Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Well, I decided it was time to try a little test.

I had a 5 gallon pail of rice packed in nitrogen and diatomaceous earth in April of 1999. It has been 9 years since its packing date and it seems to be in good shape.

I just cooked two cups of it and it cooked perfectly. The taste is probably 90% of a new bag of rice and there is a slight smell from the diatomaceous earth but was hardly noticeable. I am not a picky eater so I may not be a good judge!

I will let you know how I feel after a couple of days :D

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

May have been covered in another thread but how does it not taste grity with the DE??
Does it just wash off?

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Will you please post storage temperature and humidity details as well? What kind of rice? Oh, please be Jasmine.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

No gritty taste. I actually left the DE in the rice, in fact I didn't even wash it. Just scoped in out of the container and cooked it.

Though I am a big proponent of using mylar bags the rice was stored directly in the pail without any additional protection.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

We posted at the same time. Just real interested. Thanks for your test, man.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Long grain white rice is the type.

Haha, storage is another story.

When I originally purchased the rice in 1999 (obvious for Y2K) it was stored at a friends house, outside under tarps in Southern Georgia. Hot, humid and not very good for long term food storage. It was in these conditions for a year. I then transported the rice to Northern Florida where it was stored in a garage for the remainder of the time with no temperature regulation or humidity control.

I have many more pails of rice so I will see how consistent this is as I replace the contents.

Honestly, I contribute this to the positive pressure Nitrogen atmosphere of the container and of course the DE to keep the critters low.

Again, I am pleasantly surprised by the shape of the rice considering the storage conditions.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I was wondering this as well. I could try living off the stuff for a week and see how I feel and how my energy level is.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Funny that you brought this topic up Dave. Three days ago, I ran into some of my old Y2K preps. I remember vacuum packing some pinto beans with my foodsaver back in '99. I took one bag of beans and made a pot of pork and beans with it. I purposefully took the bag that I remember lost it's vacuum about a week or two after sealing them, the rest are still nice and tight after 9 years! I had some of those 2 inch thick pork chops from Costco in my freezer for the last two years, so I added those as well. Anyway, the pot of beans ended up tasting pretty damn good. I kept these preps in the coolest room of the house always, but they've been subjected to temps ranging from 50 degrees to 90 degrees. No oxygen absorbers or anything, just foodsaver bags. Not bad I thought!

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

That is great news. You should have tested this 6 months ago before jasmine rice doubled in price (for my benefit). :rant::D:D:D

Ahh, $20 for a 20 lb. bag. Gonna go get 5. Cheap insurance.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Haha, I am thinking about the song "Party like it's 1999" that played in constant loop (24/7) for months on a local radio station up until Y2k.

Interesting how well these items have stored considering a lot of what I read on the Internet.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Sorry brother, had I known! lol

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Tight Foodsaver bags after 9 years? More good news.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Guys ... please don't get upset with me. I am asking in genuine curiosity and interest.

Doesn't it bother you that you prepared nearly 10 years ago for something that didn't happen and hasn't happened yet?

Do you think better prepared for something that never happens than not prepared for something that does?

Or are you convinced it is bound to happen sooner or later so just regularly prepare?

Best,

C.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

It is better to have prepped and lost, than to have never prepped at all.

Does it upset you that you have been paying for life insurance for the last 10 years and haven't been able to use it?

Same principle. It is GOOD if you don't use it, but you and your family will wish you had it if you need it.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Got car insurance? Fire insurance?

Why would you knock having food insurance you havent needed?

Ive seen lots of folks use their food insurance for job layoffs,injuries and lost income,etc. Just because it isnt global doesnt mean it hasnt been useful for people.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Don't bother me at all. I feel like the third of the three little pigs, who built his house out of brick. The other two may be laughing still, but I don't need them for ANYTHING! In fact, I may have to shoot one or both of them someday!

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

You should always wash rice and then soak for at least half an hour before cooking. It will probably taste 100% if you do.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Doesn't bother me in the least, CJul. I don't really anticipate a total SHTF scenario. I just think it's stupid not to have the basic necessities of survival on hand. We live in a society in which the local food source for most people is the grocery store, and grocery stores have to be resupplied every day or two. The system just seems a bit too fragile to trust my life to it. I've been doing this since long before Y2K (in fact, I didn't actually believe Y2K was going to be a problem), and it's helped me get through some personal hard times.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I agree Maddie. Hundreds/thousands of years ago, people had to plant food and harvest it in the fall. They would then have to store that food for the winter. Most of their work revolved around food. If one of those people was alive today, he would probably be shocked that no one stored any food, even though buying a year's worth doesn't take too much effort.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Very true. Though this might be a normal step for my better half, I just threw it in the cooker and ate it :D

I will give it a try next go around and see if it improves the taste.

Still feel pretty good so I guess the rice is ok..

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

C,

The folks upwards in the thread answered this pretty well. Personally, I just feel safer knowing I can feed my four children if I can't run to the store for a long period of time. Food Insurance is a pretty good name for it ;)

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Just an FYI - Y2K was a huge potential problem. I worked at a large bank. Almost all of our systems engineer resources worked on remediating non-stop for months (there was not much of a time cushion when we finished). Lots of older COBOL programmers came out of retirement to help out. Only through lots of hard work did everything turn out ok. I got a nice little bonus for my efforts.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Same thing where I was working, huge problem if it hadn't been for a lot of long hours and hard work, bad things world have taken place.

FWIW, buying food for next week, next month, next year, etc., makes far more sense than putting your money in the bank at passbook interest rates. food seems to go up in price faster that what the bank will give you. Go figure? Over my life time, I'd estimate we saved thousands of $s just by stocking up on bulk purchases and home canning garden foods. Also, growing meat and harvesting the wild. This is to say nothing of the better quality of foods you get when you grow a lot of your own.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I ONLY buy meat on sale,then freeze for later.I save a bundle.When I pull a can of green giant veggies I bought in bulk,on sale,for 48 cents I save a bundle on not buying 'just in time' at 90 cents a can.Storing onions,and also dehydrating them in bulk at 10 cents a pound sure makes me smile when I see them at 98 cents a pound or more!

Not to mention cash savings in fuel to go buy a few items,I have em,right here,now!

I find a pantry is a huge cash savings to mention just one reason for stocking up.And its a good point to make for folks who dont get 'hoarding',most folks can grasp the save money concept.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Maddie,

Something struck me about what you said, "I just think it's stupid not to have the basic necessities of survival on hand." Honestly, think about it; what we are talking about what use to be "common practice" so much so that people DIDN'T talk about it! The simple fact we have a forum where we discuss food storage for the most part as "newbies" is the problem in itself. We are but a small segment of the population that seeks to be prepared for basic survival. There are scores more that are not and are totally ignorant on this topic. This simple fact is our weakness as a society and why it is more likely now than before we would have a major food crisis where millions could literally starve to death.

The simple fact we have to explain our prudence (not a dig at CJul) is reinforcement of what I said above. The concept of being prepared has become both quaint and in some eyes a fringe segment of our population.

Unfortunately it is hard to teach common-sense that is not accepted by the society at large.

Oh well, time will tell. Regardless of a food crisis or some other SHTF situation our prudence will allow us to sleep easier at night and be apart of the solution and NOT the problem should circumstances arise.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I know people that got paid $50,000 just to be on standby on the phone for New Years Eve night. There were also some high end programmers that got paid $100,000+ just for being physically on site during New Years Eve and Day as well.

Some pretty good money was made in that time. To be honest, I kind of attribute the IT market crash to it. A lot of companies spent 2-3 years of IT budget dollars getting ready for Y2K leaving the market lean for the years following.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

No, I agree with you up to a point. I suppose it is a matter of what you really expect to happen and how long you expect it to last.

My parents always kept a good supply of tinned/dried food in the house and basics like candles 'because they didn't go bad for ages, it didn't hurt and you never know'. I have in recent years probably got out of the habit which I now think is dumb. It WAS I agree common practise in every generation till this one and still is in many other parts of the world.

It was just the idea of storing rice since Y2K that boggled me a little, no offence Dave. :beer:

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I didn't feel like buying a food saver and doing it myself. But I did buy a load of Mountain House freezdried at wholesale pricing. It's great insurance. I'm in a position now that no matter what happens I'll have food to eat and will be comfortable. I turn on the news or read the doom and gloom on the forums and don't worry about anything because I'm well prepped.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

FWIW washing white enriched long grain rice will remove almost all nutrients added after the rice is bleached. Washing and or draining it is a big no-no if your looking for what little nutrients are in it.

To make it more palatable my wife will add a bullion cube or some sort of seasoning to the water before adding the rice. Makes it taste as good as jasmine... well almost ;)

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Speaking of washing how much water do you keep in stock for cooking purposes? since rice takes about twice the volume of water to cook. And how about the fuel to cook it all?

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

My water tank: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWA:IT&ih=012

I've got various methods of cooking ranging from a bar-b-que to a teeny portable "wood stove" type thing which will heat one pot. Burn anything in it. Folds down- really neat (as a last resort).

Edit: Found a link- called a "Pocket Cooker": http://cgi.ebay.ca/CAMP-STOVE-POCKET...QQcmdZViewItem

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I have one of those and have used it in the woods while hunting. Instead of messing with a fire that could get me in trouble with the rangers, I'd stop for lunch and start a little fire in it and cook or at least heat up my lunch and make a cup of instant coffee. It's a little slow, but you don't have to carry along fuel. I did usually have a few fire starters or fire ribbon with me to aid the start up time. good way to warm up the hands too. Never tried to cook something like rice on it though. Got so I just took MRE's and MRE heaters, sometimes there'd be rice in those.:D

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I am not sure eating diamataceous earth is such a hot idea.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Actually, there are quite a few people that consume Food Grade DE for medicinal purposes. Here is a link: http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html

Personally, I wouldn't consume a lot of it but there is hardly enough in my stored grains to constitute a measurable quantity in a regular serving of grain for consumption.

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

None taken brother - :beer:

Apparently the shelf life of rice kept dry is pretty darn good which is why I didn't throw it away or use it for something else.

I am planning to replace most of my rice over the next year consumed or not to get a fresh supply. I will spend a few hundred dollar but cheap insurance for the next 10 years ;)

By the way, does anyone know of another use of rice that may be too old for consumption?

Dave

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Cook it up and serve it to wild animals... great way to get critters into your AO so you can hunt them. Best bet I have on 'other uses'. Animals love rice... cats and dogs do anyway, along with possums and raccoons. squirrels eat anything. I don't know if it'll attract deer, but wild hogs will also eat anything.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Feed it to your animals as stated,along with chickens,mine will eat just about anything.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Oh. Okay.

I've never heard of food grade DE. I've always heard of it being used as an insecticide, and have heard that it is quite harsh to handle, being very abrasive.

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

I have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen I am so not looking forward to using. :wink:

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Fair point. :D

Re: Just opened a container of rice packing in 1999...
 

Just got back from the Asian market with a bunch of stuff. 20# bag of jasmine, 2 5# bags of other rice 1 is red sweet rice, not sure about the other. (wife wanted to try it). Also I bought a cople bags of coffee, I'm sampling one now, really good for instant, stuff has ginseng in it, also, awesome.

The Asian market has got pallets of rice in the store. It looked like most of the people buying were Asian, but a lot of rice was moving out the door and it didn't look like there was a shortage there. Like us, most were only buying one 20# bag, some only the 5# bags, (must live close).

Anyway, my wife got digging in her cupboard and came up with a large gallon jug full of rice. I had to ask, "Is that Y2K rice"?, and she said it was. Looks like I'll be eating rice for a long time.