Testing the Preps: Series 1 - Sardine Tin

[madfranks]

I was challenged on another thread to break open my case of sardines I bought as preps back in 2008/09 or so when Steve Quayle was talking about how the oceans were about to die and soon sardines would be worth $10+ per tin, so like a jackball I went to walmart and bought a case of sardines. I bought a variety including regular (in water), mustard, and hot sauce. I've kept them cool and dry for around 8 years now and even though they are expired I tried one tonight. I reached in the box and grabbed one at random, looks like I got the mustard ones:

http://s32.postimg.org/j57hm0r85/sardines_1.jpg

Best by Sept 2012. So we're talking about 3.5 years beyond their expiration date. But they've been kept in a cool dry place, so I figured what the hell, they still might be good. I cracked it open, and this is what they looked like:

http://s32.postimg.org/6uste32s5/sardines_2.jpg

It might be hard to see in the photo, but the mustard and oils have really separated over time. It just smelled old, not rancid or anything. So I took a bite and honestly it didn't taste abnormal at all, just a little old tasting. I can't really describe it, it didn't taste stale, it just tasted like an old sardine. Well I made it through about 3/4 of the first sardine before the aftertaste hit me, which tasted like tin can, so at that point I was done and tossed the rest.

In conclusion: they're edible if you're starving to death, but the aftertaste is gross. I would toss the whole case but they're deep in the crawl space so I'm just going to leave them and in case the world ends they might come in handy. Cheers!

[Jewboo]

I imagine the ones in WATER should be fine for decades. Try one of them?

:) toss the mustard ones now...they probably sucked on day one.

[Joshua01]

Not surprised at the tin can taste. The inner part of the can is coated with a sealer that breaksdown over time. That's why glass preserving is so popular. If done right food stored in glass jars can last for many decades

[ximmy]

Remember everyone... rotate your stock.. mark your cans and boxes with dates bought, use them throughout the year and replenish your main stock.

Try to only prep with things you use regularly. Wait for sales and buy bulk.

I have about three year rotation now of soups, pasta, rice, chicken, powdered drinks, etc. and another 2-3 year rotation for personal hygiene products & cleaning supplies. 5-10 year for clothes.

[Glass]

the one thing I have noticed is the method of sealing or opening the can makes a difference. I found that easy open cans, like those sardine ones seem to oxidate faster than cans that are like regular cans. Hope that makes sense.

A can you can opne with a ring pull is either sealed with plastic at the opening or it's heavily scored around it's opening making the metal very thin, enabling it to be torn open. Not sure exactly how they are put together.

My experince has been that at about 5 years old I don't want to be eating the contents of a fully sealed can. The plastic lining breaks down or peels off. I haven't had an easy open can last more than about 4 years before they have leaked. Contents of the easy open ones were more acidic. Things like chilli beans or stew in a can. The fully sealed cans have been fruits. Even a few of those have leaked.

This is why we should be rotating preps. Which I didn't do properly. I also did buy things that I dont regularly eat, thinking in SHTF I'd eat anything.

Dry foods I've had no problems with. Rices, bread mixes etc. I was going to buy dry beans and that kind of thing.

Are jars any better? Sealed with plastic covered lids in most or all cases.

[Joshua01]

Remember everyone... rotate your stock.. mark your cans and boxes with dates bought, use them throughout the year and replenish your main stock.

Try to only prep with things you use regularly. Wait for sales and buy bulk.

I have about three year rotation now of soups, pasta, rice, chicken, powdered drinks, etc. and another 2-3 year rotation for personal hygiene products & cleaning supplies. 5-10 year for clothes.

I plan of stinking during the apocalypse.....it's primal and will make me tougher (and keep other people, away)

[Jewboo]

Not surprised at the tin can taste. The inner part of the can is coated with a sealer that breaksdown over time. That's why glass preserving is so popular. If done right food stored in glass jars can last for many decades

The mustard is acidic and corrosive like tomato stuff. Water-packed fish should be good for many years. Many. Years.

hundred year-old canned food still good:
http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/canned-food-shelf-life-studies/

[madfranks]

I would have rotated them but I don't eat sardines on a regular basis. Back in 09 I really thought the economy was collapsing so I prepped up, even with many things I normally don't eat on bad advice. I still remember Mr. Quayle preaching that fish was going to be a luxury few could afford. So I just bought the case and stored it.

[madfranks]

The mustard is acidic and corrosive like tomato stuff. Water-packed fish should be good for many years. Many. Years.

hundred year-old canned food still good:
http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/canned-food-shelf-life-studies/


Another great lesson learned here. I bet the hot sauce tins are even worse! I don't think any of them are leaking yet but it's probably not long before they do. Maybe I should dig them all out and get rid of them before they corrode right through the thin metal and my make my crawl space smell like an old fish factory.

[ximmy]

I would have rotated them but I don't eat sardines on a regular basis. Back in 09 I really thought the economy was collapsing so I prepped up, even with many things I normally don't eat on bad advice. I still remember Mr. Quayle preaching that fish was going to be a luxury few could afford. So I just bought the case and stored it.

I made some mistakes too back then, buying things I did not use... also our tastes change, I recently gave away lots of white rice and replenished it with brown.

[Shami-Amourae]

I made some mistakes too back then, buying things I did not use... also our tastes change, I recently gave away lots of white rice and replenished it with brown.


Brown rice doesn't last very long though since it has oils in it that go rancid. Pay attention to the expiration date post on the bag/container.



I had a large amount of rice myself but some of it got a weevil bug infestation and there was this sand color powder in it, I assume it was the bug's poop.

[Jewboo]

Another great lesson learned here. I bet the hot sauce tins are even worse! I don't think any of them are leaking yet but it's probably not long before they do. Maybe I should dig them all out and get rid of them before they corrode right through the thin metal and my make my crawl space smell like an old fish factory.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWC6W1ctkMY
GIM1

Yeah...get rid of the acidic stuff now. BTW...I also stockpiled a bunch of stuff during the end-of-the-world GIM1 panic phase like many here.

:D TEN YEARS AFTER THE GIM1 FOOD STOCKPILE PANIC:

http://cbsnews2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/2015/09/21/5f126e89-e02d-4299-9922-2ea28174f876/716d6a59432fa2cf65f6e2a498820063/adult-obesity-rate-by-state-map.jpg

[ximmy]

Brown rice doesn't last very long though since it has oils in it that go rancid.



I had a large amount of rice myself but some of it got a weevil bug infestation and there was this sand color powder in it, I assume it was the bug's poop.

How long will it last?

[Joshua01]

The mustard is acidic and corrosive like tomato stuff. Water-packed fish should be good for many years. Many. Years.

hundred year-old canned food still good:
http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/canned-food-shelf-life-studies/

Yup!

[Jewboo]

Brown rice doesn't last very long though since it has oils in it that go rancid.




Exactly.

[ximmy]

Should be OK since I use, rotate and give stuff away.

Pail Size: 6-gallon
Net Weight: 42 lb
Shelf Life-Unopened: Up to 7 years*
Shelf Life-Opened: Up to one year*

http://www.augasonfarms.com/image/cache/catalog/products/6galpails/5-00129-Long-Grain-Brown-Rice-42-LB-Pail-078716001291-480x480.jpg

[Shami-Amourae]

How long will it last?

I highly recommend using this site. It will tell you how long food should last under different scenarios:
http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18184

Brown rice lasts 3-6 months in a dry pantry. You should treat it like if it were potatoes basically.


You should also ferment and/or sprout your rice before you use it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYeCjS8MdIU

General info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQY2F1HVIBg

[Glass]

I vacuum sealed all my rice, flours and sugar. I eat the rice as I go. The most recent bag I've opened (now) was packed early 2013. Still cooks up without any apparent change in quality. I have had to keep an eye on the stores as some bags have not held their seal. Those have been used first.

[Jewboo]

Should be OK since I use, rotate and give stuff away.

Pail Size: 6-gallon
Net Weight: 42 lb
Shelf Life-Unopened: Up to 7 years*
Shelf Life-Opened: Up to one year*



Brown rice stored in that plastic pail in warm/hot Southern California won't last anywhere near 7 years. No way ximmy...

:( I keep my brown rice in the fridge because of the oil...lol

[ximmy]

Brown rice stored in that plastic pail in warm/hot Southern California won't last anywhere near 7 years. No way ximmy...

:( I keep my brown rice in the fridge because of the oil...lol



I store in a cool dark place :D

[ximmy]

I vacuum sealed all my rice, flours and sugar. I eat the rice as I go. The most recent bag I've opened (now) was packed early 2013. Still cooks up without any apparent change in quality. I have had to keep an eye on the stores as some bags have not held their seal. Those have been used first.

I leave my store products in their original bags but seal them in 5 gallon buckets in case there are any weak seals. Seems to work well for me and they stack high & rotate nicely.

[Joshua01]

This is my core emergency food.

http://www.buyemergencyfoods.com/pages/best-value-food-storage/?title=Best_Value_%20Freeze%20Dried%20Food%20Suppl y&gclid=CMnUrsHIzswCFYMkhgodqzkIPA

One buy and I have 6 months of food for me and the Mrs. I'll supplement that with canned goods as time goes on but with a 25 year shelf life I don't need to worry about rotation and constant restocking. The food is surprisingly delicious too (We've tried it). I was shocked at how good it came out actually

[ximmy]

This is my core emergency food.

http://www.buyemergencyfoods.com/pages/best-value-food-storage/?title=Best_Value_%20Freeze%20Dried%20Food%20Suppl y&gclid=CMnUrsHIzswCFYMkhgodqzkIPA

One buy and I have 6 months of food for me and the Mrs. I'll supplement that with canned goods as time goes on but with a 25 year shelf life I don't need to worry about rotation and constant restocking. The food is surprisingly delicious too (We've tried it). I was shocked at how good it came out actually


Joshua, I used to do something similar, but half the stuff I did not eat.

Check out this post from a few years ago...

I still have several of these things but I should give them away. I will never use them.

Having tried that route, I think rotation of normal foods is best.

http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?59094-Storage-food-on-sale-now&highlight=food+storage


I used one bucket for 20 days, all I ate as a test, (five days a week for a month) and still had over half of the food left over.
I ate most of the Potato Soup, Chicken Vegetable Stew, Mixed Vegetables, Beef Flavored Vegetable Stew.

I still have or gave away all the Oatmeal, Instant Potatoes, Macaroni & Cheese, Cheddar Broccoli Rice.

[Joshua01]

Joshua, I used to do something similar, but half the stuff I did not eat.

Check out this post from a few years ago...

I still have several of these things but I should give them away. I will never use them.

Having tried that route, I think rotation of normal foods is best.

http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?59094-Storage-food-on-sale-now&highlight=food+storage

Yeah ximmy, it's not something I would eat every day now but if the stores are empty and food is at a premium I could subsist on that, canned goods and hunting for meat...so that's my plan :)

[Santa]

Something like 75% of all canned goods are lined with plastic that contains BHA, Bisphenal A, which mimics the female hormone, estrogen.
It's a known cancer causing agent and if you eat enough of it you might wake up one morning with man boobs or a bad case of PMS.

[mamboni]

Thanks for posting your findings madfranks.

[Nomoss]

Brown rice stored in that plastic pail in warm/hot Southern California won't last anywhere near 7 years. No way ximmy...

:( I keep my brown rice in the fridge because of the oil...lol


and put it in/on co2 and all is good.
http://www.allselfsustained.com/37-foods-to-hoard-essential-foods-for-your-food-storage/

[Neuro]

I was challenged on another thread to break open my case of sardines I bought as preps back in 2008/09 or so when Steve Quayle was talking about how the oceans were about to die and soon sardines would be worth $10+ per tin, so like a jackball I went to walmart and bought a case of sardines. I bought a variety including regular (in water), mustard, and hot sauce. I've kept them cool and dry for around 8 years now and even though they are expired I tried one tonight. I reached in the box and grabbed one at random, looks like I got the mustard ones:

http://s32.postimg.org/j57hm0r85/sardines_1.jpg

Best by Sept 2012. So we're talking about 3.5 years beyond their expiration date. But they've been kept in a cool dry place, so I figured what the hell, they still might be good. I cracked it open, and this is what they looked like:

http://s32.postimg.org/6uste32s5/sardines_2.jpg

It might be hard to see in the photo, but the mustard and oils have really separated over time. It just smelled old, not rancid or anything. So I took a bite and honestly it didn't taste abnormal at all, just a little old tasting. I can't really describe it, it didn't taste stale, it just tasted like an old sardine. Well I made it through about 3/4 of the first sardine before the aftertaste hit me, which tasted like tin can, so at that point I was done and tossed the rest.

In conclusion: they're edible if you're starving to death, but the aftertaste is gross. I would toss the whole case but they're deep in the crawl space so I'm just going to leave them and in case the world ends they might come in handy. Cheers!
Thanks Madfranks, how cool were they kept? In my root cellar I don't have much above 50F (10-12°C) towards the end of summer, late winter time it goes down towards freezing (that's 32° F isn't it, or 0°C)... I do think temperature matters a lot...

[Neuro]

I imagine the ones in WATER should be fine for decades. Try one of them?

:) toss the mustard ones now...they probably sucked on day one.
I recall that tuna cans in oil have a longer shelf life than the equivalent ones in water according to best before dates...

[Neuro]

I should start eating more mackerel in tomato sauce. I do like the stuff, and some of my cans are marked best before 2016 date... The thing is if you have a lot of something it, psychologically, becomes less desirable...

[milehi]

My test subjects (2 dogs) have been eating Costco canned chicken and roast beef from 2007 mixed with rice and dehydrated peas and carrots from the same time, and besides some farts, they seem to like it.

[madfranks]

Thanks Madfranks, how cool were they kept? In my root cellar I don't have much above 50F (10-12°C) towards the end of summer, late winter time it goes down towards freezing (that's 32° F isn't it, or 0°C)... I do think temperature matters a lot...

Average temperature probably around 60-degrees F or so. Not quite cold enough here to freeze.