Food Storage Preferences

I picked up a lower priced foodsaver vacuum sealer on Ebay, but noticed that WalMart had some reasonably priced when I was there. Think they were about $40.
I picked up one of the compact ones too, that is only used for jars and canisters, along with regular and wide mouth jar attachments.
Then I found wide mouth half gallon canning jars and have stored much of my dry goods in those using the vacuum sealer jar attachment. I put some dried beans, lentils and other things in vacuum sealed bags.
The vacuum sealer came with 50 bags that are not foodsaver brand and don't really vacuum seal as well. They are heavier though so I used those to seal many bags of dry pet food. Since our dog is small, I was concerned about possible insect infestion storing a large amount of bulk dry food for an extended period.

I already had a lot of wide mouth quart jars so I've used some of those to vacuum seal dry goods too.   Things stored in jars are safe from rodents. Using jars is nice because if you're careful lifting the lid, you can keep using it to reseal the jar with the vacuum sealer. Once the lid is damaged, you just replace the inexpensive lid. I wasn't crazy about endlessly buying the bags, but really like using glass canning jars. I know that I will continue to use the jar vacuum sealing into the future.

If you have access to canning jars, I'd get a cheaper model vacuum sealer with jar attachment and go that route. Many times friends or relaives have canning jars stored in their basement or attic that they'd love to get rid of.

I did pick up some oxygen absorbers to use if I need them.

I'm going to plan on getting a vacuum sealer in the next week or two. I've been putting things in ziplock bags so I will just use those first and then start using what I've sealed with the vacuum sealer. If I have time and the money, I might also order some oxygen absorbers and mylar bags.

TJ..an old saying don,t place all your eggs in one basket;

"....Some food storage products have less toxic materials. Choose containers labeled with recycling codes 2, 4, or 5. They still have phthalates but not as much as other plastic containers. And there are plastic wraps that are phthalate-free. Some are Glad Cling Wrap, Saran Cling Plus and Best Yet Clear Plastic Wrap. If the product says 'stretchy' or 'flexible' it likely contains phthalates...."

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=INTERIORS-HOME-03-27-06



http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=139109&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29006

Bottled water 'may be harmful'
By REBECCA TORR

DRINKING water stored in plastic bottles could prove a serious health hazard, say experts in Bahrain and abroad.

It is a particular concern in Bahrain, where most people drink bottled water and warrants further research, says expert Dr Ameera Al Haddad.

She was responding to findings in research carried out by Professor William Shotyk, from Heidelberg University, Germany, which found traces of a potentially lethal chemical in tests on water stored in plastic bottles.

The chemical, known as antimony, is used in the making of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.
In small quantities it can cause depression and nausea but greater consumption can lead to vomiting and even death.

Quantities found in water stored in plastic bottles were said to be well within international safety guidelines, but experts say it could still make people ill.

Levels were so low that experts say it is not of immediate concern, but say research is needed into potential long-term dangers, such as cancer.

Prof Shotyk and co-workers tested ground water and 15 brands of bottled water from Canada.

They also tested 48 bottled water brands from across Europe.

The team found that groundwater contained two parts per trillion of antimony, but levels in bottled waters were hundreds of times more.
When Prof Shotyk compared three German brands of water stored in glass and plastic bottles, he found water stored in PET bottles contained up to 30 times more antimony.

His study also revealed that antimony levels increased the longer water was stored in PET bottles.

From the results the team was able to conclude that the bottles were contaminating the water through 'leaching' - a process that happens when liquid absorbs chemicals from the plastic.

"I don't think it is something to worry about, the amount they found in the study is much lower than the guidelines recommended," said Dr Al Haddad, Bahrain University chemistry department head and assistant professor.

"The average concentration of antimony in European waters bottled in PET was found to be about 350 nano-grams per litre or parts per trillion.

"The Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US, is six micro-grams per litre, or parts per billion.

"The levels found in bottled water are below MCLG levels."

However, she said that just because the antimony levels were below the recommended guidelines did not mean it was not harmful.

Small amounts of the chemical might cause diarrhoea and nausea and long exposure to it was carcinogenic, said Dr Haddad, who is also an adviser to the Arab Healthy Water Association - an affiliate of the US-based Healthy Water Association.

She said many questions were still left unanswered and that she would be conducting some research into the chemical.

"Is antimony accumulative in the body? This is a question I am still researching," explained "Can our body get rid of it? If our system releases it, it's okay, but if not it could be dangerous.

"For me I don't think it is something to worry about, but for a scientific purpose we need to look at it."

Dr Haddad also called for research into the affect of temperature, storage and pH (potential of hydrogen) on antimony leaching from PET bottles.

However, she said the study could not be conducted in Bahrain because the sensitive equipment needed to test for small traces of antimony were not available.

Despite this, she said she would conduct her own research and highlight the issue to students and teachers by writing an article in the university's news publication.

Dr Al Haddad said the study was especially important to Bahrain and the region considering that the majority of people consumed water stored in plastic bottles.

According to bottled water companies, tens of thousands of gallons of water stored in plastic bottles is consumed in Bahrain everyday.

For example, one bottled water supplier says it distributes around 25,000 gallons of water to Bahrain consumers everyday and another says it supplies approximately 14,000 gallons daily.

"We don't want to scare people because in Bahrain we don't have a choice we have to drink bottled water - tap water is worse," explained Dr Al Haddad.

"My advice is try to go for water stored in glasses, don't store food in PET containers because you have oil in food and oil can dissolve certain material in PET, not just antimony.

"Don't store juices in PET bottles because juices are acidic.

"Even cling film is very dangerous because it's made of plasticides, which are carcinogenic and they dissolve fat in the food and acidic food makes it worse. "Use a glass bowl, change all bottles to glass and try to take precautions where you can."


http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=139109&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29006