What is the best rice for long-term storage?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question “What is the best rice for long-term storage?”. With an in-depth analysis of what is the best rice for long-term storage. Moreover, we will also discuss methods for long-term rice storage.

What is the best rice for long-term storage?

Varieties of white rice are best for long-term storage. For long-term rice storage, you should focus on white rice varieties like basmati rice, and jasmine rice. It’s important to note that not all rice stores for 30 plus years.  Brown rice will only last about 5 years. So avoid storing brown rice if your main focus is food with basically an indefinite shelf life. 

White rice is high in calories which is an emergency, is a good thing. White rice will last 30+ years when packaged and stored correctly.

Which white rice varieties are best for long-term storage?

When kept free of contaminants and moisture, these types of rice have an indefinite shelf life:

  • Wild Rice
  • Arborio Rice
  • Jasmine Rice
  • Basmati rice
  • Kawajiri Rice
  • Texmati White Rice

How do you store white rice for 30 years?

The best temperature to store grains, including rice, is 40°F or below; however, rice stored at a constant 70° F with oxygen absorbers will store well for up to 10 years. In cooler storage areas rice sealed in oxygen-free containers can be stored for up to 30 years.

What makes brown rice inappropriate for long-term storage?

The University of Nebraska, at Lincoln, published the following statement on the storage of brown rice.  “Because of the oil in its bran layer, brown rice has a shorter shelf life than white rice and maintains its quality for about six months.  For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze brown rice”.

The bran layer contains a small amount of oil, and so brown rice has a shorter shelf-life than white rice.  Store uncooked brown rice at room temperature for up to 6 months, or refrigerate or freeze for longer shelf life.

What are the methods to store brown rice?

Brown rice that is often labeled with a “best by” date of 12 months.  You can try and extend the shelf life up to 18 months by using one of these methods:

  • Use FoodSaver to vacuum seal it then
  • Store it in plastic bags in the freezer 
  • Store it in the refrigerator 
  • Store brown rice in the coolest, darkest spot in the house

Whoever, to be safe, it is recommended that you should only buy a quantity of brown rice that you will use within six months.

How can you tell if the stored brown rice has gone bad?

  1. Open the rice container and smell the contents. If it has a sour smell, like rancid oil, it is bad.
  2. Sift through the rice and look for visible mold, bugs, insect eggs, or foreign matter. If you find these, the rice is bad.
  3. Feel the rice. If it is dusty or oily, it is past its prime and no longer good.

How can you store white rice for long-term use?

Below are given different methods for long-term storage of rice:

PET Bottles (Polyethylene terephthalate)

If you purchase rice per kilo, storing them will be easy. There are a lot of plastic bottles that are made from PET or Polyethylene terephthalate.

Soda bottles, jams, and even water bottles are made from PET. You can dry them out thoroughly and then put the excess uncooked rice inside.

Keep them away from direct light for better and longer storage.

 

Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbents

Mylar bags are common food storage. It is made of a material called a clear ‘mylar’ that is laminated to an aluminum foil.

Mostly beans like coffee are sealed inside the mylar bags to avoid oxidation and seal in the freshness. They usually go along with oxygen absorbents to ensure the freshness and longevity of food.

Resealable airtight containers

If the above two options are not available, you can use any resealable containers as long as you ensure that the lids are secured and airtight. Some use plastic bags with locks and simply remove all the excess air inside by using a vacuum and store it away from direct light.

Buckets

Food-grade buckets are also safe to use when it comes to food storage. Simply add oxygen absorbents inside along with the rice and store them properly.

You can use any type of food-grade bucket by only making sure that you clean it out thoroughly or you can purchase a brand new one.

How do you store rice in bulk for the long term?

Simply place your rice in a deep freezer for a week before placing it into long-term storage containers. Low freezing temperatures will kill any eggs hiding in your rice at the time of purchase. Now, to prevent bugs from entering into your rice after it’s in storage is to use airtight containers.

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we have answered the question “What is the best rice for long-term storage?”. With an in-depth analysis of what is the best rice for long-term storage. Moreover, we have also discussed methods for long-term rice storage.

Citations:

https://readysquirrel.com/which-type-of-rice-stores-long-term-the-best/
https://www.survivalistboards.com/threads/which-kind-of-rice-stores-long-term-the-best.164272/
https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/15830/whats-the-best-way-to-store-rice-long-term
https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/research/storing-white-rice

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