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Title: Expiration Dates! Post by: lisamiut on March 09, 2007, 09:05:00 AM I will post expiration dates of different items in this thread. Remember - storing ANY foods will be better in a cool, dry environment and will prolong shelf life. Most shelf life recommendations give room for error, but most items are good well past the recommended shelf life; however, the nutritional value, appearance and taste could be affected. This is why it is VITAL to rotate your food storage/prepared pantry items.
Title: Brown Rice Post by: lisamiut on March 09, 2007, 09:06:19 AM Recently I had a discussion with a friend about the shelf life of brown rice. This is what the experts say:
Brown rice has a shelf life of 6 MONTHS! Brown rice is a whole grain, the seed of the rice plant. It contains a starchy endo* that becomes the ?white rice? after milling, together with the seed germ, all surrounded by layers of fibrous bran. In the plant, all of this is covered by a protective husk. Some of the oils that would nourish the growing seed are in the germ, but most are in the inner layers of the rice bran. The composition of the oil is 47 percent monounsaturated, 33 percent polyunsaturated and 20 percent saturated. This is very similar to the profile found in peanut oil. Unsaturated oils are susceptible to oxidative attack, and, while there is a bran coat surrounding the whole grain rice, it is not airtight. Then there is the fact that some of the oil is in the inner layers of the bran. This is why brown rice has a shelf life. Six months is often used as the shelf life for brown rice, but there are manufacturers that put a ?Best By? dating on their product with an 18-month window from date of manufacture. When buying in bulk, I would make purchases consistent with a six-month use pattern. While refrigeration is not essential, it will extend shelf life up to a year. Brown rice should be kept in a cool place in a well-sealed container, away from any source of moisture. As with the whole grains, oils are a perishable food. Purchase amounts consistent with four- to six-month use, and store in a well-sealed container in a cool place out of direct light. As long as it does not sit on the shelf for too long, refrigeration is not essential for rice bran oil or peanut oil, but it certainly works in your favor and does not harm the oil. Rice bran oil is a great cooking and frying oil, as it has a very high smoke point of 490 F. The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil begins to break down. It tends to give of a bluish-gray, acrid-smelling smoke, and food cooked in such oil will have an off taste and be unhealthy to eat. Title: Re: Expiration Dates! Post by: Cheryl on March 09, 2007, 10:02:52 AM That is great to know! I love brown rice and have been wondering how much to buy for storage! This will really help! :)
Title: Pantry Goods Shelf Life Post by: lisamiut on March 11, 2007, 01:38:38 PM Storage Chart - Pantry Items
To Store on the Shelf: All items need to be stored in an airtight container. If the items have not been opened, they can be stored in their original contaners, otherwise a clear, clean container with a airtight cover should be used. A clear container will allow you to see what the container contains. Pantry items should be stored in a dry enviornment, away from direct sunlight. Storage times below are for whether the item is unopened or opened. If there is a difference between unopened and opend, it is indicated. Baking Powder 18 months - unopened 6 months - opened Baking Soda 2 years - unopened 6 months - opened Biscuit Mix 12 to 18 months Bread 3 to 5 days Bread Crumbs 6 months Brownie Mix 1 year Cake Mixes 1 year Candy - Commerically Made 1 year Canned Fruit and Vegetables 1 year Cereal 6 to 12 months - unopened 2 to 3 months - opened Chili Powder 2 years Chocolate, Semi-sweet 1 to 2 years Chocolate, Syrup 2 years Refrigerate after opening Chocolate, Unsweetened 18 months Cocoa Indefinitely - unopened 1 year - opened Coconut 1 year - unopened Coffee, Ground 2 years - unopened 2 weeks - opened Coffee, Instant 1 year - unopened 2 weeks - opened Coffee Creamer, Powder 6 months Cornmeal 1 year Cornstarch 18 months Crackers 6 months Extracts 6 months Fish, Canned 12 to 18 months Flour 6 to 8 months Formula (Infant) 12 to 18 months - unopened 2 weeks - opened Gelatin / Pudding 12 to 18 months Herbs & Spices 6 to 12 months Honey 1 year opened (actually, much longer unopened) Jams, Jellies, Preserves 1 Year - unopened 6 months - opened (refrigerated) Juice, Canned-Citrus 6 months Juice, Canned-Noncitrus 1 year Marshmallow Creme 4 months Marshmallows 3 months Mayonnaise, commercial 4 months - unopened, on shelf 2 months - opened, refrigerated Meats & Poultry, Canned 12 to 18 months Milk, Canned 1 year Milk, Nonfat Dry 6 months Molasses 1 year - unopened 6 months - opened Nuts 8 months Olives 1 year Pancake Mixes 6 months Paprika 8 months Pasta / Noodles, Dried 2 years Peanut Butter 6 to 9 months Peppers, Canned or Pickled 1 year Pickles 1 year Popcorn, Unpopped 1 to 2 years Potatoes, Instant 18 months Rice, White 2 years Salad Dressing 10 months - unopened 3 months - opened, refrigerated Salt Store Indefinitely Sauces, Condiments, Relishes 1 year - unopened Shortening 8 months - unopened 6 months - opened Sodas 3 months - unopened Stuffing Mix 6 months Sugar, Brown 4 months Sugar, Confectioners 18 months Sugar, Granulated 2 years Sugar, Substitutes 2 to 3 years Syrups 1 year Tea, Bags 18 months Tea, Instant 3 years Tea, Loose 2 years Tomato Sauce or Paste 12 to 18 months Vinegar - Do not store in a metal container. Store in its original container or in a glass container. Store Indefinitely |