Are you sure she understood you were using a FoodSaver and vacuum-sealing the jars?

I purchase freeze-dried food in #10 cans and rotate it from our home food storage to the pantry on a regular basis. When I open a can I immediately transfer it to canning jars and vacuum-seal the jars with my FoodSaver using the jar sealer. Another option is to add an oxygen absorber to remove the oxygen and seal the jar that way. An even better method is to add the appropriate size and number of oxygen absorbers for the size of the jar AND vacuum-seal it.

1. To insure a good seal make sure you heat process your jar lids in hot water per FoodSaver instructions: Always pre-soak new metal lids. Bring water to boil, then turn off Pre-soak lids 5-10 minutes.

This softens the sealing compound so you get a better seal. Make sure the lid is completely dry before using it on the jar.

2. Make sure the rim of the jar is free of any kind of food particles. It works best to use a canning jar funnel to load the food into the jars because it helps keep the rims clean, but you will still need to wipe the rim (use a clean dry towel - cloth or paper).

I've used the FoodSaver method for years (I've owned FoodSavers since 1986) and I've never had a jar develop moisture that maintained the vacuum. I DO check the jar seals once a month on all my jarred inventory that I've sealed. I just opened a quart jar of freeze-dried strawberry slices I vacuum-sealed last year and they were as good as the day I vacuum-sealed them.

I've been making some of Chef Tess Bakeresse meals-in-a-jar (especially some of the single-serving ones so hubby can use them in his lunch at work). (Check out her new cookbook - "The Gourmet Food Storage Handbook" by Stephanie Petersen - aka Chef Tess Bakeresse) Those that include freeze-dried meat I'll use an oxygen absorber AND vacuum-seal it to double my chances it remains sealed. And any leftover freeze-dried meat I'll use both - oxygen absorber AND vacuum-seal. The link below at her web site will give you more information that might help you out.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Chef Tess Bakeresse

Thanks for coming to my rescue Grainlady.... Some days I think my brain goes on vacation without me... lol

I think I confused the young lady from North Bay when I mentioned freezing the freeze dried fruit.... See, with the bananas they go from an 8 oz bag to a 3 pound bag and since would take us a long time to consume 3 pounds of dried bananas I jokingly told her I'd toss it all in the freezer so it would last forever... Which, now that I see it in print, would be disastrous because the minute you take anything out of the freezer it forms a frost on the container from the warmer room temperature.

I kinda lucked out.... I'm going to put half of the bananas in a large cookie jar then vacuum seal it with one of those any size container lids... That way I don't have to fiddle around putting it all in quart jars for another year or so... LOL

Thank you again Grainlady for your prompt reply and all the other very useful information I've received from your posts over the years.

Hugs,
Rita

I love using the Universal Lids in my pantry. They are so much easier to get in-and-out of, but be sure to check the seal on a regular basis while it's in storage. Universal Lids come unsealed occasionally. For long-term storage, I think canning lids work better.

I'd also suggest portioning the bananas in zip-lock bags first, pack the bags of bananas in the cookie jar, then vacuum-seal the Universal Lid on - for double protection. This assures the banana slices will stay dry even if the Universal Lid happens to become unsealed before the next time you test the lid.

-Grainlady

It should be OK to freeze freeze dried food as long as you don't open the vacuum seal until the food gets back to room temperature after you take the food out of the freezer. Although there is no reason to freeze freeze dried food.

The freezer actually dries your food by the action of scintillation, that's why you get freezer burnt food if you don't wrap your food well in a freezer.

dcarch