Questions about Pre-packaged Foods Needing no Refrigeration

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imp

Senior Member
The coffee creamers served to me at Denny's, both unidentified otherwise, and "Half & Half", state "no chilling required", or "no refrigeration required". In the stores, quite a variety of prepared foods including meat dishes, pasta dishes, even various vegetable-cheese mixtures, are being sold pre-packaged, sealed, not refrigerated, which do not intone "cook thoroughly", or must be heated (to kill bacteria), before consumption, and displayed on the regular food aisles.

The ingredients listed are generally more acceptable, to me anyway, than the usual crap offered in the refrigerated section, "cold-cuts", ham, meat balls, sausage. The new stuff has no nitrites, many proclaiming "No Preservatives, No Nitrites, No Artificial Ingredients". These last are most attractive in the sausage varieties.

How are they doing this? The "pull-dates" are generally sooner than preserved crap, but still, pretty long, many months in some cases. Is this class of foods pretty safe? All of them we've tried have tasted delicious! Many are marked "Organic , to boot! imp
 

I don't eat any of those pre-packaged concoctions. Generally way too much sodium and unpronounceable ingredients. I don't think it's much harder or more time consuming to cook up something simple and fresh.
 
Pasteur demonstrated that if food was subjected to high temperatures long enough to kill off any bacteria or other organisms, then sealed so that no air could enter, the food would not decompose because it is these organisms that cause food to spoil. This is the principle behind canning and preserving in glass jars.

The milk and other food that doesn't not require refrigeration has been subjected to UHT (ultra high temperatures) then sealed. It is safe to eat unless the packaging has been breached to allow air to enter. Once opened it does need to be refrigerated to slow decomposition and then consumed quickly.
 

It's like the food soldiers eat in combat situations. K rations or whatever.

I have a couple of packages of vegetable paneer curry in the cupboard in case of necessity, but I prefer to eat fresh food I prepare myself. Some food doesn't require refrigeration and doesn't spoil either. Honey, doesn't spoil and neither does peanutbutter, although peanutbutter will get stale tasting if unused for a long time. I don't use those coffee creamer things because I don't think that's even real food. It's just a bunch of flavored chemicals thrown together to serve some purpose and it's not nutritious.
 
Warrigal said:
Pasteur demonstrated that if food was subjected to high temperatures long enough to kill off any bacteria or other organisms, then sealed so that no air could enter, the food would not decompose because it is these organisms that cause food to spoil. This is the principle behind canning and preserving in glass jars.

The milk and other food that doesn't not require refrigeration has been subjected to UHT (ultra high temperatures) then sealed. It is safe to eat unless the packaging has been breached to allow air to enter. Once opened it does need to be refrigerated to slow decomposition and then consumed quickly.
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Warri, I thought someone would bring that up, as it, too, has had me wondering for a long time. How does one bring the temperature of, say, half and half, milk & cream, up to the temperature needed to assure 100% destruction of all micro-organisms, without decomposing the product to some degree? In a pressurized system? Any contamination by presence of air would cancel the sterility. Classic medical advice states food products need 10 minutes minimum at 170 degrees F. Flash heating to much over 200 would cause boiling.

Years back I read and heard about proposed schemes to irradiate food products to achieve sterility. But, what type of radiation, I never heard. Cannot use neutron irradiation as it produces isotopes, many radioactive. Electrons, Beta radiation, fail to penetrate. Protons?? Pretty doubtful. X-Rays, maybe. Any info on that off the top?

I have large cans of fruit, raspberries in this case, about 1-gallon size, they are marked "Freeze Dried, No Preservatives or Additives". Shelf life 30 years! How are they achieving that? My "practical me" is always skeptical. :)

imp
 
I don't know that you have to eliminate all organisms for safe consumption. What is necessary it to greatly reduce the number then prevent them from multiplying by removing access to oxygen. However this doesn't apply to anaerobic bacteria such as the ones that cause botulism which fortunately are very rare. If botulism organisms are present you can tell because they produce gases and the container inflates.
 
There are other traditional methods of food preservation - the use of vinegar, salt and sugar (pickles, salted meats and jams) to discourage the reproduction/growth of pathogens. Dehydration, as in dried meats and fish, also works. These methods do not require refrigeration.
 
Came across some old meats from Omaha Steaks that are about a 7 years old gift. and don't expire til next year. No one wants to eat them. They do have expiration dates on them but it looks like they have freezer burn. Vacuum packed yet they don't look great but that could be the frost.
 
WhatInThe said:
Came across some old meats from Omaha Steaks that are about a 7 years old gift. and don't expire til next year. No one wants to eat them. They do have expiration dates on them but it looks like they have freezer burn. Vacuum packed yet they don't look great but that could be the frost.
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Boy, given the chance to eat a real steak, I'd love to get my hands on one of yours! I think if heated adequately, it would be safe. imp
 

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