According to several leading dictionaries:
Shelf Life or Stability Life means the length of time a packaged food, chemical, or product etc, will last without deteriorating and/or remains effective, useful, or suitable for use and/or consumption without danger.
"Life sustaining" shelf life refers to food only and means the length of time food preserves life, with at least moderate nutritional value and without becoming inedible.
Where food storage is concerned this means that although the food item may look, smell, feel and taste just fine – it has lost most or all of its nutritional value. Essentially we can starve to death while eating.
Flour which doesn’t have much of a shelf life, will fail to behave as “fresh” flour will; the cake won’t rise or the biscuits will be dense as rocks.
Another example is tires, we can purchase brand new tires and because of their age and how they were stored they will behave as tires that are years older. This creates a danger when we drive on them.
Even ammunition, which has an almost indefinite shelf life when store properly; when not stored properly can fail to fire correctly resulting in misfires, low velocity firing and even explosive firing. All of which are very dangerous.
Shelf life of any product varies greatly according to how it was processed, packaged, transported, handled and stored.
Bottom Line: Just about everything and anything has a shelf life to it, even tires, ammunition, drugs, detergents, food and so on. Some shelf lives are short, others long. No matter what, Shelf Life depends on the manufacturing (food preservation) method, packaging method & medium, and the storage and usage environments.
- Air tight. This keeps additional contaminants out and helps maintain the low oxygen level of the stored product.
- Low oxygen. The oxygen in air can have deteriorative effects on fats, food colors, vitamins, flavors, and other food constituents. It can cause conditions that will enhance the growth of microorganisms.
- Low to no light. The exposure of foods to light can result in the deterioration of specific food constituents, such as fats, proteins, and vitamins, resulting in discoloration, off-flavors, and vitamin loss. For materials such as fabrics, rubber, vinyl and the like direct sunlight breaks down the material at an accelerated rate.
- Low to no humidity and water tight. Excessive moisture can result in product deterioration and spoilage by creating an environment in which microorganisms may grow and chemical reactions can take place. Metals rust and breakdown, vinyl and plastics off-gas faster.
- Consistently cool (below 75 degrees, above 45 degrees), with less than a 10 degree temperature change every 20 hours. Excessive temperature is damaging to food storage. With increased temperature, proteins breakdown and some vitamins will be destroyed. The color, flavor and odor of some products may also be affected. To enhance shelf life, store food at room temperature or below; never store food in an attic or garage unless it is temperature controlled. The chemicals in cleaning products can break down and may turn gaseous and dangerous. Fabrics, plastics and rubber off-gas faster at higher temperatures. The more off-gassing, the faster the material deteriorates.
- Is as insect and rodent proof/free as possible. Remember rodents can and will chew through plastic if they can smell the item inside and want it.
Where medications, OTC (over the counter) and prescriptions, are concerned this means that the bathroom is probably the worst possible place to store these items. As it’s way too humid and usually much warmer than other parts of the house. Some medications, like insulin, need to be refrigerated so they stay cooler than 70 degrees.
Proverbs 21:20
Food Preservation
In order to store food, you have get food and then preserve it. There are several methods available today; some traditional, so not so much. Some produce better shelf-lives than others do, while some build or keep nutrients and others lose them.
The method used to preserve food plays an important role in the “shelf-life” of that food item. There is curing, either with smoke, salt or sugar. There is dehydrating and freeze drying, on top of the old standbys of refrigeration, freezing and canning, either hot or cold or pressurized. Generally speaking the freeze drying method has the longest shelf life and covers the widest variety of foods.
The major methods available to us today are listed below with their pro’s and con’s:
Method Canning, Hot Water Bath Canning, Pressurized Hot Water (steam) Chemical preservatives Curing with Added Salt or Sugar Curing with Smoke Drying/Dehydration (e.g. spray-drying, sun-drying) Fermentation Freeze Drying (lyophilization) Freezing High heat processing (e.g. pasteurisation) Ionizing radiation Refrigeration | Advantage Destroys microorganisms & autolytic enzymes. Inexpensive Can be done at home Best for fruits and vegetables that have a high acid content Destroys microorganisms & autolytic enzymes. Inexpensive Can be done at home Best for meats and dairy, including fish and game. Prevent microbial growth No loss of nutrient Can be inexpensive Can be done at home for many foods with vinegar or lemon juice Makes water unavailable for microbial growth. Process does not destroy nutrients. Inexpensive Can be done at home Great for meat, poultry, fish and game Best if coupled with smoking Preserve partly by drying, partly by incorporation of substances from smoke. Inexpensive Can be done at home Great for meat, poultry, fish and game Best if coupled with some type of salt or sugar curing Produces concentrated form of food. Inhibits microbial growth & autolytic enzymes. Retains most nutrients. Inexpensive Can be done at home Does not require electricity Preserves nutrients and creates digestive aids, such as probiotic bacteria Higher level of acid which is inhospitable for the spoilage bacteria Helps break down proteins and make it more digestible to people with intollerances (lactose, soy, etc). Think cheeses and yogurt, bread, pickles, sauerkraut, chocolate, beer, coffee, wine and a whole host of cured meats. Inexpensive Can be done at home Preserves flavor and essential vitamins Once the water is removed from foods, they become very light Can last for months to decades (unless not stored at low humidity levels or exposed to excessive heat) Fast rehydration process Retains most of it original bulk with minimal shrinkage Prevents microbial growth by low temperature & unavailability of water. Generally good retention of nutrients. Can be done at home Inactivates autolytic enzymes Destroys microorganisms. Inexpensive Can be done at home Sterilizes foods (such as spices) whose flavor would change with heating. Inhibits sprouting potatoes Extends shelf life of strawberries and mushrooms Slows microbial multiplication. Slows autolysis by enzymes Can be done at home | DisadvantageWater-soluble nutrients can be lost into liquid in can. Not recommended for meats or dairy. May need to add vinegar or lemon juice to up the acid level. Requires fuel to create the heat Water-soluble nutrients can be lost into liquid in can. Requires fuel to create the heat Some people are sensitive to some chemical preservatives. Some chemical preservatives are questionable. Increases salt and sugar content of food. Eating a lot of smoked foods has been linked with some cancers in some parts of the world. Can cause loss of some nutrients, particularly thiamin & vitamin C. Sulphur dioxide is sometimes added to dried fruits to retain vitamin C, but some individuals are sensitive to this substance. More steps to process; foods must first be heated and pasteurized before the fermentation so that many nutrients are lost More time Requires special equipment Costly, more expensive than dehydrated food or canned goods Cannot be done at home cost effectively ie must be purchased Requires electricity Blanching of vegetables prior to freezing causes loss of some B-Group vitamins and vitamin C. Unintended thawing can reduce product quality Requires electricity Loss of heat-sensitive nutrients. Requires fuel to create the heat. Requires special equipment Longer shelf life of fresh foods can lead to greater nutrient losses than if eaten sooner after harvesting. Costly Potential health risks Cannot be done at home Slow loss of some nutrients with time Requires electricity |
Some of these dates are required or standardized by the FDA or USDA, however many are not.
To add to this general confusion, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FISA) and the Food Marketing Institute there are two kinds of product dating:
- Stores are not legally required to remove food from the shelf once the expiration date has passed. In fact the FDA states “To explain, FDA's regulations pertain, among other things, to food safety. The quality characteristics of foods (taste, aroma and appearance--as distinct from safety characteristics) often depend in great part on good storage conditions: temperature and humidity control in the retail store and warehouse. When storage conditions have been optimal, many foods are acceptable in terms of taste and other quality characteristics for periods of time beyond the expiration date printed on the label, and also are safe to eat. Taste and other quality characteristics deteriorate more rapidly if the food is stored at elevated temperatures and high humidity conditions (such as would occur if the air conditioning failed in a retail store, warehouse, or in the consumer's home). Conversely, deterioration occurs very slowly if foods are stored under optimal conditions (correct storage temperatures and low humidity). Because the expiration date is not indicative of product quality if storage conditions have been less than optimal, FDA does not require expiration dates on most products. An exception to this answer is that expiration dates are required on drugs. The dates required on infant formula products are "use by" dates, not "expiration" dates. A consumer using the infant formula product before this date is assured that the product meets nutritional and quality standards.“ This means the expiration dates are strictly “advisory” in nature and not the items true Shelf Life.
- It is also legal for a retailer to change a date on “wholesome” fresh meat that has been cut and wrapped in the meat department of the store. However, retailers cannot change dates on products packaged under federal inspection. If a food is not handled properly, it can become a health hazard regardless of the date code.
- Dating is not federally required, except for infant formula and baby food.
- States have their own food dating laws and they vary from state to state. For example, many states require that milk and other perishables be sold before the expiration date, while others do not.
- There is no uniform or universally accepted system used for food dating in the United States. Although dating of some foods is required by more than 20 states, there are areas of the country where much of the food supply has some type of open date and other areas where almost no food is dated.
Labeling Dates:
- A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
- A “Pull-by Date”, is basically the same as a “Sell-by Date” is used by manufacturers to tell grocers when to remove their product from the shelves, but there is generally still some leeway for home usage. For example, milk often has a sell-by date, but the milk will usually still be good for at least a week beyond that date if properly refrigerated.
- A "Use-By" or "Best if Used By (or Before)" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak flavor or quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
- “Expiration Date” or “Expiry Date” means the calendar date on the packaging of a pharmaceutical or food that indicates the last date the item should be used. Basically if you haven’t used it by this date toss it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide this date on all their products. For the majority of drugs sold in the United States, these dates range from 12 to 60 months from the date they are manufactured. Note: Per Federal Regulations, if a pharmaceutical has an Expiry Date of January 30, 2015 but was dispensed as a patient prescription fill on June 10, 2013, then the Expiry Date automatically becomes 1 year after the prescription date or June 10, 2014.
Two other dates you might see are:
- A “Pack Date” is the date the item was packed, most-used on canned and boxed goods. It is usually in the form of an encrypted code not easy to decipher. It may be coded by month (M), day (D), and year (Y), such as YYMMDD or MMDDYY. Or it may be coded using Julian (JJJ) numbers, where January 1 would be 001 and December 31 would be 365. In even more convoluted coding, letters A through M (omitting the letter I) are often assigned to the months, with A being January and M being December, plus a numeric day, either preceded or followed by the numeric year.
- The “Guaranteed Fresh Date” is often used for perishable baked goods. Beyond this date, freshness is no longer guaranteed although it may still be edible.
And of course the UPC or Bar Code:
Universal Product Codes appear on packages as black lines of varying widths above a series of numbers. They are not required by regulation but manufacturers print them on most product labels because scanners at supermarkets can "read" them quickly to record the price at checkout. Bar codes are used by stores and manufacturers for inventory purposes and marketing information. When read by a computer, they can reveal such specific information as the manufacturer's name, product name, size of product and price. The numbers are not used to identify recalled products.
Back in 2010 I completed about a years’ worth of research on the shelf of various food and drug products. As a result of thinking about long duration crises, I have just recently completed additional research to see if anything has changed and added a few items that one might not normally think about, like vehicles, tools, etc. I’ve also added: beauty or personal care products, fuel, household electronics, household appliances, as well as the life expectancy of common components inside a home — everything from appliances, cabinetry, and flooring… to roofing, plumbing, and HVAC systems (according to a 2007 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) study).
I still don’t have much listed for clothing (textiles) as the kind of material, how it was worn, how it is stored and how often it is washed - all play a significant role in how long the article of clothing will last. The same holds true for shoes and boots.
One area that is almost identical to food shelf-life and storage is the; low light, low moisture, low insect/rodent influence, with moderate temperatures in an air tight container, requirement to longevity. Yep, just about any fabric, leather, thread or yarn will last longer than not having those things under control.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
Proverbs 27:12
Well aside from wanting to eat great tasting food, we want it to be nutritional and safe to eat too. When it comes to any emergency clothing and footwear or tools, we want to be sure they are still of functional quality. If we are living a self-reliant life or planning to in the near future, we need to know just how long the average tool, appliance, vehicle will last before we have to replace it … Or how about how long before that well pump, solar panel or wind turbine needs to be replaced … Or how long before various parts of our home will need major repairs or replacement. These are all important factors that any seeker of self-reliance or preparedness must consider to be truly “prepared for the worst”.
We have only a few choices here:
- Be prepared for the worst
- Expect someone or something else to “fix” this for us
- Pray for a miracle that nothing will break or wear out
So let’s get on to my research for the Shelf-Life Excel Workbook … In 2010 and now, for all food items, I’ve relied heavily on the Brigham Young University’s Long-Term Food Storage Studies, as they are the most detailed, quantified and longest running studies to date in the world. (Their tests take into consideration the food preservation method, the packaging method and material, as well as the storage environment at different temps and humidity readings; on top of opened and unopened. The grade the look, feel, taste, contaminants, as well as microbiological growth and nutritional value. They have entire degree programs on this stuff!.) In fact many countries and governments, including our own military, turn to these studies for guidance. |
Important Notes:
- For food you will note that the cooking, manufacturing and government resources have a shorter shelf-life than the nutritional study (quantified) resources. As for why this is; my guess is that chefs have a certain “performance expectation”, manufacturers just want to sell product and make money and the government wants everyone reliant on them for guidance and also to help manufacturers stay in business.
- For items like jeans, shirts and footwear, what the item was made for vs. how it was used to how long between washings and how it was stored or folded or hung up ALL play a role in how long the item will last. American’s are rather “wash happy”, as a result our clothing and footwear has a shelf life that is half that of most European countries for the exact same item.
- For medications the dates vary depending on if it the expiration is from the manufacturer, liability lawyers or the results from one of a handful of independent studies. One thing to remember is that once the manufacturer’s bottle is opened to fill a patient prescription, the expiration date is automatically 1 year after the prescription fill date. The reason for this is simple: The active ingredients in medications have very specific storage needs before they start to change or break down and become either unstable, ineffective or outright deadly and that is on top of the fact that they are produced under very sterile conditions. So I can understand why these dates are rather short since we the public are the big variable as to how the medication is stored and used. For more information on medication, vitamin and supplement dates see Staying Healthy Without the Healthcare Infrastructure
- For things like fuel, a manufacturers life expectancy dates are longer than independent research groups; they also tend to have less “criteria” for their shelf life estimates. The reason for this is a guess at best; I believe it is because the independent resources are storing this “test” fuel in a more realistic manor and the fuel manufacturers expect us to be much more trusting of their product than is warranted. For more details on fuels, their storage needs and life expectancy see Fuels and Fuel Storage, the Short and Long of It
have various caveats or requirements associated to them,
beyond the basic storage needs,
in order to have maximum shelf/stability life.
The Excel Workbook has three (3) tabs. The first contains the food and medication shelf life information; the second tab contains the life expectancy of all kinds of other things and the third tab contains a list of resources.
Follow this link to download the Excel Workbook
TNT
Without independence there is no freedom.
Without freedom, there is no self.”
Anonymous