# LDS Cannery



## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Anyone know if they are open to non-LDS people?


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## pamda (Oct 14, 2004)

Call and ask..some are and some aren't. Some you have to go with someone who is LDS.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

pamda said:


> Call and ask..some are and some aren't. Some you have to go with someone who is LDS.


This ^^


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

CB, what are you thinking of canning?


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Acde, the cannery has good prices on beans, and I am curious how much volume their 15 of apple slices is. Apple slices are light, so I am thinking that 15 pounds might be a large bulk of apple slices.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Here is the price list: http://www.providentliving.org/pfw/...pdf/123141_HSC_OrderFormUS_EngNov2011_pdf.pdf


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Or if anyone nows were to get bulk items for a decent price I would like to check those places out also. Amazon is no thrift when it come to bulk, and costco and bj's are not good thrift ether.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

The San Antonio Cannery is open to non members who accompany an LDS member. Non members can only pay in cash though. I am the Food Storage Coordinator for our ward in Kerrville, TX and we take non members with us monthly or at least every other month.


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## wagvan (Jan 29, 2011)

Are there any Michigan LDS members who would be willing to take a non-member? I am actually interested in just buying the bulk goods and not canning them. We are a family of 9, so storing in buckets is more efficient for us.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Have you looked at the home storage items online in #10 cans? The starter kit is a good deal for 1 person....Self-Reliance - LDS Online Store free ship
as far as dried goods and spices I like: Marshalls Creek Spices | Wholesale Bulk Spices Online | Dried Fruit & Nuts | Grilling Spices & Online Spices flat rate ship

Honeyville grain.com when the coupon code is out...the veggie combo and also fruit combo(#10cans)....I like their dairy subst. milk powder as well....I also buy Kidney beans in 25# sack from honeyville flat rate ship

the pintos are still cheap even with price hike at walmart.com free ship w/ $45 grocery purchase


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Here in Texas, they are open to non-members....on certain days only. I go quite often.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Here's a place I found awhile back that has a huge amount of bulk stuff. I've never ordered from them, but they seem to have good prices.

AAOOB Storable Foods , Long Term Storage Foods for every Budget. Bulk, Wholesale


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Years ago I had a lot of LDS friends in my PTA. I asked about food storage and they said that they did their actual canning in somebody's garage. I was allowed to join in. About two weeks ahead of time I was given a list, from which I ordered some of their bulk supplies, #10 cans, lids and plastic snap on lids and oxygen absorbers. So I ordered food from them, and the prices were pretty good, but the selection was fairly limited.I also bought some bulk foods on my own for canning. Then, on canning day, the lady who's home we were using had a hand crank machine there. I showed up at the appointed time. We put the food and an oxygen absorber into the can. She popped the metal lid on and put it in the hand crank machine, and it was kind of like a can opener in reverse. As she cranked, the can spun around and the machine crimped the lid on tight.

This forum has a guy discussing how he rented one, and he provides a link to his source for the can sealer and the cans and oxygen absorbers. He rented the can sealer and they mailed it to him, and he mailed it back when he was done with it. Rented #10 can sealer and canned 220 cans this past weekend - Survivalist Forum So it can be done, even if you can't can with LDS folks.

Citybound, I would think that you would have a number of restaurant supply places that sell food in bulk. Being in Southern California, we have plenty too. We also have a Honeyville store nearby that I haven't yet visited. I'm waiting till I have extra cash, and that isn't happening. 

Where I HAVE gone is to a Seventh Day Adventist store, and they sell in bulk. So lots of the food that I canned that day with the Mormons came from the Seventh Day Adventists. They are very much into healthy, organic food, and are vegetarian. And they have bulk bags of wheat, rice, oatmeal, etc. around the store.

I would think that the LDS folks are glad to see that prepping has gone mainstream. And I think they are. When I asked if I could can with them, they were happy to oblige, and very friendly. Being a prepper, I would feel a lot better if everybody prepped. Wouldn't it be nice to have that kind of security, and not have to worry about zombies?


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Dry Goods | The 4th Street Food Co-op
lots of links for NYC


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Don't forget that you can also use mylar bags in plastic buckets. Back when we got into prepping, I paid for food grade buckets. I bought my mylar bags and oxygen absorbers here: Major Surplus & Survival - Your One Stop Survival Store!. Major surplus is the coolest place, and they started off as an Army/Navy surplus store, but got into survival preps and other neato goodies too. That place is so fun to shop, and they have stuff that you don't even know you need until you see it. And the ship if you want, but shop around. They have wonderful first aid kits made u with as much or as little as you want in them. You can get sterile suture supplies, dental filling kits, snake bit kits, tick pullers, etc. Enjoy perusing their site, and plan on spending at least an hour doing it. I'm fortunate that I live about an hour from there, so I go 1 or 2 times per year. Usually when someone is flying into LAX and I am picking them up. It is kind of on the way then.

You don't need expensive equipment to seal your mylar bags. 

If you have a vacuum sealer, that is great. The sealer isn't as wide as the top of the bag, so you come in from one side and seal a stretch of the bag at a 45 degree angle, and the other side of the bag at a 45 degree angle, and then seal across the narrow opening of the top that you just created. This time your vacuum sealer will be sucking out the excess air. Still use oxygen absorbers with this method. When you want to use the bag, you open by cutting just below the seal that you made across the top, and you have created something of a pour spout. you can then wipe out the bag when it is empty, and reuse it.

I didn't know about that method, even though I did have a vacuum sealer at the time. What I did was to put the mylar bag in the bucket, and fill it. Then I put in my oxygen absorbers and squeezed out as much air as possible. I put a 2x4 across the top, and used a hot iron to seal the top of the bag, at the very top, so I could re-use the bag as many times as possible, with as little waste as possible.

You probably already know about getting free or cheap plastic buckets from grocery stores, restaurants and delis, etc. So this method of canning winds up costing far less than using #10 cans. The buckets aren't uniform in size, and I really like that. Lets say you are reusing mylar bags, and they have gotten too short to fill a 5 gallon bucket, well, your frosting buckets may be 4 or 3 gallons. Great. You are storing something that you don't have 5 gallons of, and now you have a short mylar bag to use, so it fits perfectly!

Prepping doesn't need to be expensive.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Thank you for all the links.


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## coolrunnin (Aug 28, 2010)

I have used the online LDS store and was very pleased with the results.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

I have one guiding principal in taking non-LDS members with us to can at the cannery. The Lord has instructed us to prepare - he didn't just mean for LDS members to prepare. And additionally, each of my neighbors that I take to the cannery is one less mouth to feed when the SHTF.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

The church is making a profit off this I would assume, because most of the prices are in line with mainstream stores. They could get the prices down lower if they reduced the mark up.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

City Bound said:


> The church is making a profit off this I would assume, because most of the prices are in line with mainstream stores. They could get the prices down lower if they reduced the mark up.


Lets see, they build the buildings, pay for the shipping, pay for the canning supplies, pay for the electric/gas in the buildings. They are usually one of the first groups to show up during major disasters worldwide with absolutly free: food, water, clothing and hygiene supplies and its members assist with cleanup, repairs, etc. And it also gives away tons and tons of food free to the poor and you're saying the costs are higher than you think they could be? unbelievable..


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I agree....and I know during the Japanese Tsunami the online store was out of stock on the food because they were sending aid.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Mnn, does the cannery have non-profit status? Are all the workers in the cannery volunteers doing service to the church? The cans are 75 cents each, they are not free.

It is nice that they give charity and aid to people all over the world, but what about the LDS members who use the cannery, wouldn't it be nice if some of that good will of the chuch fell on the LDS members? LDS member still have everyday bills and expenses, most of them are not rich, and on top of that they have to give one tenth of their income to the church in tithing. So, when they go to the cannery and have to pay the same price, or a price slightly lower then a for-profit store then I think the prices can be better.

Where are they getting all this bulk from? If they are getting it directly from farmers, with no middle men, then that is another reason the prices should me lower.


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## thesedays (Feb 25, 2011)

mpillow said:


> I agree....and I know during the Japanese Tsunami the online store was out of stock on the food because they were sending aid.


 Owning my "like", especially because I'm sure there are very few Mormons in Japan.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

City---the church is a highly connected to congregation...meaning that typically if a church member needs a plumber they call a church member who is a plumber and so on with all the many facets of living....and maybe the "good" they will receive is not of monetary value based on their beliefs...
My experience with LDS is that they are very helpful to their own as well as any outsiders...they allowed us to use their church for food distribution for needy adoptive/ foster families at no charge and some members even helped on delivery day! Always when we had a shipment members were mowing/shoveling, pruning, sweeping the church yard...really nice people.
Far be it from me to chastise them for making enough to pay the bills and spread the word...I don't think it is anything like Tammy Baker or her ILK...
And I do think the online store is cheaper for say #10 cans of pintos when compared to other sites like honeyvlle or beprepared...and the other staples too...at least last time I checked.
And by not giving a "discount" to church members they avoid the trappings of having members that just want a discount instead of...... the religious teachings...


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

CityBound, please feel free not to use the LDS Cannery if you don't approve of how they run it.

You could probably start your own charitable organization and open and staff Canneries all over the world yourself, set up distribution networks, etc that way you could set the prices you want to.


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## wottahuzzee (Jul 7, 2006)

City Bound said:


> Where are they getting all this bulk from? If they are getting it directly from farmers, with no middle men, then that is another reason the prices should me lower.


The LDS owns some large farms and ranches. You really should educate yourself on the group before you spew.


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

Just yesterday, I was researching canning logistics a bit and looked through a thread from a year ago at another site, one that had died fairly quickly after another poster speculated that it appeared the OP was himself running the business being discussed under the opening of "A friend just told me about... etc." The essentials were that it would cost about $125 to rent a canning machine for two days including shipping, with a $200 damage deposit in addition. #10 cans were stated as having cost $2.85 each. If the LDS charges 75c for cans with no particular charge for equipment use, that would look to me to put the logistics for dry materials in favor of metal canning versus either quart Mason glass jars or FoodSaver- type vacuum pouches; I have gone the K-Mart and Ace Hardware and Lowes season-end heavy discount route for glass jars/lids and bought something like $175 worth of FoodSaver bag rolls at a bulk discount, so am used to calculating savings down to 5c/10c per quart or half gallon volume sealed storage unit. Unfortunately, the LDS bishop's storehouse nearest us has a "not open to public" policy and I have no personal contacts or else I'd certainly be dropping by myself and likely happy to pay what sound like modest charges along with assisting as best I could.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

DryHeat said:


> Unfortunately, the LDS bishop's storehouse nearest us has a "not open to public" policy and I have no personal contacts or else I'd certainly be dropping by myself and likely happy to pay what sound like modest charges along with assisting as best I could.


If you tell us approximately where you are there may be an LDS member on here that lives near you that would be willing to have you go along with them. I've seen LDS members on this forum volunteer before


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

wottahuzzee said:


> The LDS owns some large farms and ranches. You really should educate yourself on the group before you spew.


I am not spewing. I was just curious why the prices were so high, that is all. Sort of how I become curious why prices are so high at a food co-op when most of the places run on free labor.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

I say the prices are high because I can get most of the same stuff here for the same price or slightly cheaper if I shop around. The prices I find here are for a commercial venture and all the materials are marked up for profit. I thought that since an lds cannery is part of a christian church that they would have less of a mark up so they could feed more people. Seems more christian that way, but that is just me. 

I am not trying to offend anyone. I was just thinking that since each family tithes one tenth of their income that at least the church could kick-back to the church members by giving them a better deal at the cannery.

If you disagree, you disagree.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Grocery chains are huge conglomerates who buy in enormous quantities and have their own shipping and distribution centers. I suspect that they are buying food for much lower prices than the LDS. They are also paying less for shipping because they are moving goods in full tractor trailer loads.

Just because the store has the same price for their sale items as the LDS, does not mean that the LDS are making an enormous profit.

To me, it appears to be very generous to allow non-members to use their facilities. I'd be saying "thank you" instead of "hey why aren't you giving me a better bargain?"


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

oregon, I have not used a cannery and I most likely never will. I am not in the LDS Church and I do not know anyone in the LDS church who would take me. 

I am not telling the LDS to give me a bargain, I was just thinking out loud about why the prices were same as many stores, that is all. 

I was curious about the cannery. people here, and some web sites helped me get a little of the information I was looking for.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

"the LDS bishop's storehouse " You need to know that there is a difference between the "Bishop's Storehouse" and the LDS Food Distribution warehouses (cannery). First, the Bishop's Storehouse is one of the parts of the LDS Internal Welfare system. The Bishop's Storehouse is where the Bishop's of each ward send those that are in real need to be taken care of in many areas such as clothing, food (much greater variety than the cannery), sometimes furniture - all paid for with the $$$ collected as "Fast Offerings" on the one Sunday each month when LDS members fast and donate the amount of money they would have spent on food to the church to take care of others. The Food Distribution Warehouse or cannery is usually co-located with the Bishops Storehouse, but they are not one and the same. Much of the Church's food for both the Cannery and the Bishop's Storehouse is raised on LDS owned farms. Here in this part of Texas we have a Peanut farm where the church raises peanuts to be ground into Peanut Butter for the Bishop's storehouses. SOMETIMES, if there is an abundance of the peanut butter, it is offered to those wards where the members have volunteered to help on the farm for sale at really good prices.

In the LDS faith, EVERYTHING is about SERVICE. Very few "employees/Leaders" of the church are in a paid status. There are no paid members in an LDS ward including the Bishop and his staff who are called to their positions for a period of 7 YEARS. The Cannery Workers and the workers in the Bishop's Storehouses are volunteers and they serve in these "missions" for several years at a time.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

City Bound said:


> I was just thinking that since each family tithes one tenth of their income that at least the church could kick-back to the church members by giving them a better deal at the cannery.


And how much have you donated to the LDS Church?


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

mnn2501 said:


> And how much have you donated to the LDS Church?


mnn, I did not come here looking for a fight and I do not think my comments were antagonistic. So, what is the point of your question? If it is a serious question I will answer it, but if it is just baiting then I won't.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I really enjoyed canning with my LDS friends that day. I believe that I got a great deal on the food, cans, oxygen absorbers, etc. I would do it again if I had the opportunity. I'm grateful that they were willing to let me do this. I've lost touch with my LDS friends. I knew them from the PTA, and our kids are all grown now.

Other than keeping some extra canned and non perishables around the house, this was my first real experience prepping. It was so satisfying to know that I had this food stored and it was a safety net for my family. That food has been stored in a cool, dark and dry place all these years. The cans still look like they were canned yesterday. I believe the food in the cans is still good and will be for years to come.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Tator, how many years have you had them in storage so far?


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I think I did this in 1999 or 2000. It was right about the time we bought our ranch.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Have you cracked any of them open tator? I would be interested to see if it is still in good shape and tastey.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I haven't. Perhaps I should, just to see how they are doing.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I would start using them...old beans get hard to cook up to proper texture!


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

I cracked open a can of wheat berries that I canned back in 1982 the other day (That's 40 years old) and they were just like the day we put them into the can. 9 of those years they were stored in outdoor Texas heat.

OLD BEANS are much easier to cook to tender if you grind them first. Of course that limits what can be done with them, but I like refried beans anyway.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

Why would I want to fuss about whatever the LDS Church charges for canning. When I take a group to can, the product is already waiting on push carts, the tables etc are sanitized, I am provided a hairnet, apron and gloves to wear, the cans are already labeled, the O2 scavengers are fresh, the product since it is a high turnover item is fresh, the people are friendly and I have others to help me pack as I help them. When we are done the cans are already packed in boxes with labels and a couple of plastic tops. If someone inadvertantly spills a can (this happens sometimes if the lid isn't properly placed on the can -the product and the lid go flying when the sealer is engaged), the cannery assumes the responsibility to replace the product. What more could they do for the patron???


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

yeah, maybe it is ok. You have some good points for me to chew on.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

YuccaFlatsRanch said:


> I cracked open a can of wheat berries that I canned back in 1982 the other day (That's 40 years old)


Actually its 30 years :happy2:


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I have to travel a couple hundred miles to get to a LDS cannery. I buy bulk, get the mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, ID stickers, and bought a sealer at Amazon for $35. It seals up to 16" and works just as good as the professional ones at the cannery. When I get home I have everything needed to bag up the bulk and get it into storage. Well worth the trip if you go once a year and pick up a years supply.


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## Natalie Rose (Jan 14, 2010)

I have used the LDS cannery and am a non memeber. The cannery we use does not require you to be a member or to be with a member to use the facilities. I cannot say enough about how well we were treated by everyone who volunteers there and how much we learned about and were impressed by their outreach program. We saw people in need coming in to the Bishop's storehouse attached to the cannery and being treated so well by the volunteers and being provided for.
As someone said the LDS Church also donates huge amounts of food during disasters.
We usually get about 600lbs of food at a time for anywhere from $400.00 to $600.00 depending on what types of food we are buying at the time, wheat is much less expensive than say the dried apples, carrots or onions so it varies. I feel like I hit the lottery every time I go in there.
I have never considered the prices to be higher and frankly never gave it any thought because where else can I walk in to a room and package anything they have and use their equipment and supplies so that it lasts for decades?
Its buying food security for my family so even if the prices were higher I would still pay it. You can't really put a price on the feeling of security you get knowing you have food for your family if you need it. I also didn't have to deal with getting all the food and supplies home and packaging it all myself.
The members are so helpful, giving a hand packaging and teaching us alot.
They explained alot about the foods we were choosing and tips on using them.
I am very grateful to be able to use this facility and at the end of my packaging sessions I have offered to make a donation towards their storehouse but was told it is discouraged as they take care of it with donations from their members and if the cannery makes any type of profit.
So even if a profit is made at the cannery its used to help those in need.
They take care of their own people, others around the world and help us to provide for our family by letting us use their cannery and literally ask nothing of us.


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

Checked with a co-worker who is LDS. Our closest cannery is in Aurora and stopped doing 'wet pack' about 6 months ago. He said they had gotten rid of a lot of equipment..."If I had known you were interested, I'd have let you know. They had some great buys."

Dang, dang, and double dang!

Moldy


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

it might be worth investing in buying a machine that closes the cans.


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## Ciffer (Sep 13, 2010)

We have an LDS cannery about 70 miles away. I haven't gotten around to calling to find out if they take non-member or not.

Does anyone know if the #10 cans are vacuum sealed or just sealed?


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I would say they are just sealed with o2 absorbers....


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Ciffer said:


> Does anyone know if the #10 cans are vacuum sealed or just sealed?


For dry pack, just sealed. They do use Oxygen absorber packs.


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