Desiccant packets for storing food, linens, and spares

[Jammer]

We are experimenting with using desiccant packets inside large ziplock bags for storing things like extra linens, first aid supplies, medication, some foods, spare parts, and rarely used (but important) tools and electronics.


Wondering who else does this and if anyone has any guidance or suggestions, packets or bags that work best, how much to use, how long they last before having to be dried out in the oven, how much does it help, etc.

[AbelCMann]

Check out HydroSorbent, in Ashley Falls, Ma. Wide range of silica desiccant options

[JPA Cate]

Jammer, try the bags that you pump the air out of. Makes stuff "shrink" and eliminates most of the moisture. Also protects from molds in the air, which need the moisture to propagate.

Ann

[BigNut]

Jammer, here is our latest way of doing it. Not enough time has passed to say how well this will work.

The way we see it we need to limit moisture and oxygen (and heat, ha!) to avoid most spoilage in most things, whether food or tools.

1. Place dry item/substance (eg flour) in mylar bags, like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2. Seal almost the whole lip with a hair straightener, like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Using pink is important. 🤣
3. Express all the air.
4. Fill the top of the bag with CO2 (we have a DIY “Sodastream”, we use the tank and regulator from that.
5. Express the “air”, and repeat. We remove the final “air” out through a drink straw, and seal the remaining opening.

Time will tell how this will work, we have only been doing it for about 3 months. We did open a flour bag, and everything seemed ok.

YMMV, don’t try this at home, only with adult supervision, etc etc.

[S/V Adeline]

We use mylar, vacuum, and the hair straightener, along with desiccant bags. For food, we use 6-8 of the smallest bags for each gallon size mylar (we use cut to fit so gallon is appropriate). With larger desiccant bags we use 2. After two years, our food has come out just as it was put in (freeze dried).
Using regular or industrial vacuum bags the food does not last near as long. We have an industrial grade sealer and a foodsaver sealer, but regardless vacuum bags do not perform as well as mylar.
Edit: our foodsaver has the *straw* vacuum attachment, which is where the hair straightener comes into play, that last 1/4" or 10mm if you're across the pond

[BigNut]

Originally Posted by BigNut

Jammer, here is our latest way of doing it. Not enough time has passed to say how well this will work.

The way we see it we need to limit moisture and oxygen (and heat, ha!) to avoid most spoilage in most things, whether food or tools.

1. Place dry item/substance (eg flour) in mylar bags, like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2. Seal almost the whole lip with a hair straightener, like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Using pink is important. 🤣
3. Express all the air.
4. Fill the top of the bag with CO2 (we have a DIY “Sodastream”, we use the tank and regulator from that.
5. Express the “air”, and repeat. We remove the final “air” out through a drink straw, and seal the remaining opening.

Time will tell how this will work, we have only been doing it for about 3 months. We did open a flour bag, and everything seemed ok.

YMMV, don’t try this at home, only with adult supervision, etc etc.

Oh, I forgot to say, we also put dessicant packets like these insde the mylar bags https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1