How much shelf life do oxygen absorbers add to food?
I am in the process of storing all my dry foods in airtight jars and bottles. I mainly want to prevent pests, but also want to increase shelf life. There are some foods I need very infrequently and I have to keep throwing those away. My question is, how much difference would it make, if I add an oxygen absorber to my already airtight jars? For example, for flour and other grain-based products. I don't plan on keeping my food for 30 years. Would it really make a huge difference, if I am filling the jar to the brink? How much air could be there, if a flour jar is full? Basically are oxygen absorbers just a prepper meme, or are they useful for general food storage as well?
Best Answer
It's not clear that oxygen absorbers would help you preserve food at all.
First, the science on the effectiveness of oxygen absorbers is still young, and few national food regulatory agencies have offered any opinion as to whether they work or not (just that they're non-toxic). Most published "studies" are written by people with a direct interest in selling them. Second, the oxygen absorbers you get from internet retail are unlikely to be the same kind that food manufacturers would use; based on a quick perusal of prepper websites, what many of them are selling aren't actually oxygen absorbers at all.
Most importantly, though, is that just putting an oxysorb in your jar of granola isn't sufficient. There are multiple kinds of oxygen absorbers, including low temperature ones, high temp ones, ones that absorb moisture, ones that emit moisture, and even ones that emit alcohol. The most serious independent studies I can find come from military forces, and they make it clear that it's necessary to match the correct oxygen absorber, packaging material, packaging method, and foodstuff.
Making effective use of oxygen absorbers, then, would require you to have an inventory of different kinds, and also invest in industrial-grade packaging equipment. This does not seem cost-effective compared to buying replacement buckwheat flour every 9 months, or just buying a heavy duty countertop vacuum packing machine.
Pictures about "How much shelf life do oxygen absorbers add to food?"
How long does food last with oxygen absorbers?
One person opens the bag of absorbers and drops one quickly into each container. The other person runs behind, sealing lids or vacuum-sealing (a bit slower). Once you are done using them from the package, be sure to re-seal that package so that the leftovers will be there when you need them 6 months from now.Can you use too many oxygen absorbers?
You may need more or less depending on your individual conditions and the remaining residual volume of air. There is no danger in adding too many as this does not affect the food. Oxygen represents 20% of the total volume of air and the number in cc's above represents the amount of oxygen that would be absorbed.How long does it take for an oxygen absorber to work?
How Long Does it Take For the Oxygen Absorbers to Work? Oxygen Absorbers become warm to the touch when they are working. They take about 4 hours to achieve their rated maximum absorption.When should you not use oxygen absorbers?
O2 absorbers should never be used to preserve products that contain more than 10 percent moisture, as this type of packaging may increase the risk of botulism poisoning. Products with a high oil content (like nuts, seeds, and whole grains) will have a shorter shelf life than other products.Never Use Oxygen Absorbers With These Foods - Basics How To Use Oxygen Absorbers
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