Storing Pasta

[Tbald14]

Im trying to figure out the best course of action to store pasta. I know to get any time at all out of it i need to do something more then just the box. So the question is what is the best way to store pasta long term, Vacuum sealer, number 10 cans with O2 pack, mylar with O2?

 

[Ted]

Im trying to figure out the best course of action to store pasta. I know to get any time at all out of it i need to do something more then just the box. So the question is what is the best way to store pasta long term, Vacuum sealer, number 10 cans with O2 pack, mylar with O2?

Sam's Club sells a lot of their pasta in 6 lb boxes, individually sealed in 1 lb sealed bags.

 

[MrBBQ]

This is a good question... I was told a while back that freezing it for a while will kill the bad stuff lurking in the box, and then it will last much longer. Any idea if this is true? Sounded a bit too easy to me.

 

[parsimonious]

One can freeze pasta short term. I wouldn't freeze it for longer than a year.

Freezing just keeps the bugs out, and keeps any eggs that are in the
package from hatching. I have pretty much realized that any cereal product
one buys comes with bugs. Long term storage is hard.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

How long is it okay to store pasta just in the box?

 

[PistolBob]

Pasta by its very nature is not a long term storage food item. We've kept pasta in small plastic containers that have good sealing lids for a few months but the enemy of any cereal type product is moisture, do what you can to minimize that is the best you can hope for, but get it too dry and it crumbles apart, too humid and it can mold.

 

[actaeon277]

I can't help on the long term storage.
But, if you have bugs in it, they will float when you boil it, and you can scoop them.
Sounds discusting, but that's the way it was on my Sub.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I've stored the pasta in the store packaging for 2+ years and never once had any sort of problem with quality degrading or insect infestation. I have approximately 50 lbs of pasta stored right now. I buy it when it's less than $.50/lb and stock it deep. I'm still working on the last of the spaghetti noodles I bought in 2010. No problems with them. No bugs, no discoloring, no bad tastes or textures.

Worst case scenario there is always this:

I can't help on the long term storage.
But, if you have bugs in it, they will float when you boil it, and you can scoop them.
Sounds discusting, but that's the way it was on my Sub.

 

[Survivalcookie]

I've stored the pasta in the store packaging for 2+ years and never once had any sort of problem with quality degrading or insect infestation. I have approximately 50 lbs of pasta stored right now. I buy it when it's less than $.50/lb and stock it deep. I'm still working on the last of the spaghetti noodles I bought in 2010. No problems with them. No bugs, no discoloring, no bad tastes or textures.

Worst case scenario there is always this:

You have it right...about 2 years in a cool dry place just rotate it, for long term you can buy noodles in #10 cans, more expensive but has an 8-10 year shelf life.

 

[Survivalcookie]

I can't help on the long term storage.
But, if you have bugs in it, they will float when you boil it, and you can scoop them.
Sounds discusting, but that's the way it was on my Sub.

Free protein.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

I've stored the pasta in the store packaging for 2+ years and never once had any sort of problem with quality degrading or insect infestation. I have approximately 50 lbs of pasta stored right now. I buy it when it's less than $.50/lb and stock it deep. I'm still working on the last of the spaghetti noodles I bought in 2010. No problems with them. No bugs, no discoloring, no bad tastes or textures.

Worst case scenario there is always this:

Yeah I was just looking at ours after reading this thread and most of it has a 2 yr "Best by Date" on it.

 

[FWShooter]

Normally throw it in mylar with O2 absorbers.

Pokey pasta like spaghetti best to get the 7-8 mil bags because they are more poke resistant.

 

[beardedbrodel]

Can't you just vacuum bag it with a foodsaver? With no air in the bag you shouldn't have any bacteria to decay the pasta.

 

[Ted]

Can't you just vacuum bag it with a foodsaver? With no air in the bag you shouldn't have any bacteria to decay the pasta.

Provided that it is aerobic, as opposed to anaerobic organisms.

 

[03A3]

One can freeze pasta short term. I wouldn't freeze it for longer than a year.

Freezing just keeps the bugs out, and keeps any eggs that are in the
package from hatching. I have pretty much realized that any cereal product
one buys comes with bugs. Long term storage is hard.

We've been eating some that's been in the freezer since 2009. It's not topnotch but it's plenty good enough to eat even when there's other things to be had.
That's the only way I know to keep the bugs from running rampant.
My Grandparents and Parents all told me that during the depression and WWII they considered the bugs to be something else to eat.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Provided that it is aerobic, as opposed to anaerobic organisms.

Most anaerobic bacteria I know of require moisture to thrive. That is one thing pasta should not have in it if it's in storage. But definitely a good point; removing oxygen isn't always a good thing for LTS of food stuff.

 

[FWShooter]

Can't you just vacuum bag it with a foodsaver? With no air in the bag you shouldn't have any bacteria to decay the pasta.

Foodsaver expect 3-5 years max.

Mylar/O2 easily 30 years.

Depends on how long you want to store it.

We rotate a lot of our food so 3-5 years is more than acceptable however; I had bad luck with vacuum sealing in the past and prefer mylar/O2 since it is cheap.

 

[indybuell]

I would suggest rotating through your Pasta supply every 6 to 12 months in vacuum sealed containers.