From Freezer to Mylar Bag Storage Question

[DavisHillFarm]

I may had done a dumb thing (not my first time ). We had dried beans in our freezer, I took them out and placed them in mylar bags with an oxygen absorber, sealed them, and now they are sweating like crazy. My wife and I are both afraid they will sweat inside the mylar bags and mold. Does anyone else think the same?

Next time I'll take them out a couple of days ahead of time to reach room temperature before storing them.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

[Cyngbaeld]

If the bags were sealed before they started sweating, the food is ok. I would put the bags on a towel and turn them a time or two to dry as they come to room temp before putting the bags into your bucket or tote.

[DavisHillFarm]

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

If the bags were sealed before they started sweating, the food is ok. I would put the bags on a towel and turn them a time or two to dry as they come to room temp before putting the bags into your bucket or tote.

Well doggone it, they bags were just starting to sweat before we sealed them. I think we'll play it safe and open the mylar bags, unless you feel they maybe alright. I sure could kick myself!

[DavisHillFarm]

Just a word of warning....

I opened one bag this morning and it was damp inside; opened the others, they were the same. I always freeze food first before storing, then take them out a couple of day ahead of packing, so if you do that as well, take them out a few days before storing in mylar bags. A good lesson learned on my part, thankfully it was only five bags.

[Txsteader]

I learned the same lesson when I first started doing storage. Now, I bag and seal first, then into the freezer. When I take them out of the freezer, I then put them in the fridge overnight (I pack in gallon-size bags, it's more convenient for my purposes), similar to how you do bread to prevent it from sweating/getting soggy. I've found that this method creates much less sweat on the outside of the bags & much less time to come to room temperature. Then, I lay them out on a towel and cover w/ another towel to absorb moisture, turning them a couple of times to make sure there are no cold spots in the center of the bag (flour tends to hold cold in the center). When I'm absolutely certain they're @ room temp and there's no outside moisture, I pack them in buckets.

Live and learn.

[Cyngbaeld]

Yes, you have to be pretty fast to keep the food from sweating. You weren't leaving the beans in the original bags, were you?

If you don't want to mylar bag before freezing you can wrap the original bags in plastic trash bags prior to freezing. Let the food come to room temp before removing from the trash bags and pouring into the mylar. ALWAYS take food out of the original package prior to putting into the mylar.

Originally Posted by Txsteader

I learned the same lesson when I first started doing storage. Now, I bag and seal first, then into the freezer.

That's the way to do it. Bag and seal THEN freeze.

[motdaugrnds]

Txsteader, do you add the 02 absorbers to the gallon-size bags "before" you toss them into the freezer; if not, when?

If you're going to use oxygen absorbers there is no need to freeze. It would be redundant.

[Txsteader]

Originally Posted by motdaugrnds

Txsteader, do you add the 02 absorbers to the gallon-size bags "before" you toss them into the freezer; if not, when?

Yes, before.

Now, I have done like Cyngbaeld said, and put things in their original packaging in the freezer and then re-pack in mylar w/ o2 after coming back to room temp, but have found it to just be easier to do it all before putting it in the freezer.

[Txsteader]

Originally Posted by A.T. Hagan

If you're going to use oxygen absorbers there is no need to freeze. It would be redundant.

Oh. Now, I'm confused.

It was my understanding that freezing was to kill bugs/eggs, o2 absorbers were to prevent oxidation, no? I know that the absorbers will also prevent bug/egg damage, but I thought the main purpose was the oxidation issue.

Bugs have to breathe to live just as we do. No oxygen and they will die. Eggs, pupae, and larvae will take longer since they are inactive but they will die if you have used reasonably fresh absorbers and the bags are well sealed.

The absorbers will also slow oxidation just as you say. Two for the price of one.

[Cyngbaeld]

Since I frequently use 5 gallon buckets or totes with 5-6 gal size mylar liners, I prefer to freeze in smaller quantities then fill the bags. Those big bags are heavy and there is a danger of ripping them.

Usually if I'm freezing first it is because I am only packing one or two buckets and don't want to get a whole pack of O2 absorbers for it.

[Txsteader]

I'll make a confession......because I'm still working toward my one-year supply, I don't even worry about putting o2 absorbers in most of my bags now.

From what I've read, oxidation isn't a major concern for short-term storage. For storage that's intended for beyond a year, then it would be beneficial to add the absorbers.

And because I do freeze things like beans, rice, barley, etc., and rotate regularly, I don't worry about bugs/larvae so much. But again, once I begin working on longer-term storage (which I'm just about to begin), I'll be more concerned about adding oxygen absorbers.

For most things for short-term storage oxygen absorbers are not necessary. It's when you begin to stretch the storage time into years that they or something else that serves the same purpose become increasingly necessary. Depending on what it is you are storing and your storage conditions.