Trail Food safety

[jen]

Wow...I packed a small soft side cooler with an ice pack  at -4 F and inserted my Type K thermocouple sensor inside so I could monitor the temperature without opening.  After 3 hours  the inside temperature was 60  F...OMG!   The ice pack  was solid frozen.   Standard temperature for safe storage is < 40 F.     What I found by asking was that there should be no air space in the cooler.  Packed with Ice preferably ice from connivence store (normally 0 F of less).  Food should take up  short day trip1:1 ratio.

Good coolers are expensive.

[davefrombc]

I like my 12v  fridge/ freezer For packing stuff that needs to stay cold,  Yes, they're expensive but far cheaper than ending up with spoiled food  and warm beer.

[geezer99]

I totally agree that beer must stay cold, but for the main meal, a warm, re-constituted freeze dried meal is hard to beat out in the wilderness.  A small butane or white gas stove provides the heat, and your canteen provides the water, and ten minutes of time to a hot meal.

If the packaging is not compromised, freeze dried foods will handle any environment a human can endure.

For disclosure:  I used to work for a freeze drying company.

tom 

Edited 1 hour ago by geezer99
forgot disclosure

[mikeexplorer]

1 hour ago, davefrombc said:

I like my 12v  fridge/ freezer For packing stuff that needs to stay cold,  Yes, they're expensive but far cheaper than ending up with spoiled food  and warm beer.

That is what I use for camping, keeps the food & beers cold with no ice. I have one that has a small freezer section so I can freeze ice packs to take during the day ride.

 

[jen]

well the small cooler bags are dangerous if not packed with ice.

.Ha Ha cold beer...I like milk that does not need to be refrigerated. AKA Shelf Stable milk...first saw it in Europe.  Over there you could pick the butterfat content...WOW!

But of course evaporated milk can be kept unrefrigerated....evaporated condensed milk was introduced commercially  back in 1864 ....Can you says "Gail Borden" Elsie the Cow?

[davefrombc]

1 hour ago, geezer99 said:

I totally agree that beer must stay cold, but for the main meal, a warm, re-constituted freeze dried meal is hard to beat out in the wilderness.  A small butane or white gas stove provides the heat, and your canteen provides the water, and ten minutes of time to a hot meal.

If the packaging is not compromised, freeze dried foods will handle any environment a human can endure.

For disclosure:  I used to work for a freeze drying company.

tom 

Totally agree.    LOL..  I  have a Harvest Right  freeze dryer I got on sale  at Costco  last year.  My 82nd  birthday present to myself.  A game changer in making trail food and snacks  Freeze dry and package up  food in  vacuum sealed bags..  Great meals and  snacks,  almost no weight  and worry about  spoilage ,