Freeze dried food - expiration

[rainmain]

Does anyone know how long freeze dried food should last? I have a Backpacker's pantry charlotte's raspberry blast with no expiration date. I don't believe they make it any more. Forgive the humor, but I don't want to be blasting anything on the trail.

 

[Guinness]

Mountain House rates their foods at 5+ years depending on packaging, check here .

 

[Oldsmores]

...Forgive the humor, but I don't want to be blasting anything on the trail.

I don't think aged freeze-dried food would be prone to any bacterial/viral contamination, especially if it's still sealed in its original packaging. You may notice some loss of flavor, texture, nutritional value.
Of course, I'm much more confident of this if you're the one eating the stuff...

 

[Rick]

I have used some 10+ year old FD Backpackers Pantry - Beef Stew and Spaghetti W/ meat sauce and they were both OK. Actually, I couldn't really tell much of a difference between the newer stuff and the older stuff - When you are cold tired and hungry, you really lose your sense of taste.

Just be prepared with plenty of hot sauce and cumin!!! (Woops, perhaps not on Raspberry blast)

Seriously, I might be a bit more hesitant with any FD that has a lot of dried eggs or dried milk in it

 

[Dalraida]

Old as dirt

I'm still have LRRP rations I brought back from Nam in 1969. Once in a while I will re-hydrate one for dinner. Love that "beef and rice". Haven't gotten sick or died yet. Time will tell

 

[Oldsmores]

I'm still have LRRP rations I brought back from Nam in 1969. Once in a while I will re-hydrate one for dinner. Love that "beef and rice". Haven't gotten sick or died yet. Time will tell

Wow, now THAT'S hard-core...

 

[Lawn Sale]

No kidding! I bow to you sir!