Date: January 01, 1998 12:10 PM
Author: Bill Cadden (Drbill52@aol.com)
Subject: Dried Milk and Eggs Storage: Below 40 degrees?

I have been reading the Waltons labels for dried milk and eggs. They contain statements like, "*SHOULD BE STORED AT OPTIMUM CONDITIONS: 40 DEGREES OR LESS. " I have a cool crawl space to store these in, but it will not be below 40 degrees all year. I think below 65 degrees is probably closer to what I can expect.

I was not suprised to see a statement on the eggs, but I was on the milk. I have heard that dried milk is one of the staples of food storage, and I can't imagine that everyone has a refrigeration system for it. The dried milk I buy from the store doesn't have a statement like this.

So, here are my questions:

Can dried milk and eggs be stored in a cool, dry, dark space where cool means below 65 degrees?

At what temperature are things starting to get too hot?

Are these statements a way of protecting Waltons from law suits in the unlikely event that some food goes bad when in fact it usually will not?

Should I buy smaller cans of these things and refrigerate them after opening?

Thanks. Bill Cadden

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=8758)

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Date: January 01, 1998 05:19 PM
Author: Peggy Ryan (ryanpj@bright.net)
Subject: Temperature


Dear Bill: In answer to your question this information is from the "Making the Best of Basics" Family Preparedness Handbook:

1. locate food storage in dry, cool place, below 70 degrees F.

2. foods should be stored as close to 40 degrees as possible.

3. the cooler and drier foodstuffs are kept, the longer they remain tasty and nourishing

MOST IMPORTANT: For every 20 degree increase in storage temperature, the shelf life of stored food is decreased by almost 50%.

Hopes this helps.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=8786)

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Date: January 01, 1998 09:53 PM
Author: Bill Cadden (Drbill52@aol.com)
Subject: Shelf life of milk and eggs


Thanks for the useful information. Does anyone know the expected shelf life of milk and eggs at 40 degrees? Using the "For every 20 degree increase in storage temperature, the shelf life of stored food is decreased by almost 50%" formula I can expect it to be half as long if stored at 60 degrees.

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=8809)

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Date: January 01, 1998 10:46 PM
Author: Joe Stout (joewstout@iswt.com)
Subject: Shelf life


There is a great deal of difference between the shelf life of dehydrated food that is exposed to the air and that which is stored in the cans or pails oxygen free. I'm sure we've already covered much of this but there is so much that it's hard for newbies to find it. I'm sure Al Durtchi will come along and give us the correct answer.

Joe 30

(http://garynorth.entrewave.com/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=16&Message_ID=8813)