Feasibility of re-using PETE soda bottles to exclude oxygen during storage of low moisture foods

Many consumers are beginning to store grain on their own creating a need for easy disinfestation methods that can be accomplished in the home. Oxygen deprivation has proven to be an effective method for grain disinfestation when kept below 1% for 12 days. Re-using PETE soda bottles is an easy way many consumers can store their grains. The purpose of this study was to determine if using oxygen absorber packets in used PETE soda bottles will keep the oxygen percent low enough to disinfest the grain stored in them. Experiments were carried out to determine how long oxygen absorber packets could keep the oxygen level below 1% to disinfest grain. It was determined that low moisture foods can be stored in re-used sealed PETE bottles containing oxygen absorber packets for at least a year without any appreciable increase in oxygen at a level low enough to accomplish disinfestations.