Food and Food Storage Forum
homemade O2 absorbers ??
* Homemade O2 absorbers ?? art welling 10/09/97
* Keep Careful Will Richards 10/09/97
* Records ? We don't need no stinkin records ! art welling 10/09/97
* Intercranial Gastritis Will Richards 10/09/97
* Home made oxy absorbers Al Durtschi 10/15/97
* Making your own... Al Durtschi 11/21/97
* Caution a Fire Chief speaks will 11/21/97
* checking for oxygen levels!!!!! observer 12/20/97
* Misc.survivalism Food Storage FAQs Al Durtschi 12/23/97
* oxy absorbers Lynn 11/22/97
* any addresses for the packets???... John Wayne 12/13/97
* Am I the only one who reads all the posts? Bea Richards 12/14/97
* O2 absorbers Will_richards 01/04/98
* Absorbing O2 with dry ice Elizabeth Morgan 01/08/98

Date: October 09, 1997 09:17 AM
Author: art welling (artw@lancnews.infi.net)
Subject: Homemade O2 absorbers ??

A question for those who know more than I about the chemistry of this. Watching a documentory on Military foods and storage methods, I saw a small package being added to the new bread ration. The woman explained that it was an O2 absorber and we all know what that is for.

Now.....this O2 absorber contained salt, iron, and another ingredient that I missed. The process of 'rust' involves the ozidation of the iron and will use the O2 in any surrounding atmosphere (or water, just slower). I understand that some moisture is also needed for the process.

Question : If I mix common table salt and iron powder in a small container and arrange that it can interact with outside air, will I have not made an O2 absorber ? What is wrong with this idea ?

I have a supply source of fresh iron powder and salt is $0.30 a pound at the store.

I will do some simple experiments with this idea used in sealed containers with a vacuum gauge attached. This should tell me if it works. The question I have is: "Is there any reason this would not be safe to use in stored food if reasonable effort is made to keep the ingredients out of contact with the food ?"

I wish to store grain in large (50 gallon)containers and I want to deplete the O2 in these containers. I'm looking at this as a cost effective way to do it.

Regards, Art Welling

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=3832)













Date: January 04, 1998 12:36 PM
Author: Will_richards (will_richards@hotmail.com)
Subject: O2 absorbers

There is an excellant article in the Febuary American Survivor Magazine on 02 absorbers

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=9118)