A little help with individual MREs

Scut Monkey · Post by **Scut Monkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:38 pm

I still haven't gotten around to ordering my big stash of MREs (I decided to get both Menu C's and those from MealKitSupply, but I can't get anyone to answer my questions via phone

), but I did order a couple individual ones along with a paintball order I made last week. I figured they would be from the same batch, but that doesn't seem to be the case, and I need some help figuring out whether these are safe to eat or not. They are both sealed in vacuum bags with brown entree boxes. The first is stamped "Sopakco" and is a "Chicken Breast Fillet with Rib Meat, Seasoned, Chuncked, and Formed, Grilled" (sounds good!). The date code on the end of the box is 13197112B, the entree is in a grey-green bag and has the following number stamped on it 13197P248T112B. Accessory pack contained coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, wet nap, grape jelly, spoon, and matches. Three packs of crackers (broken open and coating every inch of the MRE), as well as a Nutra Fruit bar were also there. The heater looks a bit sketchy and is stamped 1991.

The second MRE I'm more comfortable with. This one is labled "Wornick" and is a "Beef Steak with Mushrooms" stamped 3062MV2 9FB5. All accessories are the same, but the crackers are still within their packages.

So, my questions are as follows:

How old are these things? (I'm thinking 01 and 03, respectively, but am not sure)
Secondly, would you eat them? I hold no one responsible if I'm encouraged to dig in and get botulism

.

I guess I should have posted pics. Perhaps I'll do that if the mystery of the MREs aren't solved sometime soon.

Thanks for all the help! We're getting two feet of snow tonight with a blizzard warning and I may require those MREs sooner than one would think!

Post by **German_EPA** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:00 pm

the best description: http://www.mreinfo.com/us/mre/mre-date-codes.html

2003 MRE - why not? i have actual mainly 2004 MRE for eating... (and some new 2007

)

Scut Monkey · Post by **Scut Monkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:05 pm

German_EPA wrote:the best description: http://www.mreinfo.com/us/mre/mre-date-codes.html

2003 MRE - why not? i have actual mainly 2004 MRE for eating... (and some new 2007 )

LOL, not afraid of eating a MRE from 03, just don't know how these were stored. The shelf life could be more or less depending on the temp of the storage facility.

Post by **German_EPA** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:06 pm

kman wrote:Just practice safe MRE eating:

1. Check the packages for tears, punctures, or swelling. If you see any of this, throw the item away.

2. Open up the item (entree, side, spread, whatever) and smell it. Does it smell bad? Not dog-food bad, but spoiled-bad ? If so, throw it away.

3. Look at the food (can be scary even with a good MRE but you can do it). If the coloring looks off or strange, throw the item away.

4. Take a small taste. If you taste anything strange (something "not right", sharp, bitter, sour, etc.), spit out the food and thow the item away.

5. If all that looks good, chow down!

Post by **German_EPA** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:10 pm

thats the question. i havent ever had an menu c ration but i could imagine that the TTI on the box is new and all the items are mixed out of different years. how you said: heater from 1991 and items from 1993 or 2003...

my tip: if you are not sure what you got there - follow kmans desription above

Scut Monkey wrote:
German_EPA wrote:the best description: http://www.mreinfo.com/us/mre/mre-date-codes.html

2003 MRE - why not? i have actual mainly 2004 MRE for eating... (and some new 2007 )
LOL, not afraid of eating a MRE from 03, just don't know how these were stored. The shelf life could be more or less depending on the temp of the storage facility.

buttnut · Post by **buttnut** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:36 pm

Can't help answer your question but I was wondering what province you're in. I noticed you said your getting snow and thought maybe you're in the maritimes. I'm in Nova Scotia(we just got high winds) but Newfoundland is supposed to get dumped on and maybe some in New Brunswick.

DangerousDave · Post by **DangerousDave** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:36 pm

Why not join the Canadian Armed Forces? You Canadians are the highest paid Army in the World. I like you Canucks. Regardless of politcal correctnes, you Northern Brothers are cool.

Yall got great rations too!

buttnut · Post by **buttnut** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:05 pm

Thanks Dave, you Yanks make for pretty good neighbors too. I agree we have some good rations, only problem is getting your hands on them!

Scut Monkey · Post by **Scut Monkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:07 pm

buttnut wrote:Can't help answer your question but I was wondering what province you're in. I noticed you said your getting snow and thought maybe you're in the maritimes. I'm in Nova Scotia(we just got high winds) but Newfoundland is supposed to get dumped on and maybe some in New Brunswick.

Yup, Newfoundland. 50 to 60 cm tonight with 100 kph winds. Worst storm I've seen in a while and, well, you know how bad the weather is on the Rock (used to be a punishment posting for the British Army the weather is so bad).

Scut Monkey · Post by **Scut Monkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:08 pm

DangerousDave wrote:Why not join the Canadian Armed Forces? You Canadians are the highest paid Army in the World. I like you Canucks. Regardless of politcal correctnes, you Northern Brothers are cool. Yall got great rations too!

Did my time as a reservist MOC 031 Infantry. I have the utmost respect for those in uniform, but I'm not planning on going back any time soon. I'm a doctor and they tell us nasty lies to get us to muster. Then it's multiple tours of duty, which is not cool when you have two kids!