# O2 absorber question...help please



## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

I cant seem to find a answer and was hoping someone knew the answer here...

So how many times can you open and close a container before the it ( the O2 absorber) doesnt work anymore?? 

forgive me if this was already threaded, I just havent found it and am feeling impatient looking...

I wish there was a guidline for how many to put in like say a 5 gal bucket...I saw that they come in different CC sizes but couldnt find a guidline to what size and how many one should put in a container ...anyone know??


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## catsraven (Jan 25, 2010)

You can open the container once. 2000 cc for a 5 gallon bucket is what I use. Its a little overkill but Id rather overkill than it not be enough. 100 to 300 cc is enough for a glass jar depending on how big it is and whats in it. Macaroni has more air than rice so you would put more cc's than you would rice.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

Hooch said:


> I cant seem to find a answer and was hoping someone knew the answer here...
> 
> So how many times can you open and close a container before the it ( the O2 absorber) doesnt work anymore??
> 
> ...


ONE TIME, then re place them, put the ones taken out and re vac them in a a food savor bag to re use them.I also use 2000cc in a five gal pail


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

ok...thank you..that gives me a start for sure. I've never used them or mylar bags...as it is I just been lucky I guess and I use stuff as I go. Mold is my biggest threat. I'm wanting to amp storage with the goings on lately in our country and world. Thats a bummer that you can only open once...arg...

thanks again


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Found this on optimumpreparedness.com:

•Oxygen Absorbers - 2000 cc for 5-6 gal pails of pasta and other high residual air items
•Oxygen Absorbers - 750 cc for 5-6 gal pails of wheat, rice, oats, etc. 
•Oxygen Absorbers - 300 cc for #10 cans or 1 and 1/2 gallon jars


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## IlliniWarrior (Nov 30, 2010)

*02 & Moisture Absorber Info*



Hooch said:


> ok...thank you..that gives me a start for sure. I've never used them or mylar bags...as it is I just been lucky I guess and I use stuff as I go. *Mold is my biggest threat*. I'm wanting to amp storage with the goings on lately in our country and world. Thats a bummer that you can only open once...arg...
> 
> Thought you might be interested .... www.sorbentsystems.com/longtermfoodstorage.html
> 
> One of the best unknown sources of long term food storage info........


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

thanks...Ill check that out


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

Hi Hooch,
Are you asking how many times you can use/reuse one absorber once you've sealed it up in, say a bag of rice? Or are you asking how many times you can open a new package of absorbers, use a few, and seal it back up?

If, for example, you seal up a mylar bag of rice with an absorber and then want to use the rice you can't reuse the absorber. 

If you open a new package of absorbers and only need to use half of them you can save the remaining absorbers. I put my left over ones in the smallest canning jar that will hold them all, fill the remaining space with rice and put the lid on as tightly as possible. I'm not sure how long they will keep this way but I know from experience its at least five months. 

If I missed the mark completly with your question, I apologize, its been a very long day and I'm more tired than usual.

Take care,
Moose


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## jmhj64 (Sep 1, 2011)

Wow. This is just what I needed. Thanks for asking the question Hooch.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

hay Moose33

Yea you got it right...basically how many times can I open a container after its been sealed with a O2 absorber before I have to replace the absorber. My thought were If I have a 5 gal pail of say wheat...I'd take out say...two weeks worth and seal it up...but can I reuse the O2 absorber? and the answer is... nope.

Also initially how many to put in a pail and folks here gave good guidance on that one too. 

It's a real bummer they are a one time use item cuz maybe I dont want 5 gallon pail of open wheat..just some you know?? so I either purchase extra absorbers for future use to reseal pails or be ok with a large amount of barley or wheat on hand?? 

Anyways...and yea thanks to everyones input I've stored my extra absorbers in a small mason jar so they dont go bad. they'll be used up soon anyways.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

your welcome :0


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Hooch, one thing you can do with that 5 gal bucket is to bag up the wheat in several smaller mylar bags. That way you take out less as you go along.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

I put as much as I can in 2 liter bottles.


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## Kessler (Sep 27, 2011)

Hello, my first post.
I have several 5 gallon buckets of stored food in mylar and oxy absorbers, but have changed my mind-set and am now storing food (what I can) in 2 & 3 litre soda bottles with a 300cc oxy absorber. I also use pipe joint tape as an extra precaution and my bottles have "sucked up" and are holding the vacuum ok. I am concerned with the next 5 years, not 20 years out and I think the bottles will be just fine. The only downsides I see is that the openings are small and it takes a little time to fill, especially with pintos and that the sun will break the plastic down. My bottles, once filled will probably never see straight sunshine, so no worries there. I like the idea of smaller see through containers and if one would go bad, it isn't such a loss if it were a 5 gallon bucket. Also makes for a great barter size. I have also thought about 20 oz soda bottles filled with a food product as small barter items. Just my take on the soda bottles......
Bob


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## Kessler (Sep 27, 2011)

Moose33 said:


> Hi Hooch,
> ?
> 
> If you open a new package of absorbers and only need to use half of them you can save the remaining absorbers. I put my left over ones in the smallest canning jar that will hold them all, fill the remaining space with rice and put the lid on as tightly as possible. I'm not sure how long they will keep this way but I know from experience its at least five months.
> ...


I do exactly the same thing with my extra absorbers. And, I use a hair dryer to heat up the lids because I think they seal better when warm.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

This is an expensive way to go but one that we use. We add an 02 absorber to quart or 1/2 gallon canning jars and then vacuum seal the jars screw on the rings and place into storage. The canning lids can be reused for this methodology but never reuse them for canning.

This allows us to rotate stock and never have more open than needed. It took us a long time to aquire the canning jars. We store our dehydrated fruits, veggies and grains this way. Some are 15 years old and taste as fresh as if purchased yesterday. 

Big NO-NO: Never use an 02 absorber with sugar. Sugar is fine but it becomes a rock in 3-5 years. No need for an absorber with salt either.
Now we just lightly vac. seal our sugar, candies and choc. chips(life would suck without CC cookies).


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## Kessler (Sep 27, 2011)

Anyone putting elbow macaroni in 2 litre soda bottles? If so, is one 300cc oxygen absorber enough for macaroni? Works great with rice and even beans, but elbow macaroni has more air space.
Also, any thoughts on storing Post Grape Nuts the same way? Think they would hold up for five years?
Thanks......


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## NotAGrasshopper (Oct 25, 2010)

Hooch- an O2 absorber can absorb "x" ccs of oxygen, then it's spent. If you put in an O2 absorber that was way oversized for your container then you *could* open it, grab some food and then close it, using the same O2 absorber. But since the darn things only cost $0.07, why not buy a bunch of extras?


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

tugboats said:


> Big NO-NO: Never use an 02 absorber with sugar. Sugar is fine but it becomes a rock in 3-5 years. No need for an absorber with salt either.


Why is it a big no no to use an 02 absorber with sugar? Because it doesn't need it? because something bad would happen? More information would be good.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

Ezmerelda said:


> Why is it a big no no to use an 02 absorber with sugar? Because it doesn't need it? because something bad would happen? More information would be good.


Ezmerelda,

Oxygen absorbers will not harm the sugar in any way. The sugar will still be fine to eat. However, using an 02 absorber will cause the sugar to become rock hard. You will need an auger to get it out of the container. Sugar is sugar.....dissolve it in water and let the water evaporate and you still have sugar. The same holds true with salt. When we put up sugar in quart jars, bags and even 5 gallon buckets we only apply a light vacuum and then seal it up. I'm sorry if I caused you any grief. Save your bucks when putting up salt and sugar.


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## NotAGrasshopper (Oct 25, 2010)

Ezmerelda said:


> Why is it a big no no to use an 02 absorber with sugar? Because it doesn't need it?  because something bad would happen? More information would be good.


Because oxygen absorbers contain water and as previous posters said, will make your sugar clump up.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

lots of great tips folk..thanks!


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

I recently opened a bag of O2 absorbers and the pink pill started to turn blue about 3 three minutes later. I quickly got out what what I needed and repacked the left over absorbers in a jar with rice. I put the pink (now purple-ish) pill back in the jar too. About ten minutes later the purple-ish pill was pink again. 

I'm pretty sure this tells me that as long as the pill stays pink in the jar I know the absorbers are still good. Don't know why I didn't figure this out earlier. I like being sure the absorbers are still good when I get ready to use them. Always before using previously saved absorbers has been a cross my fingers and hope for the best kind of thing. 

Take care,
Moose


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

We are going to start making our own flour. DW bought a hand crank grinder this summer and we just got 2- 50 pound bags of wheat berries from our friend's dry goods store up north of us. We have never done bulk storage of dry goods before so I'm going back and rereading all the threads about mylar, O2 absorbers, food-grade buckets and the like. I have no idea where to even get some of this kind of stuff. Many questions will follow, and I'm going to try to talk DW into opening her own account here on PS so she can look stuff up and ask her own questions.

For now, and to try and stay on topic, what's he best source for O2 absorbers and mylar bags? Food grade buckets won't be a problem-we have lots of restaurants around here.


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## NotAGrasshopper (Oct 25, 2010)

@jason: Your local LDS cannery will sell you O2 absorbers and mylar bags for much less than any online supplier. IIRC a pouch of 100 absorbers is seven or eight bucks.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Thanks...not sure if there is a cannery in my area, though...will google it and find out. I'm near Pittsburgh, PA.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

CharlindaBob said:


> Anyone putting elbow macaroni in 2 litre soda bottles? If so, is one 300cc oxygen absorber enough for macaroni? Works great with rice and even beans, but elbow macaroni has more air space.
> Also, any thoughts on storing Post Grape Nuts the same way? Think they would hold up for five years?
> Thanks......


Char, similar to what you use, we use the 2 qt squarish juice jugs with a single 02 absorber. Almost 3 years and counting, including packing pastas with the single absorber. Don't know how long Grape Nuts will last without losing flavor but I'd guess they'd taste pretty good 5 years form now if your only other choice was sawdust!  Even if the flavor would be a little off, I don't think Grape nuts would go rancid in a zero 02 environment.


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