# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Cooking, Food Storage, & Preserving >  vacuum sealing dehydrated foods

## JRLG

I'm sorry I know this has been addressed in older posts but its never the main topic, I read online that most dehydrated foods are good for 6 months to 1 year in a zip lock baggie stored in a dark place and I get that info from the "Betty Crocker" type recipe websites.  But no one says what the rule is for long term storage i.e. no food at the super market scenario.  I know that proper steps need to be taken prior to vacuum sealing but any one know good links or ideas? thx

----------


## Ken

Check out the videos in this thread:  

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ight=dehydrate

----------


## Ken

The short answer is that dehydrated food stored in a vacuum-sealed Mylar Bag with oxygen absorbers may last as long as 30 years.  
(See Video: VACUUM SEALING A MYLAR BAG)

*
VACUUM/MYLAR STORAGE PART 1*

http://www.dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=43



*VACUUM/MYLAR STORAGE PART 2
*
http://www.dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=44



*VACUUM SEALING A MYLAR BAG
*
http://www.dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=58

----------


## JRLG

thanks for the info ken

----------


## Rick

Why would you need to vacuum seal dehydrated food? Once dehydrated you can store it in any container that does not leach air/humidity. I don't know that I would want to keep dehydrated food to 5, 10 or 20 years although I don't know why you couldn't. What reason did the sites have for the 6 months to a year limit? I keep my stuff in zip lock bags if we are going to eat it fairly soon but put it in glass canning jars with lids and rings if I want to store it longer than a few months.

----------


## LowKey

Most of the LDS sites say to be very careful with food that has any moisture content. Even in O2-less environment you can still grow botulinum.



> Warning: Botulism poisoning may result if moist products are stored in packaging that reduces oxygen. When stored in airtight containers with oxygen absorbers, products must be dry (about 10% or less moisture content).


http://www.lds.org/topics/food-stora...rm-food-supply

----------


## JRLG

the sites that gave a 6 months to a year shelf life made it sound like the food would lose the favor.... probably said that short of time to be on the safe side.  Honesty I was just thinking it was time for a vacuum sealer for the kitchen, and as of now all the food we are dehydrating just gets eaten as snacks, (my daughter loves dried fruit)

----------


## M.Demetrius

How could one test for botulin toxins in foods?  We don't eat any that have a broken seal, or have discoloration.
How do we know what the moisture content is?  We dehydrate everything until it's crispy as it will get.  Is that enough?

How ironic to put up survival food that turns out to be toxic!  :Brickwall:

----------


## M.Demetrius

> Why would you need to vacuum seal dehydrated food?


I'd say because it might lose it's protection when you open the container.  We generally dehydrate in meal-sized bags, but some things, like, say, rice, might be bagged in multi-meal containers.  Once opened, they're just sacks.  Meal 2 from that bag is no longer genuinely dehydrated, as air has entered the bag and done it's work on the remaining food.

----------


## Rick

C. botulinum is killed through proper heat treatment so if you follow directions for canning then you won't have a problem as long as the seal is viable. As far as I know there is no test to detect it in foods outside of a laboratory. If you can and you don't have a good seal on a jar then put it in the fridge and use it over the next few days. 

On dehydrating, the same thing applies. Follow the directions for your dehydrator including temp and time. You don't have to make the food crispy to keep it for any period of time. Your greatest fear with dehydrated foods is mold and that's easily seen. If you really, really want to know the moisture content then the formula is 

Moisture content = Initial weight of food - dry weight of food / dry weight of food X 100% 

However, the moisture content could be the same for two different items and one cause you problems and other not because of the acidity of the food sampled. In other words, having a 30% moisture content for oranges or tomatoes might not be a problem because they are acidic. Having a 30% moisture content for beef might be.   

Discoloration in food stored for a period of time is not in itself a problem. Canned food stored where sunlight can hit it, for example, will discolor quicker than the same jar stored in a pantry. That doesn't mean the food is bad for you. Vitamins will break down over time, some are even destroyed in the canning process, but the food won't be toxic. If the seal is broken, the can or lid is bulged or the lid can be depressed (indicating no vacuum) or the food spews when opened then discard it.  

Hope that helps.

----------

