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Long Term Storage for Dry Milk and Potato Flakes

35K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  ULTRAMAGNUM 
#1 ·
I have been searching the internet for information about long term storage of Dry Milk because I read it might be more difficult to store long term. My intended method is to use 5 food grade gallon buckets with mylar bags and 2 of the 2000 cc Oxygen absorbers. I think 2 of the O2 absorbers might be overkill but I figure it is an insurance policy.

Does anyone have any experience with dry milk and know how it tastes 5 or 10 years after packaging it?

Any help, insight, or information is appreciated.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
I've had some nonfat milk that was about 5 years old. Tangy is the best word I can think of to describe the taste. It was still in the packaging it came in without any other kind of packaging of my own. I believe the bags they were in didn't keep a good seal because some bags tasted much better than others, even almost okay. I bet you'd be fine if you do as you're planning. I wouldn't repackage it though. Like if you're using Nestle Nido, don't open the can, but do seal the whole thing in a big mylar bag and put it in a bucket.

Edit: I've read elsewhere that it's still better to repackage. I'd like to try both ways.
 
#3 ·
I think milk is one of those things that is just hard to store long term. I do have a good bit that I put into #10 cans at the LDS cannery, but for normal use, i use my Food Saver with the jar lid attachment and store in 1/2 gallon glass jars. I do like the Nido! It is dried whole milk instead of non fat so it tastes so much better. I have been finding it in what is close to a #10 can sized with a metal seal and not one of those metalized things that a lot of cans are now being sealed with. So I do store them just on the shelf and figure I have a reasonable shelf life with them as is.

My back up plan if it looks like whatever event makes me have to depend on my long term storage is to get a milk goat! I can store a lifetime supply of wheat and it won't go bad but I can't say the same about milk. One good thing "old" dry milk is good for though is making a soft cheese. There is a book, I think it is Cooking with Home Storage, that has recipes for using powdered milk and tells how to make cheese out of milk that you may not really want to drink but is not really spoiled.
 
#5 ·
#10 ·
Here is a good review of some brands of powdered milk:
http://selfrelianceadventures.blogspot.com/2010/03/great-powdered-milk-taste-test-and.html
The LDS milk was the least favorite for a taste test, but would be good in baking.
That's too bad that they only tested low fat and nonfat milk. I want fat in my survival milk. I'm not on a diet, so let it give me all the energy it can. It tastes a LOT better with fat too. I would even say it tastes good. For the fatty whole milk version, I get Nestle Nido. It can usually be found in the hispanic section of grocery stores. I usually get it at Walmart for $13 for a #10 can.
 
#12 ·
Mylar and O2 absorbers are perfect for both of those. Powdered milk can last for a couple decades packed like that. A few months back I finished a bucket of it that had been packed in the '90s and forgotten in the hot metal shed along with some other preps. They were put in there temporarily, then forgotten during a move. I assumed they had been integrated into the preps at the new house, but they had been left behind.

Anyway, the milk was fine.
 
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