Week 28 -Canned Milk - Dry Milk

Week 28 - Canned Milk -Dry Milk

How to store -

Dry milk may be stored up to one year at a temperature of seventy degrees Fahrenheit, or for two years at forty degrees. Storage areas for most foods should be cool, dark, dry, and ventilated. Noninstant milk retains its flavor and stores better than instant milk. If you purchase dry milk in fifty-pound bags, repackage it in smaller, moisture-proof containers of metal or glass that will hold one- to four-weeks’ supply. Five-gallon cans also make good storage containers if the lids fit tightly, keeping out insects and moisture. Milk will not keep as long at higher temperatures, so do not store it by the furnace or in a warm room. Dry milk in glass bottles should not be exposed to fluorescent lights, as they hasten rancidity.

At forty degrees Fahrenheit and lower, canned evaporated milk will keep up to one year. Turn the cans (or the whole case) over each month. If the milk in a can appears lumpy and watery due to separation of solids, do not throw it away. Shake the can vigorously and it may become smooth again. (Canned milk gets a strong flavor and dark color during long periods of storage. Don’t use it if it has been stored much longer than a year and shows considerable quality loss.) (taken from the 1979 Ensign)

Powdered milk, both instant and non instant, has a very long shelf life, 20 years, making it easy to store for longer term store, longer than the three month supply of the food in our General Store. Most of us recognize the need to have more than a three month supply as we may be supporting others with our storage or our disaster may last longer than three months as with an EMP attach or solar flare that takes out the electrical grid. Powdered milk can however, change flavor after a shorter period of time, about three years. This happens most often when it is stored at high temperatures or in a metal can. The taste change can be delayed by storing in the freezer. There is usually not a problem when stored in metal can until the can is opened and the milk is exposed to the air. I recommend once you open a can you store the milk in a plastic container. Milk is still safe to drink even if it tastes a little like the can. As with all food storage it is essential that you do rotate your milk and that you store it in a cool, dry area, just like all the foods in your General Store.

There are two types of powdered milk.

Non-Instant: This type of milk is harder to find in the grocery store because it is more difficult to reconstitute and consequently sells at a slower rate, thus it is not stocked. Non instant powdered milk can be found on internet sites and at the canneries sponsored by the LDS church.

Non-instant nonfat powdered milk is made of fresh, pasteurized milk with the water and fat removed. Nutritionally, it includes all the same protein, calcium, and B vitamins found in fresh milk. It is less expensive than fresh milk and instant powdered milk. Non-instant powdered milk is more dense and powdery, and thus it requires less product to create the same amount of milk as the instant variety.

Because the milk is processed less it does require more work to get it to reconstitute properly. It is best to reconstitute in warm water and to use a whisk to remove lumps. It is wonderful to use in baking but requires more whipping to get it to taste like "real" milk for drinking. Instant powdered milk does taste better for drinking but most of the reason is because it is more processed and thus contains more air, so whisk away!

Instant: Instant powdered milk is also made from pasteurized milk with the water and fats removed. Both are made using a spray-drying process, but the instant variety has been further processing to aid in reconstituting with less effort.

Instant powdered milk is available in nearly all grocery stores. The two disadvantages of instant are the higher initial cost and the added cost because more powder needs to be used in order to make the finished product.

Again, it is better to store this powdered milk in a non metal container once it is opened. It purchasing in a box the milk should be removed and placed in a well sealed glass or plastic storage container. It can easily be reconstituted using cold water. Both instant and non instant varieties can be reconstituted and substituted for milk in any recipe

Sixteen pounds of powdered milk per family member per year is equivalent to approximately one glass of milk a day. For children and pregnant or nursing mothers more should be allotted. If you are following Our General Store you will have the three month equivalent by the end of the year.

For Non-Instant Powdered milk:

Amount of Milk	Water	Powder
1/4 cup	1/4 cup	2 teaspoons
1/2 cup	1/2 cup	4 teaspoons
1 cup	7/8 cup	3 tablespoons
2 cups	2 cups	1/3 cup
3 cups	3 cups	1/2 cup
1 quart (4 cups)	3-1/2 cups	2/3 cup
2 quarts	8 cups	1-1/3 cups
1 gallon	3-3/4 quarts	2-2/3 cups

Instant Powdered Milk

Amount of Milk	Water	Powder
1/4 cup	1/4 cup	2 teaspoons
1/2 cup	1/2 cup	4 teaspoons
1 cup	1 cup	1/3 cup
1 quart (4 cups)	3-3/4 cups	1 1/3 cups
2 quarts	7 2/3 cups	2 2/3 cups
1 gallon	15 1/2 cups	5 1/3 cups

 (taken from Food Storage 101)