Shelf life of canned goods in hot storage building? (cow, temperature, oil)

[RogueMom]

Hey, Nighteyes, thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't believe I didn't even think of that. As a matter of fact, I have quite a bit of "crawl" space under my mobile home, and easy access to it through a metal hatch door that I could even install a lock on.

Thanks for helping me see what was right in front of me (or rather, underneath me) - and I was completely missing. I'll get a thermometer at the harware store tomorrow and check the temperature when it really gets hot here.

This is why I LOVE this forum. So many helpful people - with great information to share. I do know that crickets will still get in those rubbermaid boxes, though. Used to have an old storage building with a dirt floor, and somehow they got in.

[Nighteyes]

The other thing to worry about, of course, is freezing temps. Since your crawl space is enclosed, you may be able to get away with something as simple as adding a bit of insulation and hanging one or two mechanic's trouble lights -- available at most automotive, tool & supply, and hardware stores -- close to your stored items.

There was a time in my youth when the water in our house came from a well by means of an electric pump. The pump and reservoir tank were in a well-constructed, insulated wooden pump house in the side yard. During the winter months my father would hang a couple of trouble lights in the pump house. On those well-below-freezing nights he'd turn them on, and that little bit of extra heat was all it took to keep the water in the tank from freezing.

He did the same thing for the dog house, btw. Worked there, too.

This wouldn't work up in Mac's area, but in large areas of Dixieland it just might...

[sunsprit]

Many insects burrow in between the can labels and the can, as well as eat the adhesive holding the label on.

The best way to deal with this if it's a problem in your area is to completely remove the labels before ever bringing the cans in to the storage area.

Don't forget to mark the can's contents with a permanent marker before putting them away ... I know folk who didn't and they ate a lot of peaches while searching for the canned stew ....

[DeLaine Klar]

I would NOT recommend the storage of water and canned goods as you are planning. I believe it will be a waste of money, as storing your canned goods in high heat could spoil the food and make it unsafe to eat. It's best to keep the temperature as constant as possible and between 60-70 degrees would be ideal. Also high heat causes chemicals to leach of out plastic into water bottles which is not healthy. I've been doing a lot of research for a website I've developed. [url]www.bestifusedby.com[/url] so please use caution and don't store your food in high heat conditions!!

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Unless the seal on the container is damaged, or the container itself fails, high heat will not spoil your stored foods but it will degrade the nutritional value, taste and texture. High heat (and freezing) has less of an effect on properly sealed whole dry goods like grains, pasta and beans. Dehydrated and freeze-dried foods also have a longer shelf life in less perfect conditions than anything that contains water and/or oils & fats. A #10 can of freeze-dried stew (or whatever), once reconstituted, ends up being about the same price overall as buying it "wet" in cans... and the same amount of food servings takes up much less space, so is easier to store in better conditions.

Do NOT store water in the heat in plastic bottles, many plastic bottles leach chemicals when they get hot especially if they are exposed to any sunlight. If you are planning to stow and forget it, you may want to consider getting boxed or canned purified water. You can find them at The Ready Store and several other emergency/storage sites. Given the bug and varmint situation in NC, I'd opt for the cans over the boxes since they're harder to chew through, unless you can store them in a critter-proof container. While it's possible to can your own water in mason jars, glass can break during high & low temperature extremes... the boxed and canned water withstands that much better.

Another water solution is to get a water cooler and have several of the big bottles for daily house use so that you're rotating it on a regular basis.

ETA: Please note that the canned and boxed purified water recommendations, as well as the water cooler supply recommendation, is intended only for emergency drinking water. Water used for cooking cleaning is fine stored in plastic containers. Water stored for cooking should be potable (or at least made potable) by boiling, filtration and/treatment. In addition to storing a supply of drinking water, and a supply for other uses, you should also consider adding a filtration and treatment solution to your storage. Factor 2 quarts/liters of drinking water per person per day minimum (you can get by with less if you have to, but why chance it). One gallon each is optimal, providing drinking and cooking water, and allowing for more activity in hot/cold temps. Stocking more than a 30-day supply of drinking water (1 gallon per person/day) is impractical... if you haven't found an accessible water source and a means to make it potable within that time, your chances of survival are extremely limited.

[Digital_Duck]

Think about plastic storage containers buried about a foot under soil level
Frost line is normally a few inches under surface so you have a way to keep a steady temperature to allow food to be kept at better temperature

[leftmyheartintennessee]

Here's another possible storage location. What about under the beds? Can the beds be raised up some with boards or those dorm room bed risers just enough to give you room to slide some shallow totes with canned goods underneath? That would give you more even temperatures than outside, as well as put the space to better use.

[Nighteyes]

Originally Posted by leftmyheartintennessee

Here's another possible storage location. What about under the beds? Can the beds be raised up some with boards or those dorm room bed risers just enough to give you room to slide some shallow totes with canned goods underneath? That would give you more even temperatures than outside, as well as put the space to better use.

I think this was covered in another thread. However, it is ALWAYS a good idea to check out that idea! There are even boxes with wheels specifically designed and intended for under-bed storage, without even needing to elevate it.

Another thought, for those with Select Comfort mattress sets. Remember that the "foundation" is really nothing more than an inverted, mostly-empty, box. Simply substitute another type of (properly-dimensioned) shelf of the same height, drop the mattress on top, and voila! You now have an underbed storage area that is around 18 inches high!

[Woof]

Cans DO NOT go bad unless they are rusted through, ever, at least in the sense of microbial growth leading to "food poisoning".

However the vitamin content, especially vitamin C and the Bs, can go downhill, and the flavor can go downhill. Essentially storing it in a hot place for a year is like cooking it at a low temp for a year.

Mineral content and protein content will not be affected by long, hot storage.

While water in plastic bottles can get some plastic chemicals leeched into the water, you say you have the water in glass bottles. As long as they don't shatter from freezing in the winter, the water should stay good for the next thousand years or so.

[suzeque42]

I also wonder what to do with canned goods when I leave Mesa for the summer and return to Michigan. I turn electricity off and it is HOT May-October. Dry goods are stored in Plastic tubs in the shower. Asking friends to take a tub, or two. Wondering, again, if sugar, tea, noodles, and jars of jams, Mincemeat, cereals are okay to leave in plastic tubs.