Long-Term Food Storage

Properly packaged, low-moisture foods stored at room temperature or cooler (24°C/75°F or lower) remain nutritious and edible much longer than previously thought, according to findings of recent scientific studies. Estimated shelf life for many products has increased to 30 years or more.  Previous estimates of longevity were based on "best-if-used-by" recommendations and experience.

While there is a decline in nutritional quality and taste over time, depending on the original quality of food and how it was processed, packaged, and stored, the studies show that even after being stored long-term, the food will help sustain life in an emergency.

Research suggests that the following food items will last several years if kept in a cool and dry environment. Storing dry food in Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers, and in 5 Gallon Food Grade Buckets with Gamma Seal Lids can help maintain log shelf-life. It is important to ensure that you use food grade plastic to store foods over long periods of time.

Proper food storage is important to keeping it safe to eat. Eating food that has been improperly stored has the potential to make a person sick, particularly if that storage container is a plastic that contains dangerous chemicals. All plastic is made from chemicals that have the potential to harm a person's health. The chemicals that make up plastic include BPA and DEHA. Storing food in plastic containers - designed only for that purpose - is vital to keeping food safe.

Though not studied, sugar, salt, baking soda (essential for soaking beans), and vitamin C in tablet form also store well long-term. Some of these items, like salt, will store indefinitely, while other items, such as coconut oil, may only store well for a few years. A good practice is to store foods that you like and that you currently eat, and rotate your food supplies, eating food that you have stored and replacing the stored food with newly purchased items. In this way, your freshest items are in your stored food supply if it becomes your sole food supply.

Food Items with Long Shelf-Life

• Baking Soda
• Beans (Dried) - A B.Y.U. study reveals that more than 80 percent of a consumer taste panel deemed retail-packaged pinto beans up to 30 years old as acceptable for emergency use (samples were stored for years in #10 cans with the oxygen removed). Dried beans can last almost indefinitely in the absence of oxygen and light, but gradual moisture loss will affect its taste and texture. Older beans may need longer soaking and cooking times; try adding acidic ingredients or salt toward the end of the recipe to avoid toughening up the skin.
• Bouillon
• Coconut Oil - Coconut oil! Unrefined coconut oil is also called virgin coconut oil. This type of coconut oil has the most nutritional benefits and the shelf life has been documented as anywhere from 2-5 years to "indefinite".
• Coffee, Coca Powders, Teas
• Corn (Dried)
• Corn Starch
• Corn Syrup
• Ghee
• Hardtack (Flour, Salt, Water)
• Honey (Raw)
• Liquor, Hard (i.e. Vodka)
• Maple Syrup (100%)
• Oats (Rolled)
• Pasta
• Pemmican
• Popcorn kernels (not microwave popcorn)
• Powdered Milk (in nitrogen packed cans)
• Rice (White Rice) (Brown rice, on the other hand, has a short shelf life of generally 6 to 12 months because of its higher oil content which causes it to go rancid more quickly.)
• Salt
• Sardines (small bristling) and fresh water salmon are LOW in mercury, but are high in protein, micro-nutrients, and minerals. A little goes a long way to curbing hunger and sustaining optimum health and are very reasonably priced for the nutritional value. 
• Soy Sauce
• Sugar (White Sugar)
• Vanilla Extract (Pure)
• Vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar)
• Vinegar (White Vinegar)

In general, most canned foods have a long shelf life, and when properly stored, can be eaten for several years:

• Low-acid canned goods -  two to five years (canned meat and poultry, stews, soups except tomato, pasta products, potatoes, corn, carrots, spinach, beans, beets, peas and pumpkin).
• High-acid canned goods - 12 to 18 months (tomato products, fruits, sauerkraut and foods in vinegar-based sauces or dressings).

While these guidelines ensure the best taste and nutritional content of canned food, as long as the cans are not damaged; canned food can be eaten for much longer than the times listed here. The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted shelf life tests on food that was canned 100-years ago and found that although the food had lost its fresh smell and appearance, there was no detected no microbial growth and the foods were as safe to eat as they had been when canned more than 100 years earlier. (The FDA article about the study can be found here.)

Canned Fish and Meats that Have the Long Shelf-Life

Spam - Spam has an excellent source of protein and sodium and it will typically last about 5 years, with a long life-span.

Canned Alaskan Wild Salmon - Alaskan salmon is extremely rich in protein and healthy fats like omega 3s. If you look for Alaskan Wild Salmon, you will get salmon with no environmental contaminants that sometimes show up in other canned fish. You can even eat Alaskan salmon right out of the can without cooking.

Corned Beef Hash - This salt cured beef will give you comfort during rough times in a disaster. You may even find it packed with potato bits to save you time and energy.

Pink Salmon - Not only rich in protein and omega -3 fatty acids, it’s actually better than fresh salmon because the bones are still intact meaning there’s more calcium.

Sardines - Like Salmon, Sardines are very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. It is often packed in a sweet tomato sauce, which is great for its lycopene content but often contains a high level of sodium. Try going for a low-sodium option that is packed in water. Sardines are sustainable and fairly inexpensive. They also contain high amounts of vitamin b12.

Vienna Sausages - Vienna sausage is very ingredient wise so this means fewer preservatives. They are easy to carry and a great staple food when in a disaster. These guys last about 5 years or more.

Freeze-Dried Food (Mountain House)

According to the Mountain House web-site their freeze-dried food pouches have a 30-year shelf-life. The web-site states "Based on our ongoing sensory and nutrition testing of actual Mountain House products, we’ve raised the shelf-life on our pouches to 30 years! Remember that we recommend storing your pouches unopened and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 75° (24°C) to maximize shelf life."

While Mountain House food may be a bit more expensive than items on your regular grocery list, the light weight, very long shelf-life, and ease of preparation (just add water) makes this type of freeze-dried food an important addition to your survival and preparedness supplies.  This also makes these food pouches excellent additions to a bug-out bag, assuming of course that you have a clean water supply so that you can prepare the meals while on the move.

There are a number of different information resources for preparing a long-term food storage program. You will find that not all of these resources agree on the best way to store food, what foods should be stored, or how long stored food will last. However, each of the following resources provides some guidance that is worth reviewing as you plan your food storage program:

A Guide to Food Storage for Emergencies (Utah State University)

Preparing an Emergency Food Supply, Long Term Food Storage

Food and Water in an Emergency

Home Emergency Supplies

Food - Ready.Gov