Food Preservation: replacing air with inert gases

When trying to store food for a long duration, moisture, temperature, and air will all have an effect on the food. Temperatures below 70 F with a moisture of less than 10% humidity, and removal of oxygen are key to keeping your grains, rice, or lentils from rotting.

That much I know. I am trying a little experiment in food preservation. I put rice and beans into 2 air-tight containers which will keep out moisture and will stay relatively cool in the bakc of my closet. But, there is the problem of air and the oxygen therein. I decided to try using Duster (AKA "canned air") to replace the air. I put the rice in a plastic freezer bag, inflated it with the Duster, then squeezed the gas out. I could fit about freezer bags of rice in each container, and I sprayed Duster into the container then clamped down the lid.

Duster is not actually air; it contains no oxygen (which is why I thought of using it). It contains a non-toxic inert gas, either difluoroethane, trifluoroethane, or tetrafluoroethane. My question: will this help preserve the food? Will it cause some other chemical reaction, perhaps ruining the taste or making it unsafe?

They now all something called "bittergent" to inhibit dumb kids who inhale it to get high.

[edit on 26-4-2008 by spaznational]

In the food production industry they use Argon gas to keep veggies fresh tasting and colorful, this has been common practice for years.

Get yourself a cryovac machine sealedair

They sell food grade inert gas in most Wine shops for preserving wine. You displace the air in the bottle and re-cork it however it is pricey.

I still think you are better off vacume sealing. If you get to the point of using the stuff, you will eventually need to set aside more food. While the inert gas will work, after its used up, in a survival situation there is almost zero chance of replacement. A small solar cell will generate enough juice to run a vacume sealer.

The idea was to avoid buying costly machines. I don't have money to throw around.

I have stored most of my supplies using the following method.

6 gallon plastic food grade pail with gamma seal lids. Inside I use a mylar lining which I fill with my selected product. I allow the product to settle and try to shake it and compress it as much as possible. I then heat seal the bag except for about two inches on the end, Using a vac I suck out as much air as possible and then slide in a few o2 absorbers, I continue using the vac to suck out as much air as possible then heat seal the remaining liner. the o2 absorbers consume all remaining air and I end up with a pretty tight vacuum seal. I occasssionally check them and have only had one seal go bad. I expet most of these products to store for a good 10 years. Once I am able to relocate my supplies undrground to a cooler environment I would expect them to last for a minimum 20 years.