Food Storage

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How long will a #10 can of food [beans, corn, ect.] last after it has been opened and what is the best to store it after it has been opened?

-- james A. Jones (jamesjones@bbnp.com), October 28, 1998

Answers

I'd say it's no more than 24 hrs. at room temperature. If you can keep it cool, probably 1 week. The best bet would be to avoid buying cans larger than you could consume in one meal. Where I live, it would be easy to make use of the garage or screen porch as a fridge (or freezer) in Nov. thru March.

-- Mike (gartner@execpc.com), October 28, 1998.

If you mean dehydrated food, like dried beans and corn and things, then you will have significantly more than 24 hours...you would want to keep the lids on, and the cans in a cool dry place, as long as you have the can opened.

If you are thinking of getting # 10 cans of non-dehydrated foods, you'd better have some friends to share that much refried beans or whatever with!

-- Karen Cook (browsercat@hotmail.com), October 29, 1998.


SHELF-LIFE OF LONG-TERM STORAGE FOODS

Due to the type of processing and inadequate packaging, Regular Canned Goods & Dry Foods packaged in Cardboard Boxes & Plastic Bags as purchased from the shelves in Grocery Stores ARE NOT SUITED FOR A LONG-TERM FOOD STORAGE PROGRAM!

This Summary Outline provides guidance on the various Types & Storage Methods of Specialty Food Products that are processed and packaged to go far beyond the Short Shelf-Life of Regular Canned, Boxed and Bagged Foods.

While it is possible to acquire enough expertise to determine the various different types and quantities of food needed for a Nutritionally-Sound Balanced Diet using Wet-Packed, Dried and Dehydrated Foods, the biggest obstacle for most individuals planning their own Long-Term Food Storage Program is how to package and store the food for Maximum Useful Shelf-Life.

The first questions are:

What sort of containers should I use?

Must the containers be Food Grade?

When using Plastic Bags inside a container, must the Plastic Bag be Food Grade?

How many Plastic Bags must I use to make certain that no air or moisture will get in the food?

How do I seal the Plastic Bags? Wire-Twist Ties? Tape? Both?

What should I do to prevent Bugs & Other Vermin from contaminating the food? Use Dry Bay Leaves ?

Do I need a Vacuum Suction Pump to remove excess air from the food container?

How do I remove Moisture & Oxygen from the food container?

What sort of Desiccant do I use to remove Moisture -- and where can I buy them?

What do I use to remove Oxygen -- Nitrogen, Dry Ice or other method?

All of these questions are very logical, and require Expert Answers that are not always readily available.

Everyone has opinions and different recommendations as to the types of Containers, Method of Packing, Extracting Moisture & Oxygen, Sealing and Storing the food.

Does it hurt dry food to be frozen? Is it alright to store food in your attic since Im short of storage space, and also want to hide my food supply from prying eyes?

The absolutely worst environment for any type of food [dry or wet] is a Warm or Hot Place.

No, it doesnt hurt Dry Foods [Wheat, Rice, Lentils, Corn, Beans, Granulated Sugar, Cereals etc] to be frozen. In fact, freezing is desirable to extend the Useful Shelf-Life of Dry Foods -- and certain types of Wet Packed Foods. Since water expands when frozen, you obviously dont want to freeze food in a Glass Jar, Metal Container or Other Container that will break, distend or rupture from expansion due to freezing.

For those who dont know how -- or who dont have the time to Plan, Assemble, Pack and Store their own Long-Term Food Storage Rations -- Safe Trek Foods takes all the Guessing & Frustration out of the equation, and provides you with a Fully Planned, Nutritionally- Balanced Menu of Essential Foods for Long-Term Storage.

Safe Trek Foods is the LARGEST, Most Completely Stocked, Cheapest, Reliable and Responsive Supplier in the USA for Long-Term Food Storage.

Safe Trek purchases all food items directly from the Actual Producers -- with all Food Processing, Canning and Packaging done on-site by Safe Trek itself.

All Safe Trek food products are packed in #10 Size Metal Cans [approximately 1 U.S. Gallon]  or in Ultra Pails, which are 6 gallon pails with the food packaged in 4 Separate Vacuum-Sealed Bags inside each pail. The #10 cans are Double-Enameled [coated twice inside the can and twice outside] to provide extra preservative capability and safeguard against rust and other corrosion.

Oxygen-Absorber Packets are inserted into these Storage Containers. Oxygen Levels are thus reduced, and the Useful Shelf-Life of the food is greatly increased. These foods will retain their nutritional value and good taste for 5-15 years, if stored in a cooler environment. No refrigeration is needed.

By using the Autoclave Thermostabilized Retort-Pouch Technology employed in the manufacture of U.S. Military Meals Ready to Eat [MRE], the Useful Shelf-Life of food products can be extended to as long as 130 months [10 Years & 10 Months], if such Autoclave Thermostabilized Products are stored at a constant temperature of 60F -- with an Indefinite Shelf-Life if stored frozen.

Extensive testing done by the U.S. Army Natick Laboratories determined that the Useful Shelf-Life of a MRE stored at various temperatures is as follows:

1 month @ 120F

5 months @110F

22 months @100F

55 months @ 90F

76 months @80F

100 months @ 70F

130 months @ 60 F

MREs have an Indefinite Shelf-Life when stored frozen -- but you must avoid fluctuating temperatures in and out of the freezing zone.

Time & Temperature have a Cumulative Effect on the Useful Shelf-Life of any food. For example, a MRE stored at 100F for 11 months, and then moved to a different storage location where the temperature is 70F, would result in a loss of 1/2 of the 70F Useful Shelf-Life. While on the subject of MREs, a WARNING is in order! MREs being advertised by various companies as U.S. Military Surplus, Contract Over-Run Production, Manufacturers Excess Inventory etc, are in fact FACTORY-REJECTED PRODUCT! In addition, there is no way to determine the Date of Manufacture or the various locations and varying temperatures under which such MREs have been stored before you purchased them.

A full dissertation on Military Surplus MREs is available on Internet Site http://www.conquestinc.com -- or we will E-Mail or Fax a copy to you on request.

The answer to Military MREs is Factory-Fresh Commercial MREs called HeaterMeals -- The Meal With The Stove Inside! Such MREs consist of a delicious > pound entree, fork, salt, pepper and napkin -- plus a 2 ounce packet of water to activate the Flameless Chemical Food Heater.

The HeaterMeals entree has been manufactured using the same Autoclave Thermostabilized Technology as with Military MREs, in which the food is cooked twice -- once before and once after packaging.

Instead of the MRE & Heater being separate as used by the U.S. Military, for Commercial Application/Civilian Sales both the MRE and the Heater have been combined into 1 New and Innovative Product: HeaterMeals!

My company [Conquest International Corporation] was the Exclusive Foreign Marketing & Sales Agent for 1 of the 3 former Prime Contractors to the U.S. Government for Military Meals Ready to Eat [MRE]. The manufacturer of HeaterMeals was the Sole Provider to the U.S. Military of their Patented Food Heaters, producing and selling over 70 million such heaters since 1990.

Conquest International Corporation is a distributor for HeaterMeals  WITH IMMEDIATE DELIVERY of Factory-Fresh Brand-New Product! Full details, menus, pricing and ordering information is available on our Internet Site.

For those who dont have the time or are unable to plan their own Long-Term Food Storage Program, Safe Trek Foods and Conquest International Corporation have developed 2 Pre-Assembled Food Packages with a great variety of items to provide a 1 year supply of Balanced Menu Essential Foods for 1 person  plus a second package that provides 4 people with a 1 year supply of food [or 1 person with 4 year food supply].

In addition to Specialty Processed & Packaged Long-Term Food Storage Kits from SafeTrek Foods, Conquest International Corporation provides HeaterMeals as Quick Ready to Eat Meals to supplement your Long-Term Food Storage Program in preparation for The Coming Bad Times!

Safe Trek & Conquest specialize in PREPAREDNESS FOR PERILOUS TIMES

PLEASE REFER ALL INQUIRIES TO

Conquest International Corporation 1109 SW 8th Street, Plainville, Kansas 67663 Tel [785] 434 2483 Fax [785] 434 2736 E-Mail: cicks@ruraltel.net Internet: http://www.conquestinc.com



-- Conquest International Corporation (cicks@ruraltel.net), November 03, 1998.


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