Is Y2K prep still good?

[meb]

A friend pass away recently (Salem Or), he had prepped for 2000 and then got to old to keep up with it.
The grains and beans second floor of a garage in 55 gal. blue drums.
In the house garage (better climate control) had 10 or so large containers of baking soda (card board 4 lbs.), baking power (2 lbs.), active dry yeast (2 lbs.)
As long as the seals are still good, are they are still good after 22 years?

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[ma96782]

In Hawaii, we say, "Chance Um."
Translation for the Mainland folks.......it means to "test it".

Aloha, Mark

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Mmmm...

Invite some folks you don't like over for dinner.....cook said dinner with the 22 year old preps / ingredients...
If they survive....you know the preps are good...
If they don't...well you got rid of some enemies....
In any event....you also get rid of some stuff you probably don't need any more....

Honestly I haven't got a clue....
Andy

 

[MTpockets]

A friend pass away recently (Salem Or), he had prepped for 2000 and then got to old to keep up with it.
The grains and beans second floor of a garage in 55 gal. blue drums.
In the house garage (better climate control) had 10 or so large containers of baking soda (card board 4 lbs.), baking power (2 lbs.), active dry yeast (2 lbs.)
As long as the seals are still good, are they are still good after 22 years?

If the product was dry, and if the drums had the oxygen removed and the drums well sealed, then there is a good chance that the grain and beans are still good.

Baking soda can be tested using a little vinegar...many bubbles = good.
Baking powder is tested in warm water....bubbles = good
Yeast can be tested with a little sugar and warm water... bubbles = good

Hope that gives you an idea....and that there are no bugs in your beans and there are many bubbles.


Edit to add: Here are some other uses for the baking soda, if you decide that you don't want to use it in foods.

22 Benefits and Uses of Baking Soda

Baking soda — also called sodium bicarbonate — has innumerable household uses. Here are 22 health benefits and uses of baking soda.

www.healthline.com

Another Edit: You could also test the health of the grain by trying to get them to germinate.

 

[Yarome]

Beans... as long as there is no sour smell or mottled colorations, they are likely still edible. The only way to know for sure is to soak and cook a batch.

2nd story of a garage, I would assume there has been dramatic temperature changes and at 20years, I wouldn't consider keeping any of it for normal use. Purely survival, maybe. It's really on the edge and considering that vitamins break down significanly over time... edible, probably, but there isn't much in the way of any nutrialtional value left in them under the best of storage practices.

 

[TTSX]

Hope you're good at making chili 'cause you're gonna be eating a lot of it

 

[meb]

Thank for the replys
His wife is not in good shape and would not be able to get to it even if she trusted it.
I think will keep the baking soda for cleaning, the yeast & baking powder seals are still good so I'll test one of ea.
If the beans & grains seam good I'll keep some and try to give/donate the rest, else see if someone with farm animals could use it for feed.
His wife & I don't like the idea that about 6 or 7 tons of going to the dump.

 

[Yarome]

If the beans & grains seam good I'll keep some and try to give/donate the rest, else see if someone with farm animals could use it for feed.

That's a good idea. Once upon a time we got rid of a small mountain of dated cans of civil defense crackers to a local rancher. He was most appreciative and even passed us a pile of pork out of the blue much later on in thanks.

Waste not... and all that.

 

[Stomper]

BTW, I believe that this shifting of the proof of guilt or innocence to the defendant is probably as unconstitutional as everything else in this measure.

In Hawaii, we say, "Chance Um."
Translation for the Mainland folks.......it means to "test it".

Aloha, Mark

Wait…. I thought "chanceum" was an old Hawaiian word for, "little girly-boy in short-pants with a dopey dutch haircut"?

Beans... as long as there is no sour smell or mottled colorations, they are likely still edible. The only way to know for sure is to soak and cook a batch.

2nd story of a garage, I would assume there has been dramatic temperature changes and at 20years, I wouldn't consider keeping any of it for normal use. Purely survival, maybe. It's really on the edge and considering that vitamins break down significanly over time... edible, probably, but there isn't much in the way of any nutrialtional value left in them under the best of storage practices.

Beans are good for your heart, and the more you eat the more you far…. er, never mind… you know where that was going!

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Give it to @arakboss maybe he is exploring low cost meal stuff?

 

[Yarome]

Give it to @arakboss maybe he is exploring low cost meal stuff?

Umm... what did he ever do to you?? I thought you and @arakboss were buds(?) Wait... is his name "Mikey" IRL??

 

[arakboss]

Umm... what did he ever do to you?? I thought you and @arakboss were buds(?) Wait... is his name "Mikey" IRL??

I won't try everything.


For olds times sake.

 

[arakboss]

A friend pass away recently (Salem Or), he had prepped for 2000 and then got to old to keep up with it.
The grains and beans second floor of a garage in 55 gal. blue drums.
In the house garage (better climate control) had 10 or so large containers of baking soda (card board 4 lbs.), baking power (2 lbs.), active dry yeast (2 lbs.)
As long as the seals are still good, are they are still good after 22 years?

One way to find out is to start grinding and baking.

 

[Yarome]

One way to find out is to start grinding and baking.

I'm sure wheat will grind and bake fine, but just to be aware that nutrients are lost over time and gluten degrades to about half in just a few years (3-5?) so a lot of it's raising ability will be lost. You need to adjust bread recipes to accomodate for that or you can end up with bricks. Ground into flour, additonal nutrients are lost very quickly and to oxidation if it's not used right away. It's best to only grind as much as you need at the moment. The natural oils will also go rancid much quicker than fresh grain.

For fresh ground wheat, my grandmother used to say it'll last about as long as milk takes to go rancid if you leave it out at room temperature... as a rule of thumb.

 

[titsonritz]

I won't try everything.


For olds times sake.

Exactly what came to my mind.

 

[Stomper]

I'm sure wheat will grind and bake fine, but just to be aware that nutrients are lost over time and gluten degrades to about half in just a few years (3-5?) so a lot of it's raising ability will be lost. You need to adjust bread recipes to accomodate for that or you can end up with bricks. Ground into flour, additonal nutrients are lost very quickly and to oxidation if it's not used right away. It's best to only grind as much as you need at the moment. The natural oils will also go rancid much quicker than fresh grain.

For fresh ground wheat, my grandmother used to say it'll last about as long as milk takes to go rancid if you leave it out at room temperature... as a rule of thumb.

So what she was REALLY saying is that…. fresh ground wheat ages like women?