Subject: MRE Storage Life - Details from Natick Labs
From: rawles@oro.net (James W. Rawles)

A friend of mine recently had a round of correspondence with the U.S.
Army's Natick Laboratories in Maryland, on the potential storage life of
MREs.  The data that they sent him was surprising! Here is the gist of it:

Degrees F       Months of Storage (Years)

120            1 month

110            5 months

100            22 months         (1.8)

90             55 months         (4.6)

80             76 months         (6.3)

70             100 months        (8.3)

60             130 months        (10.8)


Note 1: Figures above are based on date of pack, rather than inspection date.

Note 2:  MREs near the end of their shelf life are considered safe to eat if:
      A.) They are palatable to the taste.
      B.) They do not show any signs of spoilage (such as swelled pouches.)
      C.) They have been stored at moderate temperatures. (70F or below.)

Note 3:  Not enough data has yet been collected on storage below 60
degrees F. However projections are that the 130 month figure will be
extended.

Note 4:  Time and temperature have a cumulative effect.  For example:
storage at 100 degrees F for 11 months and then moved to 70F, you would
lose 1/2 of the 70F storage life.

Note 4:  Avoid fluctuating temperatures in and out of freezing level.

End of Natick Labs data.

Comments by James Wesley, Rawles:  The above cited figures are for
palatabilty, NOT nutritive value.  You should plan to supplement with a
good qyuality double encapsulated multi-vitamin (such as VitaVim brand),
good quality B-complex tablets, and 500 MG vitamin C tablets.  Vitamins
should be stored in a cool, DARK place for best shelf life. (Many tablets
are light sensitive.) I recommend rotating your vitamins every two years.
The bottom line is that most of the fat, carbohydrates, and protein will
still be available in MREs, even after many years of storage, but the
vitamins WON'T.  Plan accordingly.

Because MREs and other emergency foods are relatively high in bulk and low
in fiber, I also highly recommend storing a bulk fiber supplement with
each case of MREs.  Don't overlook this precaution!

