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I have found this to be a major issue. I pack a considerable amount of certain food types in 1/2 or 1 gallon Mylar bags because it is more feasible to use bags of this size for those materials. For instance, instant non-fat dry milk isn't something I would want to pack in 5 gallon buckets. Likewise, I prefer to store the fruits and vegetables I dehydrate in bags of this same size.
The problem is, unless I am running a big volume of stuff all at once (i.e. 50 lb bags of cheese powder, butter powder, tomato powder, dry milk, etc), I can never even come close to using all the little 300 and 500cc O2 absorbers I use for bags this size in one packing. Using an Excalibur dehydrator with 9 trays, I may only end up with about 9 measuring cups of finished product per batch when using items like corn, peas, green beans, etc. Obviously, when putting up such small amounts, I can't use an entire 50 or 100 pack of 300cc O2 absorbers, which is the only way I can seem to find them. Yet most of the food storage experts advise that when you open a bag of absorbers to use them all at once. In many cases, that simply isn't feasible. So what can I do with the leftover absorbers to ensure they remain fresh for multiple batch runs? Can they be stored in a mason jar partially filled with rice or something dense to take up as much air space as possible? Or would it be best to immediately reseal the unused absorbers with a vacuum sealer?
The problem is, unless I am running a big volume of stuff all at once (i.e. 50 lb bags of cheese powder, butter powder, tomato powder, dry milk, etc), I can never even come close to using all the little 300 and 500cc O2 absorbers I use for bags this size in one packing. Using an Excalibur dehydrator with 9 trays, I may only end up with about 9 measuring cups of finished product per batch when using items like corn, peas, green beans, etc. Obviously, when putting up such small amounts, I can't use an entire 50 or 100 pack of 300cc O2 absorbers, which is the only way I can seem to find them. Yet most of the food storage experts advise that when you open a bag of absorbers to use them all at once. In many cases, that simply isn't feasible. So what can I do with the leftover absorbers to ensure they remain fresh for multiple batch runs? Can they be stored in a mason jar partially filled with rice or something dense to take up as much air space as possible? Or would it be best to immediately reseal the unused absorbers with a vacuum sealer?
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