supposedly, unopened olive oil in cans will last for 20 years. Vegetable oil and shortening, unopened will supposedly last for up to 5 years. I believe I was told that the shortening powder will last 10 years or so.
Those are the time lines I'm going by. One thing I am going to be doing is getting an oil press so that eventually I can grow things like sunflowers for the oil from the seeds and nuts for the oil.

 

Thank you for this post, and please don't take offense when I ask for a source on 20 year shelf life for olive oil storage.

I currently have powered butter & oil stored, If olive oil is a good 20 year prep I'm going shopping soon.

Thanks

 

Shortening powder seems to have a decent life when stored away from O2. The food storage companies all sell it. Most vegetable oils are only good for a year or so. But you can extend that by storing it in the freezer.

I think the secret with oil is store it cold and rotate the heck out of it. If you end up tossing some of it out, well, consider it cheap insurance to make sure you have enough fats stored.

Coconut oil has a longer shelf life than most. Several years. Crisco stores pretty well too, but yuck! I've used 5 year old Crisco that tasted fresh, but that stuff is really bad for you.

Back in the early days of the internet, before websites and such, there was talk on the newsgroup misc.survivalism about preserving oil with vitamin E or antioxidants such as BHT. I know when Alan Hagan made the food storage FAQ, he included dosages and mixing instructions, but no notes on how long the shelf life was extended. Perhaps because his oil hadn't gone rancid yet. I don't know.

I've often wondered about hot canning oil. I notice that canned foods packed in oil, such as tuna or sardines seem to last just fine without the oil going rancid. Perhaps the heat drives any O2 out of solution, and the limited headspace gas in the cans reduce the oil's exposure to O2. I sure wish I could find some hard data on these things.

 

Mike,
How do you tell if the oil has gone bad?
Does it smell bad, change color or settle into layers?

 

Just a note on olive oil. Was picking up some stuff at local bakery supply. They told my wife and I that they quit selling olive oil due to the fact that it was not pure, that it was being mixed with other oils and fillers. They recently found a supplier from Greece that ships directly to them. It's costly, but excellent. Just thought you olive oil "purist" may like to know.

 

Hopefully the tests being done at BYU will be out some time this year. They just posted their request to the LDS Monday.They're looking for stored oil. I'm hoping all different sorts get sent in and some old stuff too. It seems something most folks would like definitive answers on.

I'm hoping they get more then just corn oil. Maybe some olive oil (and EVOO), canola, coconut, etc.

 

My 10 minute google on Olive oil storage life:
(note - it can be frozen for differant results)


Pure(refined) = 3 years
Extra virgin / virgin = 2 years
Light / extra light = 3 to 6 months depending on sediment count
(these are usually the "store brands that are combination of olive oils referred to as "blended".

Figure your shelf life from the best by date. Unopened or opened makes very lttle difference, although unopened it will not have been exposed to the humidity in the air.

The main causes of food spoilage are exposure to temperature extremes, moisture,excessive sun or light, and insect pests.

As in all cases, if it doesn't smell or taste right - discard it.

http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2008/10/simple-food-storage-items-cooking-oils.html


************
&
"Olive oil will keep well if stored in a sealed container in a cool, dark cupboard for about one year. If unopened, the oil may keep for as long as two years or more. To our knowledge, there is no government source for the shelf life of cold pressed oils. Check any oil carefully for rancidity before using."

http://purefectfoods.com/news.aspx <------ good resource for storage food shelf life

 

My 10 minute google on Olive oil storage life:
(note - it can be frozen for differant results)


Pure(refined) = 3 years
Extra virgin / virgin = 2 years
Light / extra light = 3 to 6 months depending on sediment count
(these are usually the "store brands that are combination of olive oils referred to as "blended".

Figure your shelf life from the best by date. Unopened or opened makes very lttle difference, although unopened it will not have been exposed to the humidity in the air.

The main causes of food spoilage are exposure to temperature extremes, moisture,excessive sun or light, and insect pests.

That's just about what I've found to be the storage limits with my own oils. Once opened, my olive oil lasts for less than a year. Of course, I'm in a warm climate which accelerates rancidity.

The enemy of oils isn't humidity, it's O2. It causes oxidative rancidity. Light is also an enemy, so oils in a bottle need to be wrapped, boxed, or stored in a dark area.

 

Shortening powder sounds a lot like dehydrated water to me. I bought a can of it though and read the label. It says that if you want it to vaguely resemble shortening you'll have to add oil. Go figure since shortening is hydrogenated oil and oil doesn't powder well. Also, 'powdered peanut butter' is just peanut flour. You have to add oil to that too.

I'm leaving it at that and bought a bunch of actual shortening and gallons of oil. I didn't realize how badly I needed it until I went to the food calculator from Emergency Essentials http://foodstorageanalyzer.com. See, all the buckets of beans and wheat and rice and more beans are missing 2 things, fat and salt. Since this calculator calculates based on total calories and shows the nutrient ratios in comparison to a healthy diet it was saying I only had a pitiful amount of food stored and only like 1% of my daily fat was taken care of. When I added some hypothetical fat my food/days went up easily. I'm also not an enemy of fat. Fat makes my hunger turn off where I might otherwise eat a box of something and consume many more calories. Fat is also good for when you have to accept lower house temperatures to conserve fuel as your body needs its long burning fattiness to create body heat.

So long story short is that I intend the last morsel of food that I scrape from my stash will be deep fried and I won't have enough oil/shortening until then. Also, when my fridge was broken for a few months and I hadn't bothered to get a new one I had my butter sitting on the table. Not only do flies not go near it but being at room temperature makes it so easy to spread and it didn't change in flavor one bit. If butter can sit in open air for months without ill effects (unless it's hot out) then I don't think that fats are so prone to rancidity as people would suggest.

One last note on nutrition. I just checked a #10 can of spinach. The whole can contains 340 calories. A 48oz bottle of oil has 11,520 calories. I could probably get 5-10 bottles of oil for the price of that can of spinach. (WOW!) I'm glad I have a variety of fruits and veggies stored for variety and nutrition but fats will give me a lot of energy and turn off my hunger.

On a side note I just looked up rancidification on Wikipedia. Apparently fat can only go rancid 3 different ways. Those are by reactions with oxygen, water, or microbes. Problem solved.

 

On a side note I just looked up rancidification on Wikipedia. Apparently fat can only go rancid 3 different ways. Those are by reactions with oxygen, water, or microbes. Problem solved.

Store it in nitrogen sealed cans. Whala!

 

I have read on some of the Mormon sites that Crisco can last 10 years if unopened if stored in a cool dark place. Anyone have any more info on this? - Yes I know Crisco is not the best for you. But i am storing food to live and having a oil source that is stored long term. If I throw some away and buy new in 10 years that is okay. It is insurance - I spend money on insurance I rarely use all the time. We do not use much oil now and go through less than a bottle a year - I need to store more than that so can not easily rotate. We will need the calories from the fat if we start living on our other stored foods and our large garden.

 

I have read on some of the Mormon sites that Crisco can last 10 years if unopened if stored in a cool dark place. Anyone have any more info on this? - Yes I know Crisco is not the best for you. But i am storing food to live and having a oil source that is stored long term. If I through some away and buy new in 10 years that is okay. It is insurance - I spend money on insurance I rarely use all the time. We do not use much oil now and go through less than a bottle a year - I need to store more than that so can not easily rotate. We will need the calories from the fat if we start living on our other stored foods and our large garden.

It's definately not healthy but it does store very well long term. I recently opened some that I put into storage in 1997. This is a hot climate, but I couldn't detect any rancidity from smell alone. I tasted a tiny bit and it tasted ok too. I tossed it out and replaced it though. But it made 13 years in a warm climate.

I'm seriously looking into coconut oil. Not only is it one of the healthiest oils, but it has a long shelf life. Between that and olive oil, I think I'll probably phase Crisco out of my storage.

 

So, besides smell is it really bad for you to consume it?
Some things I can detect by smell, others not so much.
I know meats are one item that I do notice if they get smelly.They also get slimy, which bothers me more. (but some folks like meat that way)

Fish are something that really get smelly. When I was in the far east the open air fish markets (no ice) turned my stomach to the point that I can't stand it anymore. I know fish is supposed to be good for me but even the slightest hint of smell brings back bad memories. I can't get it in my mouth if I can't get it past my nose.

 

So, besides smell is it really bad for you to consume it?

Oxidative rancidity of fats generates a lot of free radicals and can cause carginogenic compounds to form. There are other nasty effects too, but I don't remember what they are. A little bit rancid is a little bit poisonous, as Alan Hagan of misc.survivalism used to say.

 

How long does Coconut oil last? In previous research I remember reading that some kinds really taste like coconuts (which I wouldn't like to use in some recipes). How do you know which is good and which kind of processing lasted the longest. I know our local Wal-Mart carries coconut oil.

I'm seriously looking into coconut oil. Not only is it one of the healthiest oils, but it has a long shelf life. Between that and olive oil, I think I'll probably phase Crisco out of my storage.[/QUOTE]

 

How long does Coconut oil last? In previous research I remember reading that some kinds really taste like coconuts (which I wouldn't like to use in some recipes).

[/QUOTE]

I've only tried VIRGIN coconut oil ($$) and yes, it tastes like coconuts. But surprisingly has worked in just about everything I've made with it.

 

I said in an earlier post that olive oil properly stored has a shelf life, supposedly, of 20 yrs. I was asked to show where I had seen that, and I looked and looked and found several people who said it had no expiration date, but the bulk of the info said 2 yrs after the expiration date, but to go on taste and smell. They said while it won't hurt you, it won't taste good if it is too old. I apologize for the misleading info on that post. I may come accross where i read it, but since popular opinion, of the hardiest preppers, says 2 plus yrs...well, again I apologize and I guess I'd better start rotating some of the oil I have stored! lol (live and learn)

 

We have one guy on the board who insists that olive oil lasts for a decade or so, and that rancidity isn't harmful. He must get a different olive oil than I do. I can barely get 2 years if I'm lucky, usually less. And rancidity is most definately harmful. Rancid oil is the exact opposite of antioxidants. While they protect from free radicals, rancid oil releases them all throughout the body. It can be carcinogenic also. I remember reading of some other effects but I don't remember what they are offhand.

Of course I live in a warmer climate, so those in cooler areas will probably get a little better storage life. Freezing oil is the only way I know to truly get decent shelf life.

 

i've been buying crisco because its cheap and stores a long time. i get it at costco, i'm not sure if there is a cheaper place to buy it though.

 

This got me thinking. I use a lot of PAM, the spray stuff in a can. Great to keep things from sticking. I did a search and it goes from 12 to 24 mos. I'll be stocking up a bit. Here's a link.

http://www.pam4you.com/pages/questions/index.jsp

D

 

That will help you with nonstick cooking, but it won't do much for providing fats in your diet.

Fats and oils are important in many recipes, but the other important element of them is that our bodies need fat as a dietary requirement. That's why (IMO) the holy grail of prepping is finding a way to store fat long-term like wheat berries or dehydrated food.

 

Don't throw out any rancid oil or Crisco. I tried this and it does work.

 

I second the thought of not throwing oil out. Oilve oil burns clean. I have bought lots of wicks for this purpose.

I have read that Oilve Oil stores longer in cans verses plastic. Will search for source.

 

I've heard that too, but I can't find it in cans other than in gallon sizes and I don't want to open that much at a time if I can help it. I buy it in glass and store it away from light. But the heat in my climate still gets to it.

 

Virgin coconut oil is superb for frying eggs... I kid you not!

:thumb:

 

This is just a thought, but what about pouring the oil from bulk into wine bottles and using those vacuum pumps or Argon (i think its Argon, but maybe I've been working with windows too long?) they use to prevent oxidation in wine?

 

I have a theory that a lot of rancidy in oils is caused by O2 in solution. Because even with a very limited headspace, it still goes rancid quickly. Yet in canned products like oil packed sardines or tuna, it never seems to go rancid. Despite the fact that there is O2 in the headspace of the cans. I'm leaning toward thinking that hot canning oil may drive the O2 out of solution and there isn't enough in the limited headspace to cause much rancidity. I haven't tested this theory yet, but intend to.

 

Store it on the hoof

This discussion makes me think I need to start rendering my own shortening.I wonder how grizzly bear grease tastes LOL.
Seriously my greatgranny rendered almost all of her own grease for cooking well into her late 70's I can still say the woman made the best piecrust and pastries i've ever had and all she used was bear grease.

 

Is there anything like this Stateside?

http://www.piteba.com/

 

There are several expellers available here that I've seen. One uses a small oil lamp to heat the ground seeds as they're pressed to expell the maximum amount of oil. They seemed to run in the near $200 range, which isn't bad when you consider just how handy one would be.

The only realistic way to provide fats long term is to raise them ourselves. Either animal fat or pressing oils from crops.

 

You can now get a very nice butter in cans from New Zealand called Red Feather. Should store for quite some time.
They say olive oil stores the best and can also be used for lamps at a pinch as well as for cooking.

 

I found this link a while back on Ghee (clarified butter). It's supposed to last 15-20 years in the unopened can. I haven't tried it yet but will be ordering some soon to see how it works/tastes.


http://www.campingsurvival.com/puuscaghclbu.html

 

Ghee has all the milk solids removed and does not taste like normal butter does. It is the fat alone. It is simply used for cooking. Clarified butter or ghee does not burn as readily as unclarified ( the butter we normally use). It will certainly last along time as it is canned or tinned. And it is good for cooking. Used considerably in Indian cooking.
You would not put it on a sandwich and get the same effect as normal butter. That is where the red feather is different. It still contains the milk solids and tastes the same as normal.

 

I did a search luckily found this thread about storing olive oil.

A friend called and asked if he stored oil in a zip-lock mylar if that would keep enough o2 out for long term storage.

Any help is appreciated.

 

Where, oh where, does one find olive oil in the can? I've searched everywhere from grocery stores to restaurant supply houses and have never been able to find it. Any ideas?

 

Canned is everywhere I look. If you can't find it locally go online.

 

2016 Report: Greek Olive Oil

I am so sorry to report this, it saddened me when I watched it.

On January 3, 2016, Sixty Minutes did a segment on olive oil imported from Greece. Their investigation is worth reading.

Just because you order olive oil from Greece does not mean it is pure. The Greek Mafia has tampered with most brands and it is no longer free of fillets, etc.

Go to the following link to read the report:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-agromafia-food-fraud/

I personally am storing coconut oil.

 

Typo

Fillers!!! not Fillets!!!!
Ugh.
Sorry.