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Why I Stopped Using Gamma Seal Lids And Food Storage Buckets

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I’ve used these gamma seal lids and food grade buckets for years now without trouble. We’ve used them to store rice, beans, oats, and wheat.

In fact, they’re rather easy to use and make accessing my food storage buckets convenient. But, alas, I’m not going to be using them any longer.

Why?

Well, remember when I had the trouble with bugs in my oats? I had it happen yet again, this time with my brown rice.

I know this is just the way it is when it comes to using bulk foods but since it’s not SHTF and my family wouldn’t think of eating bugs unless they have to, the last bit of rice I had in my bucket got tossed… which brings me to the problem:

It’s all about usage.

You simply can’t let food sit opened (even though it’s in a “sealed” bucket) for years and that’s by and large what we’ve been doing.

Sure, we get into these foods on occasion but I don’t think I’ve had to add any rice or oats or beans to any of these buckets in years which is a clear sign we’re not using our bulk foods very much anymore.

Fortunately, we haven’t had any food spoil for any reason other than bugs–such as the rice going rancid–but I think I’m just going to store enough of these bulk foods in #10 cans since I have plenty of those.

If, however, you use your bulk foods regularly then the gamma seal lids and buckets work great.

How about you? Do you have this trouble with food in buckets or do you use it fast enough?

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Damian Brindle

My latest book, The Survival Blueprint: How to Prepare Your Family for Disaster, can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJ49Y5X4

Comments

41 responses to “Why I Stopped Using Gamma Seal Lids And Food Storage Buckets”

  1. Stephanie

    I’m thinking we must be having a sort of “plague” of pantry moths this year bc at the same time I was finding them INSIDE my Gamma seal buckets, a friend found them in her garage, and then we found them in the crackers in our church building kitchen! I see in these comments that not only can the sealing gasket go bad, which is what I originally opened my computer to shop for, but that there can be little cracks in the buckets themselves!?!?! Realizing that a very cold winter can cause other problems, I’m still hoping we have one to curb the bugs that seem to be overpopulated right now… Thanks to ALL for the info above. Very helpful. I’ve been using Gamma seal lids for maybe 20 years with zero issues until this summer, and now have pantry moths in the popcorn, polenta, rice, oats, wheat berries… I’m so distressed over the loss. Maybe the buckets & seals have a definite life-span???

    Reply
    1. Stephanie

      Also I appreciate the idea of freezing the grains, but I cannot imagine how I would manage 50# of oats or wheat berries in & out of a freezer??? Maybe I need to research the oxygen absorption? Would that be sufficient in a food grade bucket with the Gamma seal lid? We use the buckets regularly–are in & out of them not daily, but every few days or as along as a couple months, depending on what we are refilling inside the house.

      Reply
    2. Vickie

      I do not claim to know anything about long term storage because I’m just now starting to get into it. I’m thinking that if you are storing in Mylar bags inside a bucket then maybe you could put some diatomaceous earth directly in the bucket (not in the bag where the food is.) Would this take care of the critters before they can get to your food? Also put some in your storage area (pantry garage) , wherever you store the food. Just a thought.

      Reply
      1. Damian Brindle

        I wouldn’t think this would work because the bugs are inside the Mylar bags with the grains, but it’s worth a try!

        Reply
  2. Gregory Bennett

    I have also stopped using the gamma lids. The issue is they completely crack on the sidewalls after a couple years. This obviously lets in air and whatever else so the seal is compromised.
    This has happened to 3 of the 20 buckets I have been using.
    The lids and pails have been in a climate controlled enviornment.
    ** I have photos if anyone would like to see them.

    Reply
  3. Levi Patrick

    I’ve found the “use gamma for occasional entry/every day use” best. I use regular lids for long term then switch food to gamma after bucket is empty.

    I just use isopropyl alcohol on a paper towel to clean then let air dry. Grains are not that clean anyway. I use bay leaves, bottom, middle and top and so far have used 14 month old oats and white rice with no issue other than ones stored with lids that do not fit well.

    BIGGEST ISSUE: Bucket may seem sealed but may NOT be! Some manufacturers are close but leak. I had 12 month old oats still good but did taste a bit flat. Lid was from different company seemed to have small leak.

    I wish there was more info on which lid manufacturer seals well with which buckets manufacturer.

    Reply
    1. Vickie

      I read somewhere that you should put your brains in the freezer before long term storage to kill anything that might already be in there. I can’t remember how ling. I think a couple of days.

      Reply
      1. Vickie

        *grains lol
        Typing on an iPad…

        Reply
  4. Nobody

    Common bugs found in grain are generally in the grain when you bought it, in the form of eggs.

    Using something to remove or displace the oxygen for a long enough period for the eggs to hatch and the little critters to die stops the cycle..

    A nice explanation on avoiding the problem can be had below

    https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information-center/self-reliance/food-storage-frequently-asked-questions/co2-and-nitrogen

    There is a problem with “Store only what you commonly eat” Such items do not store well in general and are costly..

    If you are storing canning your own long term storage foods budget plays a part of the equation.. So Store stuff that a good portion of the world successfully uses everyday as staple foods and take the time to learn how to prepare them in the many ways they do.. You could spend a lifetime and not prepare all the dishes based upon , beans, rice and spices. add any sort of palatable meat/fish/fowl from time to time and you are in pretty good shape.

    Not to say wheat and other grains are not great.. so is raising Goats.. (Nubians are nice).. it is just crawl, walk run.. I would much rather have 3-7 years of Beans and Rice than a year worth of Culinary delights, how about you?

    Certainly incorporate them into your diet as you learn to prepare them…

    Spend the money you save by sticking to survival staples on more food, water storage/purification, animals, shelter etc. Parts, tools, Books… all the other things we are all are short of

    Reply
    1. Vickie

      Put grains in the freezer before long term storage.

      Reply
  5. Rede Batcheller

    Yes, I have — problems with sealed 5 gallon containers. Two things I know of to do: First, clean (AND SANITIZE) completely before reusing. I am still trying to find instructions for this. Second, do NOT store anything directly in the container. Instead, put it in a container (e.g. Mylar bag?) that can be sealed airtight, and once the product is (as it were) in the bag, add the appropriate number of oxygen absorbers and seal it immediately — the bag, that is. // Not fun, is it, finding those little buggy buggers . . . I lost half a large bag of wheat this morning . . .

    Reply
    1. Gidge

      Look into food grade sanitizer that is used to clean wine bottles before filling them. There are some out there specifically for food use. I don’t know any name brands as we’ve not made wine in a few years.

      Reply
      1. Heather H

        I believe they are called campden tablets.

        Reply
  6. Wizdom

    I read all the time that people put their beans and grains in the freezer for a day or two to kill any insects before long-term storage. My question is, doesn’t the freezer cause the grains to get moist, and possibly subject to becoming moldy? If so, how do you accommodate for this moisture?

    Reply
    1. Robin

      Being a newby at this, I watched a lot of videos and read different articles. I went with freezing my rice and beans for about 3 days…which I actually had them in there close to a week. After taking them from the freezer, I left them sitting out to dry out as it were, so there wouldn’t be any issues. Also, if you put them in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, that should take care of it as well.

      Reply
    2. Delores Wills Guyton

      The freezer works! After 3 days take out bring COMPLETELY to room temp before storing. I got this tip from my guy at the health food store where I shopped over 30+ years ago. Mind you it was after i made the shocking discovery of things floating in my tomato soup after dropping in some veggie flakes to rehydrate!! I then checked my beans and was again shocked to see that the plastic container had nicks inside all over. I tossed. EVERYTHING! Like someone commented the eggs and critters are already there when you purchase the items Especially if you get them from a healthy food grocery store that does not use chemicals!

      Reply
  7. Jennifur

    Homesteaders Doug & Stacy on YouTube mix Diatomaceous earth into some of their foods in storage containers. Look for their video about DE.

    Reply
    1. Delores Wills Guyton

      After freezing I sometimes add bay leaves to the bottom of my rice storage container.

      Reply
  8. Fran

    How is the nitrogen used? Do you need any special equipment or expertise?

    Reply
  9. Matt

    I’ve stored flour for 12 years in a gamma bucket by putting dry ice in the bottom before sealing it to eliminate oxygen. I did a separate bucket without it and found larva in it after a couple years. There is some good info on the Mormon website regarding this. Bugs won’t “get into” your food with this lid, bugs are already in it at the time you store it. If you don’t do anything about it when you actually store it, they will appear over time.

    Reply
    1. Dena Shelton

      would using oxygen absorbers be enough to keep oxygen out and to keep larvae from hatching or what do you suggest? I have been storing food and am still researching on the best way to do it. Are food saver bags a good solution for foods like corn meal and pasta? Thank you
      Dee Shelton

      Reply
  10. Michael

    If you plan on storing “long term” in 5 gallon buckets, you certainly can use gamma lids however you must use an adequate supply of oxygen absorbers – just as you would with mylar bags. Otherwise, you will have left enough oxygen in that bucket for insects to do their damage. When storing wheat, for example, we use roughly 2000cc distributed throughout the bucket. We start with 500cc on the bottom, fill the bucket a third of the way and add another 500cc, then fill it two thirds of the way before adding another 500cc, then filling the bucket leaving approximately 1″ of headspace and adding the final 500cc. For beans we double the amount of absorbers due to the extra airspace.

    We also like to use a bit of food grade silicone lubricant on the gaskets, particularly the one that is in the outer ring. This will ensure the longevity of the gasket as well as help form that initial seal. Naturally it is critical to ensure the lids are nice and snug.

    When storing them, it is important that you don’t stack them more than two high. The weight in the center of the lids can put stress on the gaskets and break the seal. The solution here is to place boards between rows to distribute the weight onto the edges of the lids below which presses them down against the seal making it even tighter. The alternative is two high or on shelves.

    Finally, if you want extra assurance, you could use a 5-6 gallon mylar bag in your bucket.

    We do it both ways, with and without the mylar bags. We’ve already opened buckets of wheat that were 15+ years old, without mylar bags, and have had no issues – however I understand that is just a personal experience.

    Hope that helps.

    Reply
    1. Donna Schnaath

      I’d read ppl are supposed to bleach the buckets & gamma lids before use! If a person can’tuse bleach for sterilizing Theo seals (because it’d deteriorate the rubber) how do y’sterilize the gaskets, when all the other parts have been? I didn’t wanna mix unsterilized parts mixed w/ sterilized! ??

      I’m About to put food in these buckets never having done anything like this before. Don’t want botulism to form!! ?

      Reply
  11. Roger Westerman

    Has anyone else had trouble with the ring that you attach to the bucket cracking in effect making the lid useless.

    Reply
    1. Damian Brindle

      Never had that happen, even after many years of use. Maybe a defective lid/seal?

      Reply
    2. CW

      Yes, its made of natural rubber , actually a tube, so it will break down over time.

      Reply
  12. Gwen

    when I buy my rice, flour, or oat meal I put the bag in the freezer for 2 days to kill off any eggs weevils lay bc even if u don’t see bugs it doesn’t mean there are no eggs waiting to hatch. with this method I have yet to see bugs. The only food i have thrown out is my red beans because they were from 2020 an they turned a very dark brownish red not light like i bought them . hope this helps and i also use the screw on lid

    Reply
  13. Neal

    Can you “dry can” the grains and beans first, THEN store them in the buckets? I’m looking for a more SHTF supply of foods that I won’t be going into for making breads and other foods on a regular basis. Thanx!

    Reply
    1. Damian Brindle

      That just defeats the purpose of gamma seal lids, in my opinion. If you’re not wanting to get into your bulk foods anytime soon, then just store them for long term in #10 cans or Mylar bags with O2 absorbers.

      Reply
      1. John C Jenkins II

        So, what’s the point of using #10 cans over airtight gamma buckets? Aren’t you basically doing the same thing, but in smaller volume?…plus you have to have special equipment to seal the #10 cans.

        Reply
        1. Damian Brindle

          You’re correct that sealing #10 cans does need special equipment that most of us don’t have, which is why it’s best (and usually least expensive) to buy dry bulk foods already canned. The hard work is done, and there should be little to no concern for food safety, quality, etc. Buy from a place like the LDS Home Storage Center or online sites.

          Reply
  14. Mike

    those lids are only good for getting in and out of the bucket stuff in the bucket. I use those lids but I seal the food in mylar with an oxygen absorber in the bucket. Then when I need to get into it I can open and close the top easily with the game seal lids. I dont consider them air tight or bug proof. I consider them pest proof, animals, cats, dogs, mice, rats, etc. White rice should not go rancid. Brown rice will.

    Reply
    1. Christina

      Then why do they sell it as air tight and pest proof? That’s what we’re paying for.

      Reply
      1. CW

        They are definitely not airtight unless you get the spanner wrench and crank the holy cow honey hold my hernia, out of them. Not really a great product as advertised. Plastic is also inherently pourious and breaths some. Upgrading the gaskets will help.

        Reply
    2. gwen

      your right about the white rice I use my twist off top for over 2 years an did not have one issue with my rice.

      Reply
  15. Andy

    Store what you eat eat what you store. I use gamma seal lids and store my flour and rice in those but I eat the flour and rotate it over a period of about 2 or 3 months.
    I’ve never had a problem with bugs but we also do live in Alaska where there aren’t so many…

    Reply
  16. Joanie Crabtree

    I have added food grade diatomaceous earth to infected grains like wheat or rice. Sprinkle some on the top of the food in the bucket close it then roll the bucket around. Kills them and they find their way to the bottom of the bucket. Haven’t had a problem eating the food afterwards. May even prevent them from hatching in the first place.

    Reply
    1. Hank

      DE acts like ground glass on insect larvae, so that they lose their integument structure and die.
      If your grains are infested by pest eggs, they WILL hatch unless they are killed first. This could mean a storage supply full of dead bugs, maybe not deadly in an extreme situation but just nasty in general.

      Freezing is easy prevention, and it works.

      Reply
  17. Hank

    I also use buckets and gamma seals. The difference is I only use gamma seals on ONE bucket, the one I use to refill my pantry containers. When that bucket is empty, I transfer a new bucket’s contents to that one. As to bugs, I have no first hand proof, but I have read that especially in grains and beans, the bugs are in the food themselves as eggs or larvae, sometimes INSIDE the actual grains, so they can be difficult or impossible to detect. Then, even after proper packing, if enough oxygen is around, the bugs hatch and bingo, spoiled supplies.

    I have a small chest freezer that I appropriated to my shop. I have it set to max, about -10 degrees F. Every time I pack a bucket, I put it in the freezer for 2-3 days. This should be sufficient to kill any living organism, (including the grains, so don’t do this for seeds or those planned to sprout.) Then I use dry ice for belt and suspenders long term packing & storage.

    So far, no bugs, and rotation helps with no spoilage (fingers crossed.)

    Reply
    1. Deb

      We do the same thing. One bucket per item with a gamma lid is designated for pantry and is filled from “factory sealed” buckets or containers. I also use the pantry buckets completely empty and clean them out, to avoid contaminating the new food. Instead of dry ice, we use nitrogen from a tank that we got from the local welding supply place. The tank is easier to keep on hand than chunks of dry ice. You are also correct about freezing grain products to kill any bugs. (I’ve put flour, dog biscuits and other grains in the freezer immediately after bringing them in the house for years) If you want an extra layer of protection we’ve re-packaged things like pasta, beans, etc. with the Food Saver vacuum packager and then put those in a bucket with a gamma lid.

      BTW – Damian, you are forgetting one of the big rules of food storage – “store what you use and USE what you store.” There’s only a few items in our long term supplies that we haven’t touched, but they are mostly fruit which I’m keeping as special treats for when we travel or when the grandkids visit.

      Reply
      1. Delores Wills Guyton

        Deb I repackage in portioned amounts using my food saver. That way I can grab what I need to refill the everyday use container in my pantry without having to continuously open the 5 gal bucket.

        Reply

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