Mylar Bags

[keen-edge]

Hi I am thinking of buying a food vacuum sealer machine to seal bags of food for when out camping could I seal beans and burgers bacon mash potato in Mylar Bags if so how long would it keep and would it need to be kept in a fridge I see ration packed food lasts years any ideas on this please

these are the bags http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261178376289?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[British Red]

You can't simply vacuum seal food in mylar for preservation purposes. The food inside needs to be sterilised to kill off all the micro organisms in a manner akin to pressure canning. If you look into "retort pouches", the method is well described

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retort_pouch

It could be achieved if you had a pressure canner, Balls Blue book, and high quality (7m'+) mylar pouches I suppose

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Or get a dehyrator and make your own dried meals.

 

[keen-edge]

You can't simply vacuum seal food in mylar for preservation purposes. The food inside needs to be sterilised to kill off all the micro organisms in a manner akin to pressure canning. If you look into "retort pouches", the method is well described

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retort_pouch

It could be achieved if you had a pressure canner, Balls Blue book, and high quality (7m'+) mylar pouches I suppose

I see but you can put food in and freeze it is that right thanks

 

[rik_uk3]

A Mylar bag would make no difference over the standard plastic vacuum sealer bags/rolls unless as Red says the food is heat treated.

 

[keen-edge]

A Mylar bag would make no difference over the standard plastic vacuum sealer bags/rolls unless as Red says the food is heat treated.

but u could seal things like nuts rice pastor noodles and say a bannock mix is that right?

 

[British Red]

You can indeed. Mylar is a moisture and oxygen proof barrier film. If you put, for example, dry rice in a mylar bag, you can extend the shelf life to decades. Its the fact of the rice being dry that preserves it however, the mylar prevents rehydration from atmospheric moisture. Think of mylar as a flexible jar and you won't go far wrong. Its a great tool used correctly. You could indeed seal up something like bannock mix. With flour I would then freeze the whole pouch for 48 hours to kill any weevil eggs (all flour has them). Other foods need other techniques. Sadly food preservation is a huge subject and there are no short cuts to a simple solution.

 

[keen-edge]

You can indeed. Mylar is a moisture and oxygen proof barrier film. If you put, for example, dry rice in a mylar bag, you can extend the shelf life to decades. Its the fact of the rice being dry that preserves it however, the mylar prevents rehydration from atmospheric moisture. Think of mylar as a flexible jar and you won't go far wrong. Its a great tool used correctly. You could indeed seal up something like bannock mix. With flour I would then freeze the whole pouch for 48 hours to kill any weevil eggs (all flour has them). Other foods need other techniques. Sadly food preservation is a huge subject and there are no short cuts to a simple solution.

Thanks for the info Red most helpful buddy ATB Phil.

 

[British Red]

No worries - I pretty much have to understand food preservation given the way we live