Three items I can’t figure out the best method for storing/repackaging to extend shelf life:
GREEN COFFEE BEANS:
We roast our own. It’s cheaper, the brand I buy is less acidic and it’s so much full of richer flavor. But how to store? It comes in sealed dark-colored bags (I’m not sure if they are Mylar, but they’re pretty thick). I currently have a few bags stored in their original packaging in a dark closet. “Best by” date is one year from now. How can I repackage green coffee beans to extend their shelf life?
DRY POWDERED MILK:
The bird flu virus is affecting
dairy cattle now, as such I expect there to be a milk shortage soon. Bagged dry powdered milk has a shelf life of about a year. How can I repackage to extend this?
BOUILLON POWDER:
This one really has me doing mental gymnastics! Somewhere I read that bouillon powder has an infinite shelf life. I say hogwash, bcuz when I attempted to repackage it I realized it contains oils and fats (particularly the
beef flavor) which will inevitably turn rancid at some point. I have a couple of those very large tubs of beef bouillon still unopened. To extend shelf life, is it better to leave them in their original plastic tub? Or repackage and seal them in Mylar? And do I add an OA? Or is it moisture I’m trying to reduce? The conundrum I have is this: Mylar will be an oxygen-free environment. But those oils in the powder could be a problem. So while logic tells me I need to keep both oxygen and moisture out, that isn’t possible bcuz one method overrides the other.
Btw, I do realize the “best by” date usually pertains mostly to flavor, and not actual shelf life. I’m only referring to the “best by” date so as to establish a point in time that I’m trying to extend the shelf life beyond. Generally, I store in glass jars whenever possible (I like the convenience of being able to
see what I have) but I do have other methods (Mylar, Food Saver, dehydrator)
Thank you and so sorry for the long post
