Long term storage

[vesan87]

My two items to purchase this week for long term storage are olive oil and peanut butter. For the oilive oil should I go with glass or plastic and should I get extra virgin or regular virgin? And should the peanut butter be in glass or plastic? I'm buying the REAL peanut butter that has the only ingredient of peanuts.

 

[Marc]

also get fresh MRE's

 

[vesan87]

I look for MRE's once every three months.

 

[Bill B]

Plastic, depending on the type, may degrade and become brittle after time, especially when exposed to sunlight.
How long is long term? 6 mos to a year would be dealers' choice.
Longer than that I would go with glass.

 

[vesan87]

I think I'll just spring for the glass so I'm not kicking my self later. I would feel good with a 2 year supply on hands.

 

[philo]

Glass is always a better option for long term storage. Plastic, while not being porous enough for the wind to whistle through, does allow gas exchange at a low level. Glass will protect the produces mush better from oxidation of the fats and oils. Oxidation will at the very least give you an "off taste", and can render the products unpalatable or even potentially carcinogenic over the long term.

 

[dudley0]

What about the plastic lids on glass jars? Would that have the same effect for gas release? Would it be better for long term storage to wax the top of the jar then put the lid back on it? Kind of like the old canning way or preserving.

 

[philo]

Glass is always a better option for long term storage. Plastic, while not being porous enough for the wind to whistle through, does allow gas exchange at a low level. Glass will protect the produces mush better from oxidation of the fats and oils. Oxidation will at the very least give you an "off taste", and can render the products unpalatable or even potentially carcinogenic over the long term.

I was probably a little too anti plastic in my first post above. PETE or #1 plastic - think soda bottles, peanut butter and mayo jars, etc is "almost as good as glass" and much safer in the event of rough handling ie earthquake or clumsiness.
Polyethylene including PE and HDPE (#2) - think milk jugs, squeeze bottles, etc. are horrible for long term storage.
Polypropylene (PP or #5) is somewhere on the scale between the above two.
Polystyrene (PS or #6) - think pudding cups or fruit cups, can get brittle and fail.

 

[Bendrx]

If you want to save a few bucks the just buy it in the plastic and then put it in some mason jars. The lid on the glass bottles wont be as good as the mason jar seals.

I have NOT researched or really even thought of it before, but I think oils are pretty hardy. Nothing is going to grow in them, they'll just seperate and as pointed out the taste could get changed. I've let some olive oil get below freezing and it seperated, once I heated it back up and shook it it looks and cooks fine for me. I use it mostly for cooking (same with peanut oil) but if you use it to make those bread dips it might be an issue. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cosermann]

Oils and things with high oil content will go rancid if/when exposed to oxygen (since oxygen is 8 times more soluable in most fats than in water). And, you don't want to consume racid fats/oils = bad for you. Extreme example - the linseed oil (flaxseed) that we use as a wood finish and a base for oil paints. In just a matter of hours the oil oxidizes into a solid polymer. Desirable for wood and paint. Undesirable for food.

I'd only count on a 6 mo rotation of stored olive oil (because I can't gauge purity) unless you go to some special effort to store them (ex. vacuum sealing, adding antioxidant preservatives, and refrigeration).

Absolutely pure olive oil can be stored longer. The stuff typically available at the store doesn't store very well.

Just about the longest term oil commonly available = unopened Crisco = 2 years. Lasts approx 1 yr after opening.

 

[E5RANGER375]

oil, its whats for dinner at that guys house. yummmmmm

 

[dudley0]

... but lard doesn't spill.

 

[crawfish]

WHERE IS BEST PLACE TO GET MYLAR BAGS AND THE OXY ABSORB I AM NEW TO ALL THIS AND HAVE LOOKED AROUND WOULD ENJOY ANY ADVICE MY WIFE IS ALL INTO THIS FINALLY I HAVE PREPARED AN AREA FOR EXTRA FOOD AND WANT TO GET STARTED ASAP ALSO IS THERE ANY CANS TO STEER AWAY FROM THXS ALOT FOR ANY HELP

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Glass is always a better option for long term storage. Plastic, while not being porous enough for the wind to whistle through, does allow gas exchange at a low level. Glass will protect the produces mush better from oxidation of the fats and oils. Oxidation will at the very least give you an "off taste", and can render the products unpalatable or even potentially carcinogenic over the long term.

Could you explain or give a link as to how rancid peanut oil can cause cancer? I call BS. Perhaps the gasses (BPA) leaked/released from certain plastics can be carcinogenic, but even that isn't proven.

 

[philo]

Could you explain or give a link as to how rancid peanut oil can cause cancer? I call BS. Perhaps the gasses (BPA) leaked/released from certain plastics can be carcinogenic, but even that isn't proven.

It might be BS, but I wouldn't BS you on purpose. I'm not sure that the BPA hype isn't BS too. Either way, a whole lot of other things will likely kill me before cancer caused by either of these. Here's an abstract from a scientific article implicating oxidized fat in potential for colon cancer - see the red text at the end:

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1998 Nov;7(11):1007-12.
Lipid peroxyl radicals from oxidized oils and heme-iron: implication of a high-fat diet in colon carcinogenesis.

Sawa T, Akaike T, Kida K, Fukushima Y, Takagi K, Maeda H.
Department of Microbiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract

A diet high in fat and iron is known as a risk factor in cancer epidemiology. However, the details of the molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. We examined the possible implication of lipid peroxyl radicals generated from fatty acids and heme-iron in DNA damage, and hence in the possibility of colon cancer. F344 female rats were given N-nitroso-N-methylurea six times during a 2-week period and then fed diets containing different amounts of safflower oil and hemoglobin (rich in iron) for 36 weeks; the occurrence of colon cancer was determined by H&E staining. In this animal model, simultaneous feeding of a fat diet and heme-iron produced a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the incidence of colon cancer compared with a diet without hemoglobin. Electron paramagnetic resonance and chemiluminescence studies revealed that oxidized refined vegetable oils, particularly safflower oil, readily generated lipid peroxyl radicals in the presence of various heme compounds, and the peroxyl radicals did effectively cleave DNA. Unpurified native vegetable oils contain a high amount of peroxyl radical scavengers, whereas conventional refining processes seem to reduce the levels of many valuable anti-peroxyl radical compounds abundant in plant seeds. In conclusion, lipid peroxides and heme components generate peroxyl radical species that exert DNA-cleaving activity. A plausible explanation is that lipid peroxyl radicals thus generated, which originated from routine dietary components such as fat and red meat, may contribute, at least in part, to the high incidence of colon cancer.

PMID: 9829709 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free Article

 

[ThrottleJockey]

It might be BS, but I wouldn't BS you on purpose. I'm not sure that the BPA hype isn't BS too. Either way, a whole lot of other things will likely kill me before cancer caused by either of these. Here's an abstract from a scientific article implicating oxidized fat in potential for colon cancer - see the red text at the end:

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1998 Nov;7(11):1007-12.
Lipid peroxyl radicals from oxidized oils and heme-iron: implication of a high-fat diet in colon carcinogenesis.

Sawa T, Akaike T, Kida K, Fukushima Y, Takagi K, Maeda H.
Department of Microbiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract

A diet high in fat and iron is known as a risk factor in cancer epidemiology. However, the details of the molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. We examined the possible implication of lipid peroxyl radicals generated from fatty acids and heme-iron in DNA damage, and hence in the possibility of colon cancer. F344 female rats were given N-nitroso-N-methylurea six times during a 2-week period and then fed diets containing different amounts of safflower oil and hemoglobin (rich in iron) for 36 weeks; the occurrence of colon cancer was determined by H&E staining. In this animal model, simultaneous feeding of a fat diet and heme-iron produced a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the incidence of colon cancer compared with a diet without hemoglobin. Electron paramagnetic resonance and chemiluminescence studies revealed that oxidized refined vegetable oils, particularly safflower oil, readily generated lipid peroxyl radicals in the presence of various heme compounds, and the peroxyl radicals did effectively cleave DNA. Unpurified native vegetable oils contain a high amount of peroxyl radical scavengers, whereas conventional refining processes seem to reduce the levels of many valuable anti-peroxyl radical compounds abundant in plant seeds. In conclusion, lipid peroxides and heme components generate peroxyl radical species that exert DNA-cleaving activity. A plausible explanation is that lipid peroxyl radicals thus generated, which originated from routine dietary components such as fat and red meat, may contribute, at least in part, to the high incidence of colon cancer.

PMID: 9829709 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free Article

Thank you. So from what I get out of that, a lot of antioxidants or a diet known to contain antioxidant properties would likely counteract the rancid fat effect?

 

[philo]

Thank you. So from what I get out of that, a lot of antioxidants or a diet known to contain antioxidant properties would likely counteract the rancid fat effect?

Sure antioxidants would help to counteract the oxidized free radicles, but since rancid oil tastes nasty - just try to keep your oil fresh. Glass or PETE bottles, and get oil in smaller bottles not the 2 1/2 gallon jugs from Sam's or Costco. The airspace in an opened bottle of oil gives a lot of space for oxygen to react with the oil surface. I love to get things in bulk for our everyday use, but not oils.

Again, rancid taste from oxidized oils I can personally attest to - "health effects" I've read about in the literature, but it's hard to say how a scientific journal article equates to real life.

 

[springfieldfan42188]

oils will go bad just keep sealed . most come in glass already with metal lids most likely aluminum. peanut butter u can buy in cardboard sealed cans at like sams club and there meant for long term storage as far as a year or two

 

[Bazooka Joe]

What about canning the oil after you bought it? Anyone know if "cold packing" vs. pressure canning, which one would be the best? Or if you could do it at all?I have seen instructions for margarine but not anything for oil.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Absolutely pure olive oil can be stored longer. The stuff typically available at the store doesn't store very well.

What about olive oil sold in tins, like the stuff from Europe sold at a Treasure Island or the like?