# Putting dehydrated foods in vacuum jars-why?



## BCoburn (Mar 13, 2012)

Good morning!

I have purchased last season and used quite a bit an Excalibur food dehydrator. I have dried various items, beans, peppers, corn and fruits.

When the items were fully dehydrated, I packed them into regular canning jars with canning lids, placed them into my pantry and have not had any problems with the food in storage.

I read often that y'all pack dehydrated food into vacuum jars and my neighbor freezes her dehydrated food. Do I need to purchase some kind of vacuum system for my dehydrated items? Am I doing anything wrong by just using plain canning jars to store my dehydrated fruits and veggies? I just don't seem to detect any problems such as mold when using the food that I processed last summer. Just thought I would ask since the food has been in there for a while and I want to continue using it. I don't really want to have to freeze it as that seems to defeat the purpose of dehydrating to make room in the freezer for other items that are better frozen for me. Thanks!


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I vacuum packed mine (in bags, not jars) since I live in the South and dehydrated foods do mold around here, plus weevils will find them. I also think people vacuum pack them for longer storage (years, rather than months).


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

yes i think a vacuum pack would just make them last longer, in freezer it seems to me they would draw moisture? and you are right defeating the purpose of drying them...


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I vacuum pack mine the the canning jars using my Food Saver.


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## northergardener (Dec 12, 2007)

I don't think you have to vacuum pack dehydrated foods, but they do last longer that way. And some foods, like dehydrated zucchini, strawberries, kale, which easily pick up moisture from the air, do better when vacuum packed so they don't get any humidity from the air.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I vacuum pack all my dehydrated foods because it's very humid here, and they last a lot longer that way. I have a FoodSaver, but I also have a cheaper Pump 'N Seal, which is a manual vacuum sealer that is hand operated instead of electrical. I use them interchangeably for different things. The Pump 'N Seal will also seal any kind of jar with a screw-on lid, not just canning jars. It also has an attachment to seal bowls.

http://pump-n-seal.com/ (in case anyone is interested)


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I read (maybe Jackie Clay?) that with regular storage, basic jars in a dark place, dehydrated foods in jars last about 10 years, with a vacuum seal they last indefinitely.


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## kittyjo (Feb 10, 2005)

I have had foods lse their crispness not vacuum packe they got soggy


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

It's very humid here also, so I use my foodsaver as a "2nd line of defense" against moisture & pests, to vacuum seal jars. I believe most food stored this way will also last indefinitely.


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## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

It depends on what sort of climate you live in. If it is humid and muggy the dehydrated food will need more protection than just a closed jar or it will re-absorb moisture. Where I live things keep just fine in closed jars (I have apple slices from 12 years ago that are perfectly alright - 2001 was a bumper year for my apple trees!). I have read that, in the arid desert, it is OK to leave the food in closed paper bags. The point is to keep out things that damage the food - Light (bags, dark cupboard, opaque container), moisture (glass or metal container, plastic (though I wouldn't recommend it for long term storage), mylar), pests (anything the bugs and mice won't chew through). You need to evaluate your own situation, and use what is needed for where you are.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

If the jar is closed there is no way it can absorb moisture. That goes against physics.


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

I'm pretty sure the reason for the vacuum packing is to eliminate the oxygen. O2 is needed by the microbes that want to spoil the food. If you buy bagged lettuce at the grocery store, they pressurize those packages to keep the lettuce from being crushed but they use nitrogen.


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## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

suitcase_sally said:


> If the jar is closed there is no way it can absorb moisture. That goes against physics.


Not all jars have a tight seal


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