Long Term Food Storage

[Billy81]

Hi guys :-) My name's Mike and I'm new to the forum, I've joined this and another forum hoping someone can give me some more info on the things I need to know. I want to store food long-term, I have canned food but want to store grain, rice etc preferably lasting as long as possible! Does anyone have any experience in long-term food storage, I know there's bags you can buy, but what the difference is between mylar and aluminium foil coated bags I have no idea! Anyone with any experience or links I' be grateful. Thanks for your time guys and thanks for the forum!

Mike

[Tigs]

the facts are the grain can be stored almost indefinitely in air tight containers , grain buried in pyramids has been found to still be edible , just keep the rice etc in its original packaging and put it in and air tight bucket to be extra sure add an oxygen absorber ( you can make on with wire wool and salt, just make a small cotton bag about 4 inch square stuff will wire wool and add 2 tbs of table salt )

[Highlander]

Welcome to the forum Billy,.. from the Scottish Highlands

We store the likes of Oats, Rice and dried lintels etc, in Coke/Pepsi bottles, the ingredients tap down a lot before they are really full, once these are sealed they will last

I have never used either, but I think the only difference between the Mylar bags and the foil bags is that one can be vacuumed sealed and the other cant.

I have used 2ft high screw top barrels with one of those bags that you put clothes in and then put the vacuum on them to suck out all the air,.. they are effective

[Lightspeed]

Hi Highlander,

Keep a close eye on those Coke/Pepsi bottles. I'm pretty sure that by law they have to be made of bio-degradable material these days.

It may be that they are UV-degradable in which case keeping them in a dark environment will extend their life.

Periodically check t make sure they are still transparent and physically sound. Usually plastics like this turn brownish in colour as they degrade.

For storage over a year or maybe two, they should be OK, but if you are looking to extent storage life beyond that, I think the barrels you mentioned are the best bet.


Just a thought, but the same is true for the bottles in which drinking water is supplied. Anyone with backup water supplies of the plastic bottled variety should monitor bottle integrity from time to time.

[Stevew]

ive started too store grain and other seeds in beer bottles mainly the larger real ale and cider ones, ive got a bottle capper i use for my home brew and it works a treat.
im thinking about dipping the top of my sealed bottles in molten wax then they should be weather proof.

[Highlander]

(12 November 2013, 11:27)Lightspeed Wrote: Hi Highlander,

Keep a close eye on those Coke/Pepsi bottles. I'm pretty sure that by law they have to be made of bio-degradable material these days.

It may be that they are UV-degradable in which case keeping them in a dark environment will extend their life.

Periodically check t make sure they are still transparent and physically sound. Usually plastics like this turn brownish in colour as they degrade.

For storage over a year or maybe two, they should be OK, but if you are looking to extent storage life beyond that, I think the barrels you mentioned are the best bet.


Just a thought, but the same is true for the bottles in which drinking water is supplied. Anyone with backup water supplies of the plastic bottled variety should monitor bottle integrity from time to time.

Thanks for the warning,... I got the idea from one of the `doomsday prepper` programs, and that guy said that he had stored them for years.

All mine are in a cool dark place, so I am hoping that they will be ok,... but I will check on them from time to time,..also a bit of googleing may pay off here,.... thanks

[Billy81]

Hi again, thanks so much for the information. I'm pretty excited to get everything ready although maybe I should have started earlier. Never too late though I suppose! :-) I found a loadof info at http://www.mylarshop.com/mylar-shop-articles and http://www.sorbentsystems.com/mylar.html I decided I want to go with Mylar rather than other foil bags as, for the price extra, I think it's worth it. I ended up going with these bags: http://www.mylarshop.com/mylar-bags/heav...5cm-x-35cm as I'm in the UK so the Sorbent Systems shipping is too much. They should arrive any day so I'll put up a review if / when they arrive! I haven't got a heat sealing thing but apparently an iron will do and this is a good video on how to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9b0dAtJ...autoplay=1 If anyone knows of any shops in the UK other than the one I picked I'd be grateful. Anyway I'll be back with a review and maybe a video on how to store grain if I can find a video camera. Thanks everyone and thanks for your time. Mike

[Highlander]

(22 November 2013, 00:33)Billy81 Wrote: Anyway I'll be back with a review and maybe a video on how to store grain if I can find a video camera.

I would be pleased to see a review and how you get on Billy.

I do have stores in small barrels, and I have used the type of plastic bags that you store clothes in then remove air and seal with a vacuum,... I also store some potatoes like that,.. they seem to work well enough

[I-K-E]

Hi Billy

this place looks cheap and I think some of the other posters on here have used them

http://www.fresherpack.co.uk/

I'm intending on ordering from them in the new year