line were desiccants that turned colors depending on how much moisture they absorbed. One product turns pink when it is saturated. Another product turns blue when it is dry.
I bought a big bunch of white, and the pink and the blue, and mixed them. So most of my desiccant will tell me when it needs to be re-charged.
This supplier has since gone out of business, the plannedemic closed down many retailers. But I am certain anyone with good Google ability should be able to find a retailer.
Excellent. This is the kind of information I was hoping for.
Commercial beef jerky is 15-25% moisture. When I buy commercial packages, they are packed with an oxygen absorber. I don't think adding desiccant to jerky is going to affect the oxygen absorber because there is enough moisture in the meat for both. But it might make it harder to chew.
As far as the rice and beans go, the only thing I've read is that BROWN rice contains oils prone to rancidity, oxygen absorbers remove oxygen, creating an anaerobic environment that can accelerate this process, spoiling the rice faster. WHITE rice can benefit from an oxygen absorber, while desiccant can over-dry the rice, making it harder and more time consuming to cook. I tend to err on the side of caution- would rather have hard, chewy rice than moldy rice. So as far as rice is concerned, I would only remove the oxygen absorbers if you are storing brown rice.
As far as beans go, maybe someone else can chime in.
Upon further research, and having watched a few of their vids; I feel this link contains almost everything we need to know. I'm gonna have to repackage some stuff: https://theprovidentprepper.org/how-...-food-storage/
"Oxygen absorbers are used in the storage of dry goods for long-term food storage to reduce oxygen. Ideal candidates for long-term food storage should be 10 percent moisture or less so a desiccant packet should not be necessary.
Desiccant packets do not have the ability to reduce the moisture in dry goods to an acceptable level. It would take a significant amount of desiccant to make any difference at all. Do not purchase high moisture foods and expect to manage the moisture with a moisture absorber. It does not work that way.
Desiccant packets can help to control environmental moisture if you are packaging the dry food storage in a humid climate.
Never use desiccant to salt, sugar, flour, finely milled products, or powdered items. These dry goods require a small amount of moisture and may turn hard if that moisture is removed."
Upon further research, and having watched a few of their vids; I feel this link contains almost everything we need to know. I'm gonna have to repackage some stuff: https://theprovidentprepper.org/how-...-food-storage/
"Oxygen absorbers are used in the storage of dry goods for long-term food storage to reduce oxygen. Ideal candidates for long-term food storage should be 10 percent moisture or less so a desiccant packet should not be necessary.
Desiccant packets do not have the ability to reduce the moisture in dry goods to an acceptable level. It would take a significant amount of desiccant to make any difference at all. Do not purchase high moisture foods and expect to manage the moisture with a moisture absorber. It does not work that way.
Desiccant packets can help to control environmental moisture if you are packaging the dry food storage in a humid climate.
Never use desiccant to salt, sugar, flour, finely milled products, or powdered items. These dry goods require a small amount of moisture and may turn hard if that moisture is removed."
He got most of that right.
That last line is wrong.
For salt, sugar, and most other powdered items, moisture is the enemy.
Most of them cannot be kept too dry, no matter how hard you try.
He should have said never put an O2 absorber in them.
He should have said never put an O2 absorber in them.
Glad you caught that mistake.
I'm a bit lost on what food items we should be using desiccants for on storage.
So for now, I'm not; need to read up on this topic further.
Where I see O2 absorbers are useful are to prevent steel from rusting, and to prevent fats/oils from turning rancid.
I have experienced grain products growing mold, and desiccant prevents mold.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
