Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Can I store my coffee in a mylar bag?” The answer is yes! If done correctly, mylar bags can be an excellent way to store both whole coffee beans or ground coffee. They are often one of the best options available for storing coffee items.
Why Coffee Storage is Very Important
When roasted coffee begins to deteriorate, the next physical change will take place. The formation of oxygen molecules that cause oxidation will start almost immediately. Moisture will also create an environment for mold and clumping. Exposure to light will break down the oil content in coffee. Heat will further expedite this process.
Therefore, if you place your coffee in a thin paper bag or an unsealed container, it will become stale very quickly as a result of these factors. The appropriate storage of coffee is not simply for your convenience, but it is done to protect the volatile oils from being affected by these environmental conditions over an extended time period.
Why Mylar Bags are Good for Storing Coffee
As barrier bags, mylar bags consist of an exterior nonporous polyester layer, an interior aluminum foil layer, and an innermost layer of food grade plastic. Each of these layers creates a much larger barrier to oxygen, moisture, and light than if you were to use a plastic or paper container.
When properly sealed, mylar bags offer numerous benefits that can help extend the life of your coffee. Therefore, mylar bags are commonly used for both the long-term storage of food and the more traditional packaging of premium coffee products.Numerous specialty coffee roasters continue to utilize Mylar bags due to the superior preservation of coffee freshness when compared to conventional paper bags or single-walled plastic bags.
This comparison breakdown shows how Mylar compares with other forms of storage (i.e. vacuum-sealed) in terms of overall shelf-life and protection.
Whole Bean Coffee vs Ground Coffee in Mylar Bags
Whole bean coffee will always remain fresh longer than ground coffee when stored in any kind of container, including Mylar bags, because the larger surface area of the whole beans will be less exposed to the air than ground coffee. If whole beans are stored in an airtight Mylar bag with little to no air in them, they will remain fresh for many months after they have been sealed.
While it is also possible to store ground coffee in Mylar bags, ground coffee will have a much greater benefit from sealing the bag as completely as possible.
Since ground coffee has a much greater exposed surface area because of the way the bean was ground, it is important for you to remove as much air as you can from the Mylar bag before you seal the bag in order to keep the ground coffee fresh as long as possible. In both whole bean and ground coffee preparations, by reducing oxygen exposure to the coffee, you will greatly increase the shelf-life of the product.
How to Properly Store Your Coffee Using Mylar Bags
- Choose a Mylar bag that qualifies as a food grade with an aluminum foil inner layer.
- Place whole or ground coffee inside the Mylar bag.
- Remove excess air from inside the Mylar bag when sealing.
- Use the default heat sealing method for airtight sealing.
- Only use zipper closure as a secondary method of sealing if applicable.
- Keep sealed Mylar bags stored in a cool, dark area away from heat and light.
To keep your whole or ground coffee fresh, you should always use a food-grade Mylar bag with a foil liner. After that, you’ll remove as much air as you can and then heat-seal to create an airtight seal. If your Mylar coffee bag has a zipper seal feature, you can consider that helpful for keeping it fresh as opposed to the primary method of storage. Also, by keeping the sealed bag in a cool, dark environment away from heat and light, you can increase the amount of time you have to enjoy their flavor and aroma!
Do I Need To Use A One Way Valve?
Many of the Mylar bags made for coffee have a one-way valve. This valve allows the gases to escape from the bag but will stop oxygen from getting back into the bag and causing the bag to puff up or burst.
If you are just storing coffee that has already been allowed to release all gases, a valve may not be very important. Nonetheless, the use of one-way or one-way valves is strongly advised for packaging coffee in retail bags and fresh roast coffee beans packaged in retail bags because they enable the contents inside to remain sealed while still letting the gas that is produced from coffee as it de-gasses escape from the bag; therefore protecting the integrity of both the bag and its contents.
Suggestions on How To Use Mylar Bags for Coffee Storage
The convenience of using Mylar bags to store coffee is increased when you apply these few simple techniques:
– Use food-safe mylar bags with a metalized foil barrier.
– Eliminate as much air as possible before sealing the mylar bag.
– Use an electric heat sealer to seal the bags rather than just closing them with the zipper.
– Store mylar bags in a cool, dark, and dry area away from any heat source.
– Minimize the number of times you open and reseal mylar bags.
By following these suggestions you will find that mylar bags outlast all other types of containers (jars, paper bags, standard plastic containers) by providing you with years of safe food storage.
If you have been concerned about food safety pertaining to mylar bags, this guide explains why mylar bags are not harmful or toxic but rather safe for long-term storage of food.
Why Coffee Companies Love Custom Stand Up Mylar Bags
Many coffee companies utilize custom-designed mylar bags because they provide effective protection against spoilage or loss of quality of the product while also increasing shelf appeal.If you’re using a mylar bag to keep your coffee fresh for an extended time compared to paper or thin plastic packaging, you’re doing it right!
The foil line inside the mylar bag seals off your coffee from outside influences such as oxygen, light, and moisture. Also, having your coffee printed on a custom mylar bag with your brand name will help customers easily identify your coffee on busy shelves and explain to them how you roast your coffee in a premium resealable bag in which they can trust.
View examples of custom stand up mylar bags.
How Long Will Your Coffee Last In A Mylar Bag?
The length of time your coffee stays fresh inside your mylar bag will depend on several factors including the roasting process, the quality of the green coffee, and the way it’s stored. Under average conditions, whole bean coffee in a sealed mylar bag should last for at least several months, assuming no significant amount of air exchange.
If you grind your coffee before putting it in your mylar bag, you’ll reduce the coffee’s shelf-life to three months or less regardless of whether or not the mylar bag has an oxygen barrier.
• If sealed and stored in a cool, dry area, whole bean coffee in a sealed mylar bag can remain fresh for approximately six to 12 months.
• Ground coffee will remain fresh for three to six months.
• If you take care to properly seal mylar bags, the coffee will last longer than if they weren’t properly sealed..
• Sealing with heat provides a superior barrier than using the zipper feature.
• Although mylar bags slow down the natural aging of coffee, they do not prevent it from aging.
Are Mylar Bags Better Than Other Types of Coffee Containers?
You might be asking yourself, why should you use a mylar bag instead of storing your coffee in other types of containers such as a clear glass jar, paper bag, or thin plastic? (ie., clear glass jars only block out a fraction of the light going into the jar, plain paper bags allow too much air to exchange- non barrier bags are also made of plastic which don’t provide a good airtight seal to preserve freshness. Mylar bags effectively combine all three forms of protection by having three layers of protection added to them that just about anything decays into.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that many coffee companies, emergency food suppliers, and individuals who have serious storage requirements, utilize mylar bags to store coffee.
Final Answer: Can You Store A Mylar Bag of Coffee?
ABSOLUTELY! You are able to store your whole or ground coffee in mylar bags, provided that they are properly sealed, mylar bags provide an excellent means of preventing coffee from going stale due to external factors. Whether you’re roasting coffee at home or packing it to sell, mylar bags have been proven to provide an effective way of maintaining the flavor and aroma of your coffee.