Where's the Rice?

I have discovered that a blog is a great filing system for bits and pieces of information I want to keep. So if no one is looking at or reading this silly thing, I at least have it as a sort of online gathering place for all things amr! In this instance, I found this article from BYU's Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science about long term food storage. With all the craze around the rice shortage, the bee population diminishing, and wheat prices soaring sky high - I'm eager to supplement my supply of long term food storage in my basement. Here is the Q & A from chair of the department.

Q: How long will stored foods stay good
A: There is a wide range in the shelf life of dried foods, depending on the specific commodity. Some commodities should be used within a couple of years, like salad oil and dried eggs. But many dried foods - packaged to remove oxygen and kept at room temperature or below will store well for 20-30 years or more. In our studies, taste testers evaluated aroma, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability of dried foods. Wheat and rice were very acceptable after 30 plus years of storage; beans, dried apples, macaroni, potato flakes, and oats up to 30 years; nonfat dry milk up to about 20 years.

Q: Do foods that old retain their nutritional value?
A: There is a loss of nutrients over time, but there is sufficient nutritional value to justify storing dry foods long term. In a survival situation, you need calories to stay alive, and stored foods provide calories. Vitamin C is another important nutrient and, fortunately, vitamin C tablets retain a high percentage of their potency for more than 20 years.

Q: How and where should I store my food supply?
A: Minimize the exposure to moisture, air, light, and warm or hot temperatures. Of these, temperature is the most crucial.

-amr