Home Food Storage Lasts 30 Years or More

[Northmountain]

Did you know that researchers at BYU are actively studying the storage lives of dry food products? Recently, they determined that we can store certain food products for much longer than originally presumed. This is great news for those of us working on our longer-term storage. It means much less stress about quick rotation.

Here is a list of the recommended storage life for many common home storage products (stored in ideal conditions):

Wheat, hard red - 30+
Wheat, hard white - 30+
White rice - 30+
Corn - 30+
Oats, quick - 30
Oats, regular - 30
Rolled oats - 30
Pasta - 30
Macaroni - 30
Spaghetti - 30
Flour, white - 10+
Pancake mix - very limited

Black beans - 30
Pinto beans - 30
White beans - 30
Refried beans, powdered - 5+

Non-fat powdered milk - 20
Cocoa Mix - 2+
Fruit drink mix - 2+
Sugar -30+

Potato flakes - 30
Potato pearls - very limited
Apple slices - 30
Dehydrated carrots - 20 to 25
Onions, dry - 30

Remember that the long storage life of these products depended upon correct packing techniques. In almost every case, BYU researchers were testing food that had been stored in #10 cans with oxygen absorbers. Best tasting products resulted from storage in a cool, dark, dry place in #10 cans with adequate seams.

If you would like to more yourself, here is a link to an article about the study on the Church News site:

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/article...s-or-more.html

And an excellent article about food storage at: http://wellness.byu.edu/pics/April_Food_StorageV2.pdf

[Imamom]

I had a food storage fairy visit my house this past week. A neighbor who was moving brought over 16 large buckets (some of them 15-20 gallon tin buckets) full of wheat that she'd had in her basement for about 25 years and didn't want to move. The wheat tastes just fine. The bread rises, and some of it even sprouts!!!

[VicH]

Thanks so much for the Info. !!! Most helpful. I found a list- that listed All Grains, Legumes, & Beans and give, not only a description but the Life Span for that item if properly stored. You would happen to know of a site that has all that info?

I also tried to connect to one of your links: : http://wellness.byu.edu/pics/April_Food_StorageV2.pdf -but it wouldn't go through.

Thanks again for all your info.

[fuzzy]

During the last year we have discovered several items that had been misplaced/covered up and lost because of a move. We found several jars of peanut butter, and several bags of rice. The peanut butter had expired 27 years ago! I remixed the oil and started eating it. Wife thought it would probably kill me - nothing. It took me an extended period of time to eat it all, but I finally got it done. I guess peanut butter last forever. Over the years it had been stored sometimes in favorable conditions, sometimes not so favorable.

The rice had been stored 19 years ago in a cheapo vacuum bag which had lost it's seal. The rice was still good. Now I'm working on getting it ate up. For some reason or another the wife quit liking peanut butter, as well as rice, while this was going on. I think people give too much credit to the expiration dates on foods. I realize this would not hold true for all food, but it does for rice and peanut butter!