STORING RICE ?
 

I've just bought quite a few bags /sacks of 8lb and 10lb bags of Basmatti Rice..

What should I be doing in order to store them properly, and how many years can I 'realistically' store them for ?

Thanks

GoldenEye

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Brown and white rices store very differently. Brown rice is only expected to store for 6 months under average conditions. This is because of the essential fatty acids in brown rice. These oils quickly go rancid as they oxidize. It will store much longer if refrigerated. White rice has the outer shell removed along with those fats. Because of this, white rice isn't nearly as good for you, but will store longer. Hermetically sealed in the absence of oxygen, plan on a storage life for white rice of 8-10 years at a stable temperature of 70 degrees F. It should keep proportionately longer if stored at cooler temperatures. Stored in the absence of oxygen, brown rice will last longer than if it was stored in air. Plan on 1 to 2 years. It is very important to store brown rice as cool as possible, for if you can get the temperature down another ten degrees, it will double the storage life again.

http://waltonfeed.com/grain/life.html

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Using Dry Ice To Preserve Your Food:
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/i...eservation.htm

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Get yourself a Foodsaver� vacuum packer.

http://www.foodsaver.com/ Also available at Target and some other retailers.

I've had one since they first came out in the mid '80's.

This will extend all foods for quite some time. Not to mention save you $$$$ when you buy in bulk and repackage yourself.

Check 'em out! It's been working for us for 20+ years now.

Highly recommended.

Maranatha,

:smile:

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

I put mine in gallon jars and then freeze for about a week. This kills any nits, eggs, etc. that might be mixed in with the grain. After a week, I just store the jars in a relatively cool place (basement, bottom shelf of the pantry, etc.) Longest I've ever stored white rice is about 5 years.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

white rice to me is one of the best things to store (easily store) I once hid a cache of food for a long hike i was planning on taking, never did take the hike
and didnt get back to the cache for 5 years and when i did the white rice was the only thing still edible all the other canned food had rusted through and punctured but the rice in a simple plastic bag was still in good order ive got some now kept in better conditions now 7 yo y2k stock that is still in good order keep it dry keep it cool and i think it will out last all of us.

i think (but not sure) that edible rice was found in the tombs of the pharos
still thousands of years old

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

I heard that freezing for 48hrs was the thing to do, what concerns me with this, is .. wouldn't moisture get into the rice while in the freezer ??

Cheers

GoldenEye

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Ummmm - put the lid on the jar before putting the jar in the freezer! :tongue_ma: Also, a couple of saltine crackers shoved down in the rice will absorb any moisture.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Haven't you found, even when a conatainer says 'airtight' and you put some thing in the freezer, when you open it you find ice in it ..
There for I am leary about putting rice in the freezer for a few days.. and finding that I may kill any weivels etc but I end up with moldy rice... ??

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Thanks for all the good info.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

mason jar plus an oxygen absorber will do the trick... also a wide mouth mason jar vacuum sealing thingy is nice too.

I store the extra oxygen absorbers in a vacuum sealed mason jar.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

I recommend 5 gallon pails with mylar bags inside sealed with an iron. Start by putting the mylar bag in the 5 gallon bucket. Put in your rice and tap the bucket on the floor by lifting the bucket up and down to let the rice settle. Throw some oxygen absorbers in the bag after you've sealed 3/4s of the bag with the iron - I use a wooden dowel under the bag for a ironing surface... Then squeeze the rest of the air out of the bag and seal the last 1/4 with your iron. If you do it right the bag should look like it was tightly vacuum sealed within 15-30 minutes after you're done sealing it. Should keep many decades this way if stored properly...

If you can't find or afford the mylar bags, you can do the same in a 5 gallon bucket without the bags, just not quite as good in my opinion but should still do an adequate job...

:wink:

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-Water-%26-Food-Storage-Supplies-%26-Equipment/Categories

mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, 5 gallon buckets, and more.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

I picked up a 20 lb bag of white jasmine rice in 2004 that was in a plastic burlap type sack with a very thin cheap plastic liner. It sat in my kitchen for over three years after I opened it. I was going to pitch it since I neglected it for so long but then I cooked some up for the heck of it and it still tastes perfect. I dont see any reason it shouldn't stay good for at least a couple more years. (Just a guess)

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

This might be a dumb question but I am a little baffled. Why is rice stored in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers listed as having a much a long shelf life then rice store in a food saver bag? Isn't the process the same except for quantity?

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Because the mylar bags will never let air diffuse through since they are metalized, where as plastic bags will let air leak in over the very long term even if sealed air tight.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Reality check, Thank you for the explanation.

I have been ordering mountain house products and plan on storing beans and rice next so this is a helpful thread.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Brown Rice, at least the Organic short-grained variety from Lundberg that we buy stores for more than TEN years with excellent results!

I don't know why people promulgate the BS that brown rice is prone to rancidity, but it is simply false.

We buy 25lb bags or 50s. When we want to pkg the various grains, we buy NEW paint containers that are food certified, new lids and a 5lb brick of Dry Ice. Break the dry ice brick up with a hammer after wrapping it in a towel. You want small pieces.

Fill the buckets about 1/3 and add several chips of CO2 (dry ice). Fill another 1/3 and add some more chips. Leave a bit of room at top and add a few more chips of CO2. Put the top loosely over the bucket. In about 20 or 30mins the CO2 should saturate the grain and then you can seal the bucket.


We had a bucket of brown rice that had no grain rattling sound. I figured, "Aha, our first loss to the dread perils of brown rice storage." About 6mos later I opened the bucket on a whim and found the rice was PERFECT. I had merely filled the bucket completely which I never did. That bucket was labeled from 1995 or 1997.

Oxygen absorbers, Mylar bags. You buy em if it makes you feel good.
We don't use them. Our grains have been kept outside in storage never exposed to more than 80-85F. The cold does not bother them. Of course, low moisture content helps.

I would not stock much freeze dried food other than for "on the move" or "camping out" occasions. Much better to buy an Excalibur Dehydrator and a pressure cooker & canner and make your own from Organic foods.

You are what you eat. Unless you are in Excellent health and Immune vigor, eating crummy food will diminish your health at the time you need it most.

Also a good idea to have a complete vitamin regimen for all family members.

The day is coming when you will not be able to buy at any price. Money is no good if you don't deploy it. Buy the best, you won't be sorry!

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Where would you get the 'dry Ice' from ?

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

my supermarket has it

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Our local supermarkets carry it too. You can also check the phone book under Ice or Party Supplies ( used to make the punch fog and foam ).

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Thanks for all the great input ~ You guys are awesome ..

I've started doing some prepping, building up a food supply (not nearly enough) I bought some packets of seeds, candles, wind up flashlight with radio.. I'm having to take baby steps as my dear hubby thinks I'm over-reacting .. and 'losing it'

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

White rice will keep damn near forever. Even the enriched doesn't have a lot of nutrition to it, but it is a great filler with other foods. And yeah, I've stored brown rice in it's original store packaging for a few years without a problem.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Goldeneye, we must be married to the same man !
I find it helps do a lot of this stuff when he is not around.
It just appears, like magic.

Have you bought a weapon yet?
That was an interesting day in my household?:tongue_ma:

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Some questions??? Are buckets you get from Lowes or Home Depot OK for storage if you use a Mylar bag?

What is the largest size mason jar they make?

Back to the weevils in rice and grains. I remember reading somewhere in my travels about putting dolomite in the bags. Has anyone tried that?

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Yes, they just don't seem to be as strong. While they are not "food grade" I think they are probably fine. They don't seem to come with a sealed lid, so the bag is the sole means of sealing the air out.

1/2 gallon I think but they seem to be very expensive. They have to be processed longer too. I just found quarts on sale at Farm & Fleet for 7.99/case and Ball lids for 1.29

Haven't heard of the dolomite trick.

SB

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Anyone know about Bay Leaves? I heard somewhere that bay leaves keep the weevils out as well....don't know from actual experience yet

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

SB, its not dolomite. I have been websearching and cant find info. I think it was some type of Nematode pest control? Maybe freezing for 2 weeks is a better option.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

I think your thinking of diatomous earth.



This fossilized skeletons of tiny aquatic organisms. When untreated, the razor sharp edges of this mined product scratch the exoskeletons of hard bodied insects, making them susceptible to fatal attack from natural organisms in the soil. Application rate: Dry: 1 lb. per 500 sq. ft. Solution: 2 tbs. per gal. of water. As a food supplement for pets: 1-2% of food volume.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Perl, that's it!! No wonder I couldn't find it. Even Google couldn't make sense of my spelling..LOL

Now that we know what it is has anyone used it for food storage?

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

another probably dumb question about rice. I bought some buckets at Lowes yesterday to experiment with. I'm going to order some Mylar bags. Isn't it possible to use the foodsaver to suck the air out and seal the Mylar bags?

OK, I foudn this link...http://www.waltonfeed.com/grain/faqs/iva5.html

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

I would definitely NOT put diatemaceous earth among any food I wanted to store.

Maybe the stuff is digestible by humans? We used it for insect control around our house perimeter once and the stuff is very fine. In other words, would take A Lot of work to separate from your food. Or maybe it's also a colon cleanser? I don't want to know.

We used bay leaves in many of our pantry bulk jars, 1 gallon plastic jars. Seemed to work, and at least you have some extra seasoning for soups etc when you need the leaves.


As to buckets & lids; try a paint store. You can buy the lids alone. We have had good luck with every kind. The lids with tab for adding paint pigment work fine. The lids with tear away zip seals work fine. The lids without zip seal or pigment tab also work fine. Main thing is a good rubber gasket and firm grip on the bucket. A rubber hammer works fine to seal them.

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Moneymatters I did find a little info on diatemaceous earth in food storage. Evidenlty it is used although I am not sure I would want to use it either. Still learning all options is good.
http://www.survivalunlimited.com/buckets.htm

diatemaceous earth , 1 - 2 cup per 5 - 6 gallon bucket
1 pound = 6 cups which is good for 300 lbs of grain.
The earth pulls the moisture out of the weevils and they dehydrate with no way of regaining it. Once you open your bulk storage use this to prevent infestation. Also good for storing grains for sprouting because grains stored in CO2 or with O2 absorbers will not not germinate properly. (Dry Ice and CO2 are the same)

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I have a feeling our bodies can handle it just fine. SB

>>>>Pest control
Diatomite is also used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the cuticle, the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. Beekeepers are apparently experimenting with it, to keep small hive beetles from breeding. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans. It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate a cockroach infestation. This material has wide application in control of insects of grain storage.<<<<<<<<<<<<

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Yes, of course. But you still have to get the remaining oxygen out. The thing I like about the vacuum sealer is it makes the bag rigid and smaller. However, if there is a vacuum inside then the atmosphere(which contains oxygen) will always be trying to get inside. Persinally I think CO2 is probably the best way to go. I've often wondered if, or how long it takes the oxygen absorbers to really catch all the O2.

Both the Oxygen absorbers and CO2, or nitrogen will do what we are wanting it to do. If I didn't have any of those I would use the vacumm sealer, but it wouldn't be as good.

SB

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

SB, just a few more questions if you dont mind. Im almost ready to tackle this. First off where is the cheapest source for Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. Second do I have to buy a special iron for sealing. The one I saw was over hundred dollars!! And do you use the diatomaceous earth or freeze before storage?

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

A regular iron is fine. I think Walton feed has a section that talks about how to do this. I took a small board and laid it across the top of the bucket. Ironed it right there. Folded it up and sealed the bucket. Play around with it a little. I guess if you do it just right you can pull them apart and reseal them several times. Ive never had to do that as mine are still sealed and packed away

Last time I got the mylar bags that have a ziplock on them, but they are more expensive.

The only sources I have used for bags/oxygen absorbers are:

http://waltonfeed.com/catalog.html

http://beprepared.com/search.asp?t=s...=33&image1.y=3

It seems like Emergency essentials is a little quicker and shipping is cheaper. Last October they had free shipping. You'll just have to compare. I've been very happy with both.

Kali Tihi

SB

Re: STORING RICE ?
 

Jaima,

Aside from maybe making some wheatgrass, we are storing wheat and brown rice for cooking. I bought several pounds of mung beans and alfalfa seeds for sprouting. Saw them in the pantry the other day still fine after a couple years in the bulk-pack grocer plastic bag.

Found 12lb bags of Lundberg organic short-grain brown rice at Costco for$1/lb, so bought 10 bags. Nice handy size. Excellent price these days. Put 2 into a bucket and store in a dry, halfway cool spot like a closet and you will be fine.

Seems like any weevils we ever had were in milled flour products. We did get some spiders or mites in some 1 gal jars containing bulk stuff we hardly ever used. I have also seen bugs rise to the top of the water when cooking bulk stuff on a few occasions, but they are easily dipped out with a small hand screen or sieve.

It is my opinion that you won't have long to begin using your food storage, unless you have a huge and well-stocked pantry already.

Funny thing, a couple years before we began storing food in sealed buckets, we used galvanized trash cans, bought new and kept 2-3 50lb bags in each. Some we lost to humidity. One had a bag of white rice. I poured it out on a dirt road on our ranch thinking the birds and animals would see it and make quick work of it. That white rice was never touched by any animal. It only disappeared after the rain worked it into the mud.

That is the lesson of white rice; even the animals won't touch it, so why should you?

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I thought you weren't supposed to feed dry rice to birds. Isn't that why they stopped throwing handfuls of it at weddings? Because it swells in their bellies and kills them? If so, maybe you just have smart birds!

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Money Matters, I bought a bit of freeze dried food as it wasn't cooked, thus killing the enzymes. You're right about being what you eat. Eating cooked food, without the enzymes, isn't the best. But in desperate times any decent food is better than none. Is there any particular reason you dislike freeze-dried?

I'm a beginner and trying to assimilate all the knowledge from you guys. Thanks.