1.0 KiB
Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers
Mylar is a metallized polyester film. It blocks light and, unlike bare plastic buckets, it is an effective oxygen and moisture barrier.
Thickness
Use bags of at least 5 mil thickness for long-term storage. Thinner bags puncture on the sharp edges of dry pasta and rice.
Sizing oxygen absorbers
Oxygen absorbers are rated in cubic centimeters (cc) of oxygen they can take up. Size them to the bag, not the food:
- 1 gallon bag: 300cc
- 5 gallon bag: 2000cc
When in doubt, over-size. An absorber that is too large costs a few cents; one that is too small leaves oxygen behind and the batch degrades.
Absorbers begin working the moment air hits them. Open only what you will use within about 15 minutes and keep the rest in a sealed jar.
Do not use with
Do not use oxygen absorbers with sugar or brown sugar — removing the oxygen turns them into a solid brick. Do not use them for anything with a moisture content above about 10%; low oxygen plus moisture is the exact condition botulism spores prefer.