Re: [HoE] Milrats/MREs(was: Longevity)

[Velkyn@aol.com]

hi,
the following is a response i got from posting to a survivalist board on shelf
life.
thought you'd like to know.

velkyn 


<<From nastybits@hotmail.com

From calls to food manufacturers.  Skippy peanut butter is dated 'buy before
xx xx'.  Once opened, shelf life is about a year, at which the peanutbutter is
still edible, there is just a loss of flavor after that year.  Storing in cool
dry place recommended, not fridge or freezer.  

Canned goods typically last 18 months, although acidy (tomato based) may start
to deteriorate the can.

I've personally eaten those 'ramen' noodles in the individual packages that
were 3 years old, and they tasted fine.

M&M are dated on the manufacture date and the code is for example  823XXX.  8
is the year, 1998, and 23 is the week of the year, 23rd week, sometime in may.
Shelf life is 1 year from manufacture date, but dont allow melting or
freezing.  (M&M's my one weekness I hope to have stored IF TSHTF.)

Two things to keep in mind:

After the 'shelf-life' period, most foods, in undamaged cans, etc are still ok
to eat, they just suffer a degradation of flavor AND NUTRIENTS.  Storage of
vitamins is a must.  If you look around now, you can find vitamins with dates
in the 2002's now, so its a good time to start storing up before the prices
shoot up.  Check the dates carefully!

Secondly, Jan 1, 2000, is less than 15 months away, so many items available in
stores have dates that will carry beyond the 1st of the year 2000, and will be
much cheaper that specially prepared sotrage food.  I have seen peanut butter
dated 'buy before aug99' and that means it good until aug2000, if stored
properly. 

Hope this helps, sorry to have rambled on....and on...and on...    Luck all.