Does anyone know of stores that carry oxygen absorbers (preferably not on line)? Additionally, I read that when storing rice/pasta/flour long term, you can kill bugs by placing the stuff in the freezer for three days, but that you have to be careful of potentially toxic mold spores forming from the condensation. Anyone have any suggestions on how to avoid this/any details I might have overlooked? Thanks all.

-- STEVE (steve@pygmallion.com), November 16, 1999

Answers

Isn't it a bit close to the vulnerable time period to go to that effort? Why not just pile it all up in a cupboard? I've used pasta that rested in the back of cupboard for months on end.

Some people confused the nuclear war survivalism (Real long term stockpiling) with this techno crises. You're cupboard is fine.

My rice is packed in an iMac box and off to the side of a room.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 16, 1999.

Call Nitro-Pak in UT...

I've ordered alot through them and have been satisfied. They operate an actual store in Heber, believe it or not, AND have a website, www.nitro-pak.com.

1-800-866-4876

Prep while the preppin's good......

-- PJC (paulchri@msn.com), November 16, 1999.

What we did w.the rice/pasta/beans, whatever was freeze them for three weeks, then defrost for three weeks, then re-freeze for three weeks. The first time you freeze it you kill all adult creepies. The larval ones just go into hibernation. Then when you thaw it they come out of hibernation. When you re-freeze you kill all of those.

It tis a tad bit late for this much prep. Just pour the stuff in a bucket, visually checking for adult BIG creepies (shouldn't be any), throw in some oxygen absorbers and put on lid. Got my buckets and absorbers from glitchproof.com --sorry its on the net.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 16, 1999.

STEVE,

I'd recommend that you look at Prudent Food Storagte

You can get rid of any bugs by mixing in a little diatomaceous earth -- there are two kinds, so make sure you get the kind fit for humans. Do a search on it.

Too late for this? I don't know. Chowbabe must think it's all going to be over in month or two. A few buckets of long term storage won't hurt anyone........especially if they need it next October.

-- foods (packed@away.now), November 16, 1999.

I'm not sure why you don't want to order from an on-line place.

So far the only "store" I've had a problem with is the Exploratium Store in SF (science museum store)

I second the recommendation for buying from Jim Abel's Glitchproof.com

I bought all my buckets and O2 absorbers from him and they got here FAST!

Now he only sells the O2 absorbers. At least go there and look:

Link to Glitchproof.com

-- plonk! (realaddress@hotmail.com), November 16, 1999.

Paula,

It's a good idea to freeze and store in some sort of airtight container. You're in So Cal, right? Indian flour moths are pretty common around here. In fact, I've bought rice that has come into the house infected - from Smart & Final. Cardboard is no barrier to infestation, and they'll travel from rice to pasta to raisins to flour. I've seen it first hand, had to throw out 20 lbs. rice, myself. Not a flame, just a word to the wise.

-- 5R2K (fiver2000@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

Is it just my imagination or are chowbabe's smart remarks, usually prefaced by "Ooh", on every single thread today? I thought IMac had spell-check. Maybe not.

But, as a suggestion for those who took bad advice, store a lot of salt. You can soak rice and beans in salt water later to float out the bugs.

They're (which means "they are") sure to need it.

-- Glad to help (nosense@all.some), November 16, 1999.