rice storage questions from my DH

[ShaynaGirl]

My DH has some questions for all of you about rice storage.

We have some bulk rice (white long grain and basmati and jasmine) stored in its original packaging since 2008.

I thought these should be stored in buckets with an O2 absorber. He says no, not if still sealed. It has been stored in the basement.

What should we do now? Is the rice still good and if so for how much longer?

[techo]

The rice will be dry, lost it's flavor and texture but, it would be better than nothing.
It's important to store it properly. Try it now and see, compare it to fresh rice.
The fresh 2011 Jasmine rice crop is at your oriental market now.
I just bought some a week or two ago. I have to pack it up now.

[nicktide]

I store mine in 1/2 gallon juice containers... havnt gotten into the mylar yet. I am told it should be good for 5 years or so this way.

[Madgie]

I have always used mylar bags with 02's in 5 gal buckets with all my rice. Good luck!

[max6220]

picked up 100lbs, have it in the freezer, my question is how long do you let it out of the freezer before placing it in mylar bags.

[MikeK]

2008 is probably pushing it as far as shelf life is concerned. I think I'd start rotating that batch and get some fresh for long term storage. Stored in mylar with O2 absorbers, rice will last for decades. Sitting out exposed to O2 like that, it'll make several years but begins to oxidize slowly.

[OhioMan]

Originally Posted by ShaynaGirl

My DH has some questions for all of you about rice storage.

We have some bulk rice (white long grain and basmati and jasmine) stored in its original packaging since 2008.

I thought these should be stored in buckets with an O2 absorber. He says no, not if still sealed. It has been stored in the basement.

What should we do now? Is the rice still good and if so for how much longer?

I agree with the others, your DH is wrong and I wouldn't chance it. Rice is so cheap why not do it right so it wil last for decades.

[rice paddy daddy]

We always put it in the freezer for a couple of days to kill any weevils, then into food grade buckets.

[A-Team]

Originally Posted by ShaynaGirl

My DH has some questions for all of you about rice storage.

We have some bulk rice (white long grain and basmati and jasmine) stored in its original packaging since 2008.

I thought these should be stored in buckets with an O2 absorber. He says no, not if still sealed. It has been stored in the basement.

What should we do now? Is the rice still good and if so for how much longer?

Stop collecting Jasmine and focus on Basmati. Jasmine is 105 on the glycemic index. Basmati is in the 50s. This means that Jasmine is as close to eating pure sugar as you can get while Basmati is much less fattening.

I was collecting both and I just had someone point out the glycemic difference. I had no clue the two rice types were so different.

An advantage of both is that they store almost forever even without O2 absorbers, but with O2 absorbers you've got a very low cost food staple in Basmati that is also lower on the glycemic chart.

The same poster recommended that I look into adding barley. Barley is only 25 on the glycemic chart and it costs $8 for 20 lbs.

Basmati and barley are the two new main stocks for my preps.

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by rice paddy daddy

We always put it in the freezer for a couple of days to kill any weevils, then into food grade buckets.

Yet those same bugs survived all winter in some of the coldest states in the country. I can't see how I'd freeze say 500 lbs, without doing so many batches that it would take months to finish just that step.

If bugs are a big worry, food grade diatomaceous earth is cheap. Because it has so many other uses around the home and farm, it makes a great prep item anyway.

[rncmomx2]

Been storing rice since a little before 99 in juice jugs and hic jugs....still eating it and its been just as flavorful as new....