[Cain]

So, can I get facts/opinions on the product called Mylar bags? Here is a link to then: https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergency_supplies/mylar_food_storage_bags.htm

I am wanting some way to store food for a long time. I need a way to increase the shelf life that is cost-effective. So, I am open to ideas. Thanks for any help. New here, hope to find some people nearby to prep with and meet up with.

 

[survival]

Welcome to the forum!

At one point I did a lot of research on mylar. One thing everyone thinks about is mylar HAS to be the silver ones. That is a false statement. Take a look at something like bacon bits in those "plastic" bags at the grocery. They are clear, so don't be fooled thinking you have to buy the silver/metallic ones. I'm sure there is some study that it might block out some UV or something like that though. When I started doing the research, I dug deep and bypassed the "take advantage of 2012" vendors/middlemen and went to the source of industrial food grade factories that actually made them.

 

[Cain]

So, if I buy Rice that says it expires in 2013, how long would the Mylar make it last? I am trying to find a way to store massive amounts of food in small mylar bags. I just want the most efficient way.

 

[inceptor]

First of all white rice will last roughly 15yrs.

2nd, what I have found is that you use mylar bags inside of a 5 gal bucket (or whatever you have that has a tight seal) and put in an oxygen absorber. This is what you need for long term storage. I believe what Survival said but all I have found are the silver ones.

 

[Cain]

It said Expires 2013. Do not blame me, blame the packaging. I know Rice lasts quite a while, what is why I was confused.

Are all mylar bags sealed with a iron?

 

[SOCOM42]

so, if i buy rice that says it expires in 2013, how long would the mylar make it last? I am trying to find a way to store massive amounts of food in small mylar bags. I just want the most efficient way.

the mylar is not the determining factor, removal of the oxygen is.
You can get 15-20 years out of the rice put up properly.
I pack mine in 5 gallon pails which i purge with carbon dioxide.
I also add oxy eaters to the mix.
Use white rice only, no brown.
You can get mylar bags from where i buy them.
It is not a "prepper sales site" the name is uline.
The mylar bags can come with an aluminized surface if you want.
I vac pack beans in mylar with oxy eaters five pounds at a time.
You have to store where rodents cannot get at them.
The bags have to have a thermal seal.
If you try to vac rice the grains will pierce the bag wall!

 

[Cain]

Thanks Socom42, that helped a lot. I think I will order a 20 set or so of bags and get a few things of buckets.

 

[SOCOM42]

it said expires 2013. Do not blame me, blame the packaging. I know rice lasts quite a while, what is why i was confused.

Are all mylar bags sealed with a iron?

no not an iron, use an impulse sealer.
If you try an iron you will have a mess on your hands.
The sealer uses teflon tape between the heater element and the bag.
The fusion time is only seconds.
They have timers for different thickness bags.
They are not cheap either.
You can buy one from the site i listed.
I use my sealer to reseal mre bags when i repack out of date ones with fresh stock.

The company i listed sells shipping material to industry.I used their products for packaging my products.

 

[Cain]

So, in order for this to work I need:

Mylar, Oxygen Absorbers, Buckets, and a Impulse Sealer?

 

[SOCOM42]

So, in order for this to work I need:

Mylar, Oxygen Absorbers, Buckets, and a Impulse Sealer?

five gallon food grade buckets and a co2 fire extinguisher plus oxy eaters is one way.
put the nozzle down into the bottom of the bucket, if it is not long enough make a pvc extension for it.
pour the rice in around it till full.
put the the oxy eaters in on top, hold a grill lighter lit about three inches in from the outside and flush with the top.
fire the bottle, when lighter goes out stop the filling,
relight the lighter and move it back to the surface, if it goes out again you can seal the top otherwise give it another shot and retest.
the co2 is heavier than air and will not dissipate. oxy eaters will scavenge whatever is left.
this process will also kill any bugs that may be in it.

there is no need for the bags in food grade pails.

you need the sealer for the bags and the oxy eaters for proper storage.
this packaging could mean your life if not done properly.

 

[Cain]

Well, I will probably get them sometime. I think this year I will grow a good amount of vegetables/fruits to cut up and store. Also, going to buy a lot of rice (very cheap) and start storing it. Thanks for the information Socom42

 

[SOCOM42]

Well, I will probably get them sometime. I think this year I will grow a good amount of vegetables/fruits to cut up and store. Also, going to buy a lot of rice (very cheap) and start storing it. Thanks for the information Socom42

sorry there is not a cheap shortcut.
if you get poly bagged rice it will go long after the stated by at least 4x if not opened.
you can always repack it later and reset the clock so to speak.

 

[Cain]

cheap shortcut? I never said their was lol. I understand I have to spend some money to store food properly. I wish it was cheap, but I'd prefer to spend some money and have food safely stored then take risks.

 

[badey]

no not an iron, use an impulse sealer.
If you try an iron you will have a mess on your hands.
The sealer uses teflon tape between the heater element and the bag.
The fusion time is only seconds.
They have timers for different thickness bags.
They are not cheap either.
You can buy one from the site i listed.
I use my sealer to reseal mre bags when i repack out of date ones with fresh stock.

The company i listed sells shipping material to industry.I used their products for packaging my products.

I've used an iron with mylarpro bags, and it worked just fine. They are supposed to be extra-durable, and able to withstand being ironed without melting to the iron itself.

 

[D"artagnan]

i looked into this three years ago i wanted to invest in who ever opened co in usa
learned most of the info is in manufactures of the bag
not the equipment to fill it
look up this item as if you were going to invest in it
you will get better info and can buy product right from manufacture
if you have a group of preppers already you should invest in the best bag sealer you can afford
look at how tuna is sold soon all soups, canned food, ect. will be packed this way
great investment if you are 25 or less think long term 15 20 yrs
i will saw this takes a lot of digging and reading

 

[Purkeypilot]

Really really good information here. Thank you SOCOM42 for all of the great information and Cain for asking the exact question I had. I will start seriously looking into doing this very soon!

 

[lae712]

We recently began prepping and didnt know much about the mylar method. What I did know was, the way things are looking, that we needed a way to store large amounts without having a st ton of little bags here and there and then having to pack them into an easy transportable container and thought it would be a huge waste of space trying to pack prepacked items into another container. I went ahead and bought the mylars and oxy absorbers, 5 gallon buckets and went to town. For my beans and rice goods i used 1 absorber and for my flour and sugar used 2. About half way thru filling, stop and grab sides of mylar and shake bag to get that food into as much space as you can, then finish filling. After filling the bags, I used my flat iron for my hair! (I knew it would come in handy!) Put it on highest setting and worked my way across the bag. I left enough room at the end to insert a straw and just literally sucked the air out until it was form fitting around the contents in side. Then finished the seal.Went back a few weeks later and rechecked and the seal is holding great! I am really confident this will keep and critters and any humidity (as long as its stored correctly) from getting in.. Hopefully this will last long enough for us to see this crap thru!!!

 

[molon labe]

Im new to this.. (kinda) and what I have learned on how to preserve and store. I got the darker food grade buckets from Lowes. I bought a 12 pack of the Gamma Lids. I got the Mylar bags spent a little more and got the 7 mil,5 gallon which are a little thicker. I put the bag in the bucket and filled with the rice or beans then sealed the top of the bag with my girls hair straightener seal it leaving about 4 inches still open.make the seal about an inch thick and let it sit a little while without wrinkling the fresh seal. rattle the bucket around a little to settle it have a vaccume with the hose (cleaned) on it. theres charts online about how many and what size oxy absorbers to throw in with the amout and type of food. I doubled it.throw in the absorbers and then vaccume out excess air then seal the rest of the bag. let the freshly sealed bag sit overnight and in the morning you should see the bag with a very tight vaccume seal against the food.
There are a lot of great videos on youtube, some not so great too.