Food Storage FAQ, ver 2.5, volume one

[A. T. Hagan]

Volume One
Version 2.50
Updated October 1997
Supersedes Ver 2.10

MISC.SURVIVALISM Table of Contents
Panel 3A

PRUDENT FOOD STORAGE: Questions and Answers.

Section Zero
Foreword, Acknowledgements and Table of Contents.

Section One
Shelf Lives: Time, Temperature, Moisture and Light.

Section Two
The Techniques of Food Storage

From the House at Cat's Green
Alan T. Hagan

"In this work, when it shall be found that much is omitted,
let it not be forgotten that much likewise is performed."

Samuel Johnson, 1775, upon
completion of his dictionary.
Courtesy of James T. Stevens

FOREWORD

This work is a compilation of answers to frequently asked questions
(FAQ) concerning long term food storage. Its purpose is to promote an
understanding of the concepts, methods and techniques of long term food
storage.

There is commonality between food storage and food preservation even
though they are not precisely the same thing. Some of the information
here may be found in greater or lesser detail in one of the nine
sections of the rec.food.preserving (r.f.p.) FAQ compiled by Leslie
Basel. If you want the how to's of drying fruit, making jerky, canning
beans, fermenting pickles or corning beef then I refer you to her work
and the good stuff to be found there.

I will delve a bit more deeply than Leslie into the ins and outs of
how to put away your storage foods and have a reasonable expectation of
getting something edible back out of the container when you finally do
use it. Also covered will be food spoilage -- how to recognize it and
how to combat it. A resource list of where to find supplies and
in-depth information will be included at the end.

This file is updated as sufficient relevant information becomes
available, at this time on a semi-annual basis with updates coming out
in April and October. Be of assistance -- point out mistakes, write
sections and reviews, provide us with new sources. All contributors, if
you wish, will be cited in this file.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Diana J. Hagan, my wife, for a *lot* of valuable
assistance; Susan Collingwood for sage advice; Al Durtschi for
resources and encouragement; Sandon A. Flowers; Mark Westphal; Pyotr
Filipivich; Denis DeFigueiredo; Jenny S. Johanssen; Woody Harper;
Higgins10; Kahless; Amy Thompson(Saco Foods); Geri Guidetti; Logan
VanLeigh; Amy Gale, editor of the rec.food.cooking FAQ; James T.
Stevens, author of *Making The Best of Basics*; Craig Ellis; a number
of folks who for reasons sufficient unto themselves wish to remain
anonymous and last, but certainly not least, Leslie Basel, without whom
I'd never have attempted this in the first place.

Updated: 9/18/96; 4/16/97; 7/21/97; 10/20/97

Copyright (c)1996,1997 Alan T. Hagan. All rights reserved.

Excluding contributions attributed to specific individuals all
material in this work is copyrighted to Alan T. Hagan and all rights are
reserved. This work may be copied and distributed freely as long as the
entire text, my and the contributor's names and this copyright notice
remain intact, unless my prior permission has been obtained. This FAQ
may not be distributed for financial gain, included in commercial
collections or compilations, or included as a part of the content of any
web site without prior, express permission from the author.

=======================================================================
DISCLAIMER: Safe and effective food storage requires attention to
detail and proper equipment and ingredients. The author makes no
warranties and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the
text, or damages resulting from the use or misuse of information
contained herein.

Placement of or access to this work on this or any other site does
not mean the author espouses or adopts any political, philosophical or
meta-physical concepts that may also be expressed wherever this work
appears.
========================================================================

PLEASE DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND/OR CRITICISMS TO:
ath...@sprintmail.com

Written material may be sent to the address below:

A.T. Hagan
P.O.Box 140008
Gainesville, FL 32614-0008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

***VOLUME ONE***

O. Foreword, Acknowledgements and Table of Contents.

I. Shelf Lives: Time, Temperature, Moisture and Light.

II. The Techniques of Food Storage

A. Grains and Legumes
1. Grain Varieties
2. Legume Varieties
3. Types of Availability of Grains and Legumes
- Moisture Content
- Cleaning It Yourself
4. Storing Grains and Legumes

B. Dry Milks
1. Types of Dry Milks
- Buying Dry Milk Products
2 Storing Dry Milks
- Shelf Life of Dry Milks

***VOLUME TWO***

C. Canned Goods
1 Canned Milk Types
- Shelf Life of Canned Milks
2. Corrosion Prevention of Canned Goods

D. Sugar, Honey and Other Sweeteners
1. Types of Granulated Sugars
- Storing Granulated Sugars
2. Types of Honey
- Buying Honey
- Storing Honey
- Raw Honey and Botulism
- Honey Outgassing
3. Types of Cane Syrups
- Storing Cane Syrups
4. Corn Syrup
5. Maple Syrup

E. Fats and Oils
1. Buying and Storing Oils and Fats.
2. Extending Shelf Life By Adding Anti-Oxidants

Y. Cooking Staples
1. Baking Powder
2. Baking Soda
3. Herbs and Spices
4. Salt
5. Vinegar
6. Yeast

Z. Infant Formula

***VOLUME THREE***

III. Spoilage

A. Insect Infestations
1. Pests of Stored Grains, Legumes and Dry Foodstuffs
2. Control of Insect Infestations

B. Molds In Foods
1. Minimizing Molds
2. Molds in Canned Goods
3. Molds in Grains and Legumes
- Preventing Molds In Grains and Legumes

C. Bacterial Spoilage
1. Botulism
2. Other Bacterial Spoilers In Food

D. Enzymatic Action In Food Spoilage

***VOLUME FOUR***

IV. Specific Equipment Questions

A. Storage Containers
1. Plastic Containers
- What Makes A Plastic Container "Food Grade"?
- Where Do I Find Food Grade Containers?
- How Do I Get the Odor Out of Pickle Buckets?
2. Metal Cans
- The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints
3. Glass Jars

B. CO2 and Nitrogen
1. Dry Ice
- Dry Ice Suppliers
2. Compressed Nitrogen
- Types of Availability
- Obtaining the Gas and Necessary Equipment
- Putting It All Together
- Putting It Into Use

C. Oxygen Absorbers
1. What Is An Oxygen Absorber?
2. Where Can I Find Oxygen Absorbers?
3. How Are Oxygen Absorbers Used?

D. Desiccants
1. What Is A Desiccant?
2. Where Do I Find Desiccants?
3. How Do I Use Desiccants?

E. Diatomaceous Earth
1. What Is Diatomaceous Earth?
2. Where Can I Find DE and What Type Should I Buy?
3. How Do I Use DE In Food Storage?

V. Shelf Lives

A. Shelf Lives of Some Common Storage Foods

B. Dating Codes Used By Some Food Manufacturers

***VOLUME FIVE***

VI. Resources

A. Books

B. Pamphlets

C. Magazines

D. Phone, voice, non-modem

E. Electronic-online
- Information sources
- Software sources

F. Organizations
- The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

G. Food and Equipment Suppliers
- Mail Ordering Storage Foods What You Should Know
- Addresses of Suppliers.

=========================================================================
I -- SHELF LIVES: TIME, TEMPERATURE, MOISTURE AND LIGHT.
=========================================================================

Since the entire idea of a food storage program is that it should be
available for you and yours in times of need, it is desirable to gain an
understanding of those conditions that can affect the edibles stored in
your pantry.

Your storage program is only as good as the original quality of the
food that goes into it. It cannot get any better than what originally
goes in, but it can certainly get worse. In the fullness of time, all
stored foods will degrade in nutrient content and palatability until
they reach the inevitable end where even the dog won't eat them. It's
because of this eventuality that every article, book, and teacher
concerned with putting food by gives the same advice: date all food
containers and rotate, Rotate, ROTATE.

It is important to remember when discussing the usefulness of
various foodstuffs that there are really *two* shelf lives to be
considered. The first shelf life is the nutrient content of the food.
This actually begins to degrade from the moment the food is harvested.
Three factors dictate nutritional shelf life: the food's initial
nutritional content; the processing steps the food underwent before it
was placed into storage, and its storage conditions. Eventually the
nutrition will dwindle away to nothing. At some point it will have to
be decided the remaining nutrition is not worth the space the food is
taking up and it should be rotated out of storage.

The second shelf life to consider is a food's useful life or the
point at which it undergoes undesireable changes to taste, texture,
color and cooking qualities. This is the reason for the "use by" dates
on many foods and for shelve lives in general and will almost always be
in excess of good nutritive life. We've all heard of people eating many
year old preserved foods such as jellies, MRE's and the like. If you
don't have anything to replace it with, it's not necessary to throw food
out just because it's reached the end of its nutritive shelf life. Do,
however, keep in mind that increasing age will only further decrease the
useful nutrition and increase the likelihood that something may cause
the food to spoil.

Within reason, the key to prolonging the storage life of your
edibles lies in lowering the temperature of the area in which they are
stored. The storage lives of most foods are cut in half by every
increase of 18 F (10 degrees Celsius). For example, if you've stored
your food in a garage that has a temperature of 90 F then you should
expect a shelf life less than half of what could be obtained at room
temperature (70 F) which in turn is less than half the storage life that
you could get if you kept them in your refrigerator at 40 F. Your
storage area should be located where the temperature can be kept above
freezing (32 F) and, if possible, below 72 F.

Ideally, your storage location should have a humidity level of 15%
or less, but unless you live in the desert it's not terribly likely
you'll be able to achieve this so you'll have to do the best that you
can. Regardless, moisture is not good for your stored edibles so you
want to minimize it as much as possible. This can be done by several
methods. The first is to keep your storage location air-conditioned
during the warm and humid times of the year. The second is to package
the goods in storage containers impervious to moisture and then to deal
with the moisture trapped inside. If you can, there's no reason not to
use both. All storage containers should be kept off the floor and out
of direct contact from exterior walls to reduce the chances of
condensation.

Once you've gotten temperature and humidity under control, it's
necessary to look at light. Light is a form of energy and when it
shines on your stored foods long enough it transfers some of that energy
to the food. That energy has the effect of degrading its nutritional
content and appearance. Fat soluble vitamins, such as A,D and E are
particularly sensitive to light degradation. It's a pretty sight to
look at rows and rows of jars full of delicious food, particularly if
you were the one that put the food in those jars. However, if you want
to keep them at their best, you'll admire them only when you turn the
light on in the pantry to retrieve a jar. If you don't have a room that
can be dedicated to this purpose then store the jars in the cardboard
box they came in. This will protect them not only from light, but help
to cushion them from shocks which might break a jar or cause it to lose
its seal. For those of you in earthquake country, it's a particularly
good idea. When "terra" is no longer "firma" your jars just might dance
right off onto the floor.

Assuming that it was properly processed in the first place, canned,
dried and frozen (never thawed) foods do not become unsafe when stored
longer than the recommended time, but their nutrient quality fades and
their flavor goes downhill. Think of rotating your food storage as
paying your food insurance premiums -- slacking off on rotation cuts
back on your coverage. Is your food insurance up to date?

=========================================================================
II -- THE TECHNIQUES OF FOOD STORAGE
=========================================================================

A. GRAINS AND LEGUMES

A.1 GRAIN VARIETIES

One of the most important decisions in planning your long term food
storage are the kinds of grains you are going to store. Too many people
do not give this adequate thought, and just buy however much wheat they
think is necessary to meet their needs and leave it at that. Others
rely upon pre-packaged plans made for them by the storage food retailer
who put together the food package they've purchased. For many, either
decision could be a major mistake.

There are any number of food storage plans to be found by those who
take the time to look. Many of them are based on the so-called "Mormon
Four" of wheat, milk, honey and salt, with as many additional foods as
the planner finds to be desirable. Back in the thirties, when I believe
this plan first got its start, this may have been OK, but we've learned
a great deal since then. An unfortunate number of people in our society
have developed allergies to one kind of food or another. One of the
more common food allergens is wheat. Even more unfortunate is the fact
that of those with an allergy to this most common of grains, many of
them are not even aware of it. They won't become aware of it until they
try to live with wheat as a large part of their diet. This is the
reason you should store what you eat and eat what you store: So that
ugly surprises such as this don't come up when it's too late to easily
avoid them.

A second reason to think about providing a variety of grains in your
food storage is appetite fatigue. There are many people who think
providing variety in the diet is relatively unimportant and that if and
when the time comes they'll eat what they've got and that will be that.
For healthy, well-adjusted adults under ordinary circumstances this
might be possible without too much difficulty. However, the entire
reason for having a *long term* food storage program is for when
circumstances *aren't* ordinary. Times of crisis produce stress --
possibly physical, but always mental. If you are suddenly forced to eat
a diet that is both alien and monotonous, it is going to add just that
much more stress on top of what you are already dealing with. If your
planning includes the elderly, young children and infants they might
just quit eating or refuse to eat sufficient amounts and become unable
to survive. This is not a trivial problem and should be given serious
consideration. Consider the positive aspects of adding some "comfort
foods".

In his book, *Making the Best of Basics*, James Stevens mentions a
post WWII study by Dr. Norman Wright, of the British Food Ministry,
which found that people in England and Europe were more likely to reject
unfamiliar or distasteful foods during times of stress than under normal
conditions. When it's wheat, day in and day out, then wheat's going to
start becoming distasteful pretty fast. Far better to have a variety of
foods on hand to forestall appetite fatigue and, more importantly, to
use those storable foods in your everyday diet so that you'll be
accustomed to them.

[If anyone knows where I may find an actual copy of the study by Dr.
Wright, I'd appreciate it if you'd point me to it. Thanks-ed.]

Below is a list of some common and uncommon grains presently
available in the marketplace. Because wheat is by far the most common
directly consumed grain in the United States I've put it at the head of
the list.

WHEAT: Wheat comes in a number of different varieties. Each variety is
more or less suitable for a given purpose based on its
characteristics. The most common classifications for wheat varieties
are spring or winter, hard or soft, red or white.

The hard wheats have kernels that tend to be small, very hard and
have a high gluten content. Gluten is the protein in grains that
enables the dough made from them to trap the gasses produced by yeast
fermentation and raise the bread. Low gluten wheat does not produce as
good a loaf as high gluten wheat, though they can still be used for
yeast breads if necessary. As a general rule, hard varieties have more
protein than soft varieties.

The soft varieties have kernels tending to be larger, plumper and
softer in texture than hard wheats. Their gluten content is less and
these are used in pastries, quick breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals.

Winter wheats are planted in the fall, over winter in the field and
are harvested the next summer. Spring wheats are planted in the early
spring and are harvested in the fall. Red wheats comprise most of the
hard varieties while white wheats comprise most of the soft. Recently,
hard white wheats have been developed that are suitable for raised bread
making. Some feel the hard white varieties make a better tasting whole
wheat bread than the hard red.

The most commonly stored are the hard red varieties, either spring
or winter, because of their high protein. They should have a protein
content of no less than 12%, with higher the better. The hard white
spring wheats are still relatively new and are not yet widespread. They
have the same excellent storage characteristics as the hard red wheats.

AMARANTH: Amaranth is not a true cereal grain at all, but is a relative
of the pigweeds and the ornamental flowers we know as
cockscomb. It's grown not only for its seeds, but for its leaves that
can be cooked and eaten as greens. The grain is high in protein,
particularly the amino acid lysine which is limited in the true cereal
grains. The grains can be milled as-is, or the seeds can be toasted to
provide more flavor. The flour lacks gluten, so it's not suited for
raised breads, but can be made into any of a number of flat breads.
Some varieties can be popped much like popcorn, or can be boiled and
eaten as a cereal, used in soups, granolas, and the like. Toasted or
untoasted, it blends well with other grain flours.

BARLEY: Barley is thought by some to be the first grain ever grown by
man. It has short, stubby kernels with a hull that is
difficult to remove. Excluding barley intended for malting or animal
feed, most of this grain is consumed by humans in two forms. The most
common is the white, highly processed "pearl" barley that has had most
of its bran and germ milled off along with its hull. It is the least
nutritious form of barley. The second form it's found in is called
"pot" or "hulled" barley and it has been subjected to the same milling
process as pearled, but with fewer trips through the polisher. Because
of this, it retains more of the nutritious germ and bran. Unless you
are prepared to try to get the hulls off I don't recommend buying barley
still in the hull. Barley can be milled into flour, but its low gluten
content will not make a good loaf of raised bread. It can be combined
with other flours that have sufficient gluten to make good raised bread
or used in flat breads. Barley flour and flakes have a light nutty
flavor that is enhanced by toasting. Whole barley is commonly used to
add thickness to soups and stews.

Recently, a hull-less form of barley has become available on the
market through a few suppliers. This is whole grain barley with all of
its bran and germ intact and should have the most nutrients of any form
of this grain available. I have not been able to discover yet how
suitable it is for long term storage.

BUCKWHEAT: Buckwheat is another of those seeds commonly considered to
be a grain, but which is not a true cereal. It is a close
relative to the docks and sorrels. The grain itself is a dark, three
cornered seed resembling a tiny beechnut. It has a hard, fibrous hull
that requires a special buckwheat huller to remove it. Here in the
U.S., it is most often used in pancakes, biscuits and muffins. In
eastern Europe and Russia it is known in its toasted form as kasha. In
the Far East, it's often made into soba or noodles. It's also a good
bee plant, producing a dark, strongly flavored honey. The flour is
light or dark depending on how much of the hull has been removed before
grinding. Dark flour is far superior nutritionally as you might expect,
but it also much more strongly flavored. Buckwheat is one of those
foods with no middle ground in peoples opinions -- they either love it
or they hate it. Like amaranth, it's high in lysine, an amino acid
commonly lacking in the true cereal grains.

CORN Corn is the most common grain crop in the U.S., but it is
(MAIZE): mostly consumed indirectly as animal feed or even industrial
feedstock rather than directly as food. Nevertheless, it comes
in an amazing variety of forms and, like wheat, some of them are better
suited for a particular purpose than others. The varieties intended to
be eaten as fresh, green corn are very high in sugar content and do not
dry or store well. The other varieties are the flint, dent, and
popcorns. All of them keep well when they have been properly dried. To a
certain extent, they're all interchangeable for purposes of grinding
into meal (sometimes known as polenta meal) or flour (very finely ground
corn, not cornstarch), but some make better meal than flour and vice
versa. As a general rule of thumb, the flint varieties make better meal
as they have a grittier texture than the dent corns which make better
flour. If meal, hominy and hominy grits (commonly called just "grits")
are what you are most interested in, use the flint type. If you intend
to make corn masa for tortillas and tamales, then the dent type is what
you want. Popcorn is what you need if you want to pop it for snacks and
it can also be ground into meal or flour. It seems to me it makes a very
good meal, but it's just a bit gritty for flour. Your mileage may vary.
Yellow dent corn seems to be the most commonly available variety among
storage food dealers.

Popcorn is one form of a whole grain available to nearly everyone in
the U.S. if they know where to look. Since it's so popular as a snack
food, particularly in movie theaters and events like fairs and ball
games, even the smallest of towns will generally have at least one
business selling it in twenty five or fifty pound bags. Since it's
meant to be eaten it's safe for food. To be at its most poppable, this
corn needs to have a moisture content between 13.5%-15.5% which makes it
just a little too moist for ideal storage. A small amount of drying
will need to be done before it's packed away. If wanted for popping
later, it can always be re-hydrated by sprinkling a small amount of
water on the kernels, shaking vigorously and allowing it to be absorbed.

Once you've decided between flint, dent or popcorn, you now have to
decide upon it's color: There are yellow, white, blue, & red dried
varieties. The yellow and white types are the most common by far with
the blues and reds mostly being relegated to curiosities, though blue
corn has been gaining in popularity these last few years. It should be
kept in mind that white corn does not have the carotene (converts into
vitamin A) content of yellow corn. Since vitamin A is one of the major
limiting vitamins in long term food storage, any possible source of it
should be utilized so for this reason I suggest storing yellow rather
than white corn. Additionally, much of the niacin content of corn is
chemically bound up in a form not available for human nutrition unless
it has been treated with an alkali. If grits, hominy or corn masa (for
torillas and tamales) are not a part of your diet and you're storing
corn, it is a very good idea to begin to develop a taste for some or all
of these alkali treated forms of corn foods.

MILLET: Millet is an important staple grain in North China, and India,
but is little known as a food in the U.S, mostly being used as
bird feed. The grain kernels are very small, round, and usually ivory
colored or yellow, though some varieties are darker. The lack of gluten
and a rather bland flavor may account for the anonymity of this grain
here, but it's alkaline content is higher than other grains and makes it
very easy to digest. It also has a higher iron content than any other
grain but amaranth. It swells a great deal when cooked and supplies
more servings per pound than any other grains. When cooked like rice it
makes an excellent breakfast cereal. Though it has little gluten of its
own, it mixes well with other flours.

OATS: Though the Scots and the Irish have made an entire cuisine from
oats, they are still mostly thought of in the U.S. as a bland
breakfast food. It is seldom found as a whole grain, usually being sold
processed in one form or another. Much like barley, oats are a
difficult grain to separate from their hulls. Besides their longtime
role as a breakfast food, where they can be made very flavorful with a
little creative thought, oats make an excellent thickener of soups and
stews and a filler in meat loafs and casseroles. Probably the second
most common use for oats in America is in cookies and granolas.

Listed below in order of desirability for storage are the forms of
oats most often found in this country. Rolled and cut oats retain both
their bran and their germ.

Oat groats: These are whole oats with the hulls removed. They are
not often found in this form, but can sometimes be had from natural food
stores and some storage food dealers. Oats are not the easiest thing to
get a consistent grind from so producing your own oat flour takes a bit
of experience.

Steel cut oats: Also known as Irish or pinhead or porridge (but so
are rolled) oats. These are oat groats which have been cut into chunks
with steel blades. They're not rolled and look like coarse bits of
grain. This form can be found in both natural food stores (sometimes
*much* cheaper) and many supermarkets.

Rolled oats: These are also commonly called "old fashioned", "thick
cut" or "porridge" oats. To produce them, oat groats are steamed and
then rolled to flatten. They can generally be found wherever oats are
sold. They take longer to cook than do the quick cooking oats, but they
retain more flavor and nutrition. This is what most people will call to
mind when they think of oatmeal.

Quick cooking rolled oats: These are just steamed oat groats rolled
thinner than the old fashioned kind above so that they will cook faster.
They can usually be found right next to the thicker rolled oats.

Instant rolled oats: These are the "just add hot water" or
microwave type of oat cereals and are not at all suited for a long term
food storage program. They do, however, have uses in "bug out" and 72
hour food kits for short term crises.

Whole oats: This is with the hulls still on. They are sold in seed
stores and sometimes straight from the farmer who grew them. Unless
you have some means of getting the hulls off, I don't recommend buying
oats in this form. If you do buy from a seed supplier, make certain
that they have not been treated with any chemicals that are toxic to
humans.

QUINOA: Quinoa is yet another of the grains that is not a true
cereal. It's botanical name is Chenopodium quinoa (pronounced
"keen-wah"), and is a relative of the common weed Lambsquarter. The
individual kernels are about 1.5-2 mm in size and are shaped rather like
small flattened spheres, yellow in color. When quinoa is cooked, the
germ of the grain coils into a small "tail" that lends a pleasant
crunch. This exotic grain should be thoroughly washed before cooking in
order to prevent the cooked product from tasting bitter. There are
several varieties of quinoa that have color ranging from near white to a
dark brown. The larger white varieties are considered superior and are
the most common found.

RICES: Rice is the most commonly consumed food grain in the world. The
U.S. is the leading exporter of it, though we actually only
produce about 1% of the global supply. It is my favorite grain and in
the form of brown rice, we eat a great deal of it here at the House.

Much like wheat and corn, rice comes in a number of varieties, each
with different characteristics. They are typically divided into classes
by the length of their kernel grains; short, medium and long.

Short grain rice: Short grain rice is a little softer and bit
moister when it cooks and tends to stick together more than the longer
rices. It has a sweeter, somewhat stronger flavor than long grain rice.

Medium grain rice: Medium grain rice is not very common in the
States. It has flavor like short grain rice, but with a texture more
like long grain rice.

Long grain rice: Long grain rice cooks up into a dryer, flakier
dish than the shorter grains and the flavor tends to be blander. It is
the most commonly found size of rice on the grocery shelves.

Each of these may be processed into brown, white, parboiled or
converted and instant rices. Below is a short discussion of the
differences between the various types of rices.

Brown rice: This is whole grain rice with only the hull removed. It
retains all of the nutrition to be found in rice and has a pleasant
nutty flavor when boiled. From a nutrition standpoint it is by far the
best of the rices to put into storage, but it has one flaw: The
essential oil in the germ of the rice is very susceptible to oxidation
and soon goes rancid. As a result, brown rice has a shelf life of only
about six months from the date of purchase unless given special
packaging or storage processing. Freezing or refrigeration will greatly
extend its storage life. It's also possible to purchase brown rice from
long term food suppliers specially packaged in air tight containers with
an inert nitrogen atmosphere. In this kind of packaging, (if properly
done), the storage life of brown rice can be extended for years.

Converted rice: Converted rice starts as brown rice which undergoes
a process of soaking and steaming until it is partially cooked. It is
dried and then polished to remove the bran and germ. The steaming
process drives some of the vitamins and minerals from the outer layers
into the white inner layers. This makes it more nutritious than
polished white rice, but also makes it more expensive.

White rice: This is raw rice that has had its outer layers milled
off, taking with it about 10% of its protein, 85% of its fat and 70% of
its mineral content. Because so much of the nutrition of the rice is
lost, white rice sold in this country has to be enriched with vitamins
that only partially replaces what was removed.

RYE: Rye is a well known bread grain in the U.S., though not as popular
as wheat. It has dark brown kernels longer and thinner than wheat,
but less gluten. Bread made from this grain tends to be somewhat dense
unless gluten is added (often in the form of a lot of wheat flour) with
color that ranges from pale to dark brown. German pumpernickel, made
with unrefined rye flour and molasses, is the blackest, densest form.
Rye makes for excellent variety in the diet.

SORGHUM: Sorghum is probably more widely known here in the States for
the syrup made from the juice squeezed from the canes of one
of its many varieties. Also widely called "milo", it is one of the
principle cereal grains grown in Africa. Its seeds are somewhat round,
a little smaller than peppercorns, with an overall brown color with a
bit of red and yellow mixed in. The varieties called "yellow endosperm
sorghum" have a better taste. Sorghum is a major feed grain in the
Southwestern part of the U.S. and is where the vast majority of the
national milo production goes to. Like most of the other grains,
sorghum is low in gluten, but the seeds can be milled into flour and
mixed with higher gluten flours or made into flat breads, pancakes or
cookies. In the Far East, it is cooked and eaten like rice, while in
Africa it is ground in meal for porridge. It's also commonly brewed
into alcoholic beverages.

TRITICALE: Triticale is not a creation sprung whole from the foreheads
of Star Trek script writers. It is, in fact, a cross or
hybrid between wheat and rye. This youngest grain combines the
productivity of wheat with the ruggedness of rye and has a high
nutrition value. Triticale kernels are gray-brown, oval shaped
larger-than-wheat kernels and plumper than rye. It will make a raised
bread like wheat flour will, but the gluten is a bit weak so wheat flour
is frequently added to strengthen it. Because of the delicate nature of
its gluten, excessive kneading must be avoided. This grain can be used
in much the same way wheat or rye is. Although it is the youngest of the
grains, it's been around for some years now. For reasons I've never
understood, triticale has never achieved much popularity. Whether this
is for reasons of agricultural production or public acceptance I don't
know.

A.2 LEGUME VARIETIES

Unless a person is willing to spend a great deal of money on
preserved meats, a food storage program not including a quantity of
legumes is simply incomplete. There are few non-animal foods that
contain the amount of protein to be found in dried beans, peas, and
lentils. The varieties commonly available in this country have protein
contents ranging from 20%-35%. As with most non-animal proteins, they
are not complete in themselves for purposes of human nutrition, but
become so when they are combined with the incomplete proteins found in
grains. It is for this reason that grains and legumes are so often
mentioned together. In cultures all over the world, it is common to
find the two served together at a meal, making a complete protein, even
when those doing the serving have no understanding of nutrition at all.

The legume family, of which all beans, peas, lentils,and peanuts are
a part of, is one of the largest in the plant kingdom. Because of this
and the many thousands of years of development and cultivation that man
has given them, the variety of edible legumes available to us is huge.
Both the appearance and the names of legume varieties are colorful and
varied. The names range from "adzuki" beans, a type of soybean from the
Orient, to "zipper" peas, a commonly found field pea here in the
Southern U.S. The color of the beans can range from a clean white, to
deep red, dull green to flat black with thousands of mixtures and
patterns of colors.

In spite of this incredible variety of names and colors, legumes are
largely interchangeable in cooking usage, although some dishes just
wouldn't be the same if a different type was used. Below is a partial
list of some of the more commonly eaten bean varieties here in the U.S.

BLACK BEAN: Also known as turtle beans, these small, dark-brownish
black, oval-shaped beans are well known in Cuban black bean
soup. They are very commonly used in Central and South America and in
China. They tend to bleed very darkly when cooked so they are not well
suited to being combined with other beans, lest they give the entire pot
a muddy appearance.

BLACK-EYED PEA: Although there is tremendous variation among the many
varieties of field peas eaten throughout the Southern
United States, it is black-eyed peas that are the most commonly known
nationwide. The coloring of field peas is as varied as the rest of the
legume family, with black-eyed peas being small and oval-shaped with an
overall creamy color and, of course, their distinctive black-eye. Dried
field peas cook very quickly and combine very tastily with either rice
or cornbread.

CHICKPEA: Also known as the garbanzo bean or cecci pea (or bean), it
tends to be a creamy or tan color, rather lumpily roundish
and larger than dried garden peas. Many have eaten chickpeas, even if
they've never seen a whole one. They are the prime ingredient in hummus
and falafel and are one of the oldest cultivated legume species known,
going back as far as 5400 B.C. in the Near East.

KIDNEY BEANS: Just like the rest of the family, kidney beans can be
found in wide variety. They come in both light and dark
red color in their distinctive kidney shape. Probably best known here
in the U.S. for their use in chili, they figure prominently in Mexican,
Brazilian and Chinese cuisine.

LENTILS: Lentils are an odd lot. They don't fit in with either the
beans or the peas and occupy a place by themselves. Their
shape is different from the other legumes being roundish little discs
with colors ranging from muddy brown, to green to a rather bright
orangish-red. They cook very quickly compared to the larger beans and
have a distinctive flavor. They are much used in Far Eastern cuisine
from Indian to Chinese.

LIMA BEANS: In the Southern U.S., they are also commonly called butter
beans. They are one of the most common beans found in this
country in all manner of preservation from the young small beans to the
large fully mature type. Their flavor is pleasant, but a little bland.
Their shape is rather flat and broad with colors ranging from pale green
to speckled cream and purple.

PEANUTS: The peanut, commonly known outside the U.S. as the groundnut,
is not actually a nut at all, but a legume. Peanuts are
another odd species not much like the more familiar beans and peas.
Whatever their their classification they are certainly not unfamiliar to
U.S. eaters. Peanuts have a high protein percentage and even more fat.
They are one of the two legume species commonly grown for oilseed in
this country, and are also used for peanut butter, boiled and roasted
peanuts. Many Central and South American, African and Chinese dishes
incorporate peanuts so they are useful for much more than just a snack
food or cooking oil.

PINTO BEANS: Anyone who has eaten Tex-Mex food has probably had the
pinto bean. It is one of the most commonly eaten beans in
the U.S., particularly in the Southwestern portion of the country.
Stereotypically bean shaped, it has a dappled pattern of tans and browns
on its shell. Pintos have a flavor that blends well with many foods.
When ground together with white or navy beans they make my favorite
home-made version of falafel.

SOYBEANS: An entire university could be founded on the culinary and
industrial uses of the soybean. It is by far the legume with
the highest protein content in commercial production as well as being
the other legume oilseed producer alongside the peanut. The beans
themselves are small, and round with a multitude of different shades.
Although the U.S. grows a very large percentage of the global supply of
these beans, we actually consume virtually none of them directly. Most
of them go into cattle feed, are used by industry or exported. What
does get eaten directly has usually been processed in some form or
fashion. Soybean products range from tofu, to tempeh, to textured
vegetable protein and hundreds of other uses. Although they are very
high in protein, they don't lend themselves well to just being boiled
until done and eaten the way other beans and peas do. For this reason,
if you plan on keeping some as a part of your storage program (and you
should) you would be well served to begin to learn how to process and
prepare them *now* when you're not under pressure to produce. That way
you can throw out your mistakes and order pizza, rather than having to
choke them down, regardless.

A.3 TYPES OF AVAILABILITY OF GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Grains and legumes of all types may be purchased in a number of
different fashions depending largely on where you live and the time of
year. If you should happen to live in the area where the type of grain
or legume that you are interested in purchasing is grown you may be able
to purchase direct from the producer or distributor.

If you are interested in doing this, you may be able to find what
you want at any processing step along the way. The most basic form is
called "field run" which means that it's been harvested and sold shortly
thereafter. It will not have been given any cleaning or processing and
is likely to be rather dirty depending upon the conditions under which
it was grown and harvested.

A second basic form called "field run from storage" is grain that
has been harvested and then put into storage for a time. It will have
all of the dirt and detritus of field run grain and whatever it may have
picked up from the silo as well.

If you want cleaner grain you should look for "pre-cleaned" which
means that it has been passed through fans, screens or sieves to remove
chaff, smut balls, insect parts, mouse droppings and other debris.

For those of us who don't live in an area that produces the grain
and legumes that we're interested in, we have to resort to the last type
which is "pre-cleaned and pre-packaged". This is grain that's been
harvested, cleaned and put up in bags or other containers-possibly even
going so far as to already be packaged for long term storage.

Each of the above types of availability has its good and bad points.
As you might expect, the more processing the product receives, the
higher its price is likely to be. If you don't mind doing a little
cleaning and you need to be frugal with your cash, then field run grain
is the way to go.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have purchased your grains and legumes from a
food store or a foods dealer then you needn't worry
about hidden mold infections, fungicides or insecticides that are unsafe
for human consumption. In the U.S. the products will have been checked
at least several times by Federal and State agriculture dept's and
probably by the major foods dealers as well, to insure its quality.

This is not *necessarily* the case when you purchase your grains or
legumes direct from the farmer or elevator operator as field run or
field run from storage grain. Nor is it necessarily the case if you've
made the decision to utilize grains marketed as animal feed. Inspection
procedures vary from nation to nation, so outside of the U.S. inquire of
your supplier.

If you are buying your grains and legumes from some-place other than
a food store then you need to know the history of what it is you are
buying. Straight field run grain, other than being dirty, is not likely
to have had anything added to it that would make it undesirable for
human consumption. There is, however, the small possibility it may have
been infected with molds that would make it unsafe for eating. Field
run from storage and any grade of grain not specifically advertised for
human consumption may have had fumigants, fungicides or insecticides not
certified as safe for human foods added to it while it was in the bin.
It is important to know what it has been treated with before you buy it.

There is a fungal infection of grain called "ergot". It is
attracted to rye more so than other grains, particularly if the growing
conditions were damp where it was grown. This fungus causes a nervous
disorder known as St. Anthony's Fire. When eaten in large quantities
the ergot alkaloids can cause constriction of the blood vessels,
particularly in the extremities. The effects of ergot poisoning are
cumulative and lead to numbness of the limbs and other, frequently
serious symptoms.

This fungal disease affects only the flowering parts of some members
of the grass family, mostly rye. The fungus bodies are hard, spur like,
purple black structures that replace the kernel in the grain head. The
ergot bodies can vary in size from the length of the kernel to as much
as several times as long. They don't crush as easily as smut bodies of
other funguses. When they are cracked open, the inner broken faces are
can be off-white, yellow, or tan. The infected grain looks very
different from ordinary, healthy rye grains and can be spotted easily.
Ergot only rarely affects other grains. If you purchase field run rye,
you should closely examine it first for the presence of ergot bodies. If
you find more than a very few, pass up that grain and look elsewhere.

Sometimes grain in the form of animal feed or seed grain/legumes is
available. Keep in mind animal feeds may have a higher contaminant
level than what is permissible for human consumption. Under certain
circumstances, the USDA allows the sale of grain or legumes for animal
feed that could not be sold for direct human consumption. If that feed
is to be fed to non-lactating (non-dairy animals), they will sometimes
allow an aflatoxin (a type of fungal mycotoxin) content of five times
what is permissible for use in human foodstuffs. It may even be mixed
varieties of one grain and not all one type. Seed grains, in
particular, must be investigated carefully to find out what they may
have been treated with. It is quite common for seed to have had
fungicides applied to them, and maybe other chemicals as well.

If you do purchase field run grain of any sort, examine it closely
for contamination and moldy grain. Ask the farmer or distributor
whether it has been tested for mold or mycotoxin content. This is
especially the case if you are buying field-run CORN, RYE, SOYBEANS or
RICE. When you purchase direct from the field, you may be getting it
before it has been checked. Be certain of what it is that you are
getting and ask questions if you choose to go this route. Know who you
are dealing with. Unless you just can't find any other source, I don't
recommend using animal feed or seed grains for human food.

Please see section III.B.3 " Molds In Grains and Legumes" for further
information.

A.3.1 MOISTURE CONTENT

The moisture content of the grain or legume you want to purchase or
grow has a major impact on how long you will be able to store it and
have it remain nutritious and edible. Some of the information I have
found says that grain with a moisture content as high as 12% can be
safely put into long term storage, but there is a risk to storing grain
at that moisture level that should be understood.

The outside of each and every kernel of grain or bean you buy or
grow may host thousands of fungi spores and bacteria. This is all
perfectly natural and is not a reason to panic. The problem lies in
that at moisture levels between 13.5% to 15% some fungal species are
able to grow and reproduce. Other species require a moisture level in
the 16-23% range. Aerobic bacteria (oxygen using) require a moisture
level of about 20%. Raw peanuts are particularly susceptible to
Aspergillus mold growth that produces afltoxin and should be stored with
an 8% moisture content or less.

Thus, if you have grain you want to store with a moisture content as
high as 12% you are perilously close to having enough moisture to enable
mold growth which could lead to the ruin of your grain. For this
reason, I suggest keeping all grains and legumes to a moisture content
of no more than 10%.

If you do not have a clue as to what the moisture level of your
grain is here is a rough method to determine it.

Take 20 ounces of the grain or legumes in question from the middle
of its bag or container (this needs to be an actual weighed twenty
ounces and not estimated). Spread the grain in a large baking dish
making sure it is not more than an inch deep. Heat at 180 F for about
two hours, stirring occasionally. Allow the grain to cool where it
won't readsorb moisture, the oven will do. Once cool, reweigh the
grain. A one ounce loss in weight indicates the grain had roughly a
five percent moisture content, 2 ounces indicates that it has a 10%
moisture content, etc, etc. You might even be able to cut it as fine as
a half oz loss, but I wouldn't try to take it further than that.

Obviously, this is only a rough measure, but it works and I don't
have a better idea that could be used by an individual in the home. If
anyone has a better way of measuring moisture levels which can be done
without a lab or special equipment I'd surely like to hear it.

A.3.2 CLEANING IT YOURSELF

If you've chosen to purchase field-run grain or if the pre-cleaned
product you've bought isn't clean enough to suit you, you can do it
yourself.

The fastest and easiest method is "fanning", a form of winnowing.
This is done by pouring the grain slowly through the air stream of a fan
or blower into a clean, deep container such as a cardboard box or trash
can. The wind blowing through the falling grain will blow out most of
the broken kernels, chaff, smut balls, mouse droppings, etc. If you're
losing too much good grain, try turning the fan down or moving it
further back from the container. The deep container will cut down on
the amount of kernels that bounce out. Repeat fanning as necessary
until the grain is clean enough to suit or you've blown all of the
lighter contaminants out.

If the fanning didn't get the grain clean enough then it can be
further cleaned by running it through a screen or sieve. This should be
made with holes just big enough to pass an average sized grain of what
it is you're cleaning. Obviously, the size of the holes will
necessarily vary depending upon the kernel size of the grain.

Should the kernels still not be clean enough to suit then you'll
just have to resort to "hand picking" out the offending particles. I'd
strongly suggest doing this just prior to grinding where it can be done
in small batches rather than trying to do your entire storage all at
once. It's much easier to do a few pounds at a time than fifty or a
hundred.

If you have it in mind to wash the grain, this should not be done
prior to storage, but, rather, just before use. After it's been rinsed,
it should be dried immediately in the oven by placing it no deeper than
1/2 inch and heated at 150 F for an hour. It should be stirred
occasionally to improve drying.

A.4 STORING GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Having properly prepared your grains and legumes for storage, you're now
ready to package it.

For methods and procedures of packaging please see section IV.

IV. Specific Equipment Questions
A. Storage Containers
B. CO2 and Nitrogen
C. Oxygen Absorbers
D. Desiccants
E. Diatomaceous Earth

B. DRY MILKS

B.1 TYPES OF DRY MILKS

NONFAT: This is pasteurized skim milk reduced to a powdered
concentrate. It can be found in two forms, regular and
instant. They are both made from milk in a spray-drying process, but
the instant variety has been given further processing to make it more
easily soluble in water than regular dry milk. Both types have the same
nutrient composition. The regular variety is more compact and requires
less storage space than the instantized variety, but it is more
difficult to reconstitute. The most easily found variety is the
instant, available in nearly any grocery store. The regular variety has
to be sought out from baking and restaurant suppliers and storage food
dealers.

It takes about 3 tablespoons of instant nonfat dry milk added to 8
ozs of water to make 1 cup of milk you can drink or cook with just like
fresh milk, albeit with a considerable flavor difference. Combine the
dry milk with water at least several hours before you plan to use it to
give it time to dissolve fully and to develop a fresher flavor. Shaking
the fluid milk vigorously will incorporate air and will also help to
improve flavor. I don't care for the stuff to drink, but instead add
the powder to baked goods, gravies, smoothies, hot cereals, casseroles
and meat loaf as a nutrition booster. It can also be used to make
yogurt, cheese and most any cultured dairy product that does not require
a high fat content.

FLAVORED NONFAT: This may be found packaged in a variety of forms
from a low calorie diet drink (artificially
sweetened) to the other end of the scale, as cocoa mix or malted milk.
The key ingredient is the dry milk so buy and store these products
accordingly.

WHOLE MILK: This dry milk has a higher fat content and therefore a
shorter shelf life than nonfat. Other than that, it
can be used in exactly the same way. Dry whole milk is difficult to
find, but can sometimes be found where camping and outback supplies are
sold.

BUTTERMILK: Dry buttermilk is for use in recipes calling for
buttermilk. Since it has a slightly higher fat content
than nonfat dry milk, it generally does not keep as long.

B.1.1 BUYING DRY MILK PRODUCTS

(a)- Be sure the dry milk you are buying has been fortified with
vitamins A and D. All of the nonfat dry milks I've seen come fortified
with these two vitamins. The dry buttermilk does not come this way, at
least the SACO brand does not. I don't know if the flavored mixes and
the dry whole milk do or not.

(b)- There should be no artificial colors or flavors. I believe it
is illegal to add preservatives to any dry milk sold in the U.S. so a
claim of "no preservatives" on the label is of no consequence. Other
nations may be different, however.

(c)- "Extra Grade" on the label indicates the manufacturer has held
to higher processing and quality standards and the milk is somewhat
lower in fat, moisture and bacterial content, is more soluble, and has
fewer scorched particles.

There are still some manufacturers of dry milk that sell ordinary
Grade A product, but they are becoming fewer. Every brand of instant
powdered milk in my local grocery store is the "Extra Grade", even the
generic store brand. This, too, may vary outside of the States.

(d)- Try to buy your dried milk in containers of a size that makes
sense for the level of consumption in the household. Once it is opened,
powdered milk has a short shelf life before undesirable changes in
flavor and nutrient content occurs. If you buy large packages and do
not use much at one time, consider breaking it down and repackaging into
smaller containers at the time of purchase.

(e)- As with any storage food you buy, try to deal only with
reputable dealers. It is particularly important to do this with dry
milk because of its short shelf life and sensitivity to storage
conditions. Check expiration dates, then date and rotate packages.

B.2 STORING OF DRY MILKS

Dry milk products are especially sensitive to storage conditions,
particularly temperature and light. Vitamins A and D are photo
sensitive and will break down rapidly if exposed to light.

The area where your dry milk is stored should be kept as cool as
possible. If it is possible to do so, air-conditioning or even
refrigeration can greatly extend the nutrient shelf life.

If the storage container is transparent or translucent then it
should be put into a second container opaque to light or stored in a
dark room.

Dry milk will absorb moisture and odors from the air so storage
containers should be impervious to both air and moisture. The dryer it
can be kept, the better it will keep. Oxygen also speeds decomposition.
Powdered milk canned with nitrogen or carbon dioxide to replace air
(which contains oxygen) will keep longer than powdered milk exposed to
air. Vacuum canning also decreases the available oxygen.

If the dry milk purchased was not packaged for long term storage
then it should be repackaged right away.

I purchase the instant variety at my local grocery and repack it
when I get it home. I've seen a number of methods used for this and any
of them should work.

The method I now use is to pour the powder into clean, dry
half-gallon canning jars. Once the jars are filled I add a small
desiccant pack and seal. They are dated and stored in the ubiquitous
cool, dark place. They must be guarded against breakage, but they offer
the advantage of not holding odors, thus allowing for reuse after
suitable cleaning. Since they are as transparent the contents must be
protected against light. Vacuum sealing and then storing in a dark
place may be the best method. Larger jars of 1 gallon size could be used
and then re-vacuum sealed after each use. An O2 absorber would take care
of any remaining oxygen and would, itself, last longer when used in
conjunction with the vacuum sealer. Being glass, the jar can be reused
as well as the lid and ring if they're properly cleaned.

Clean, sound plastic one and two liter soda bottles can also be
used, but probably should be used just once since the plastic is
somewhat permeable and will hold odors.

If you have access to a can sealer, #10 cans make wonderful storage
containers for dry milk, particularly if used in conjunction with O2
absorbers.

Another method I've seen used is to remove the paper envelopes of
milk powder from the cardboard box they come from the grocery store in
and to put them in dated plastic bags. These bags are not sealed. The
unsealed bags are then placed in a larger, air tight, opaque container.
I've heard of plastic buckets, fifty cal and 20 mm ammo cans being used
for this purpose. A healthy quantity of desiccant was also placed in
the container. This would be another area where O2 absorption packets
should serve well. It's important to remember the containers should be
clean and odor-free.

Please see section IV Specific Equipment Questions for information
concnering the proper use of desiccants, compressed gasses, dry ice and
oxygen absorbers.

B.2.1 SHELF LIFE OF DRY MILKS

From: Saco...@aol.com (Amy Thompson)
To: Dun...@dkeep.com (Alan Hagan)
Subj: SACO Mix'n Drink Instant Pure Skim Milk
Date: May 9, 1996

Dear Mr. Hagan:

Thank you for your e-mail today and for your interest in SACO Mix'n
Drink Pure Skim Milk.

Our Mix'n Drink will keep its nutrition value for up to about two
years if kept cool and dry, and the only vitamins that actually decrease
over time are the vitamins A and D. These are not shelf-stable vitamins
and are sensitive to heat and light. A good rule of thumb to follow is
that the vitamins A and D will dissipate at a rate of about 20% every
year if stored properly. The less heat and moisture the milk is exposed
to, the better the vitamins will keep. A freezer could extend the shelf
life, as long as the powder does not get moisture in it. If you had to
put a time limit on the Mix'n Drink, for rotation purposes, I would date
it at two years after the date of purchase.

After opening a package of dry milk, transfer the powder to a
tightly covered glass or metal container (dry milk can pick up odors
from plastic containers) and keep it in the refrigerator. Unsealed
nonfat dry milk keeps for a few months; dry whole milk for a few weeks.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Saco...@aol.com (Amy Thompson)
To: Dun...@dkeep.com (Alan Hagan)
Subj: SACO Mix'n Drink Instant Pure Skim Milk
Date: May 21, 1996

Dear Mr. Hagan:

Since vitamins A and D are heat and light sensitive, I would say
that your 1 1/2 year shelf life is very reasonable. If you are trying
to determine when the nutritional value has been affected more than 40%,
as you previously indicated, you should be pretty safe with that time
element, as long as it is not exposed to extreme heat.

[Eds note: We were discussing the higher average temperatures found in
Florida and other hot climates and the effect that it would have on
their dry milk's nutrient content]

=====================================================================
Please direct comments, questions, contributions and criticisms to:
ath...@sprintmail.com

Postal mail address: A.T. Hagan
P.O. Box 140008
Gainesville, Fl 32614-0008

From the House at Cat's Green -- Alan T. Hagan,NRA Life Member

The Universe is utterly indifferent to the fact that
you do not realize the consequences of your actions,
you will have to deal with them just the same.

Food Storage FAQ editor. The FAQ is available from:

http://waltonfeed.com/grain/faqs/
http://www.idir.net/~medintz
http://www.survival-center.com/foodfaq/ff1-toc.htm
http://www.d-n-a.net/users/dnetIULU/files.html (EUROPE)
http://www.zetatalk.com/food/tfood01.htm

The most current FAQ version is now 2.5