Storing Freeze Dried Foods: An In-Depth Guide

Mastering the Art of Storing Freeze Dried Foods: An In-Depth Guide

The key to long-term food preservation is to have the knowledge on how to keep freeze dried food. In this article, we will dissect the very little information about this and tell you what is necessary and what is not when it comes to storing freeze dried food, especially with mason jars, vacuum sealing, and packaging.

Storing Freeze Dried Food: An Overview

Start by knowing some of the basic principles that make the food store so well, so you can ensure that you keep your freeze dried food fresh for up to 25 years so you will always be ready with a delicious, quick meal.

How to Store Freeze Dried Food in Mason Jars

A jar of MREs in a Mason jar would be well sealed and store for many years to come. Many preppers have been turning to Mason jar storage for their household prepping needs, as they are inexpensive, easy to storage and versatile. As for the freeze dried foods, a Mason jar provides an airtight seal that would store them for at least 25 times longer than two weeks or two months.

Cleanliness Is Crucial: Always begin by cleaning your mason jars thoroughly – inside and out. Make sure that they are completely dry before beginning, because moisture can contaminate the freeze dried food.

Fill the Jars: Fill every nook and cranny in the Jars with freeze dried foods. Avoid overfilling the Jars as this will distort how the seals look when it is done.

Close it Up: Once filled, make sure the jars are sealed shut. Use a vacuum sealer with a jar attachment to remove the air.

Label and Stash: Label your jars with the date and item. Stash in a cool dark place to keep it at its best.

The Best Way to Store Freeze Dried Food: Vacuum Sealing

Another remarkable approach is vacuum sealing freeze dried food or freeze-dried fruits, which makes it possible to keep it in good conditions for many years. When vacuum sealing, the air is taken out of the packaging which creates a space where bacteria cannot survive.

Portion the freeze dried food in to what you feel is the correct size for you. Task: Prepare the Food.

Vacuum-Sealing Process: Put the portions in vacuum sealer bags and finally vacuum to remove air and seal the bag.

Tag and Stash: Label the dates and contents of your sacs, then stash them in a chill cellar.

How to Package Freeze Dried Food

You must package freeze dried food correctly or it will be edible only for months; with the correct packaging, it will last for years.

The Right Packaging: opting a Mylar bags, vacuum sealer bags, or, mason jars for freeze dried foods.

Oxygen Absorbers: Definitely utilise oxygen absorbers while packaging your freeze-dried food as these absorb any residual air along with its last remaining oxygen so your freeze-dried food item has the utmost chance to last fully intact for food storage.

Seal: If you buy a vacuum sealer or heat sealer, it will seal for you.

Storage: Store the packaged food in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.

Can Freeze Dried Food Go Bad?

Yes.Freezed dried food can go bad only if you do not store it correctly. Exposure to moisture, light, heat, and oxygen can cause a loss of flavour and quality. So ensure you are storing in the correct way.

Freeze Dried Food Shelf Life

Freeze dried foods will maintain their quality for 25 years or more when stored under optimal conditions of light-proof, moisture-proof, air-tight container.

While there is a wealth of information on the general longevity of freeze-dried food, there is not as much information specifically on how long freeze-dried meat will last. In the proper storage conditions, freeze-dried food, including meat, can be stored for more than two decades. Proper freeze-dried food is considered shelf-stable. When storing freeze-dried food, it is best to store it in a cool, dark pantry. For the best (and longest) storage results, the temperature should be between 37° and 40°F and never go over 60°F.

Clearly you'll want to keep the dried meat hermetically sealed in tight containers to keep those pesky moisture and oxygen particles at bay. Buy some vacuum sealable Mylar bags from food-supply companies, or other types of sealable Mason jars or containers with oxidisers help them last even longer. You can also buy oxygen absorbers that will remove the oxygen from your container and prevent it from coming back even if your container gets punctured.

Properly drying the meat before packing ensures that it doesn't spoil while it's in the box due to humidity. To do this, place the meat in a container and make sure it's completely dry. If you're unable to thoroughly dry the meat, you can use your food dehydrator or oven to completely dry it out before packing.

Aside from the proper temperature, relative humidity in your storage area should not exceed 50 per cent (below 35 per cent is even better). Store your food in darkness; not just direct sunlight but any other kind of light can cause the food to degrade more quickly.

PLEASE label it accordingly. Also PLEASE keep track of what you have, e.g. using a FIFO (first-in, first-out) system, so you use the oldest stuff first and add new items to the back of the storage area.

Finally, keep your storage area clean and free from pests to avoid contamination.