Are Russian rations ok to eat?

[Hardtack]

I've seen various Russian rations on Amazon listed as being fulfilled by Amazon. Does that mean they have been approved for import to they U.S.? What do you guys think about the safety of these rations?

[SNiiP3R]

No, only the rations produced in the US are approved by the USDA. Everything else is not. Are they safe, yes. Are they legal? No.

[DonJa]

The Russian rations are fine. They're rated for 2 years (standard storage conditions), and will probably have most of that shelf life remaining, if you get them off Amazon. I've eaten a couple at the 36-month mark, and there's no difference from a fresh one. Chocolate was fine and jam was still sterile. Take care to inspect the foil on the meat / porridge / vegetable containers, which can separate if the box has been beaten up; maybe don't eat the contents if that's happened. Otherwise, go nuts. Russian rations are designed to be stored for long periods in, and sustain troops in cold temperatures, so typically the salt content is lower, while fat content is higher.

[vespa]

I've got 3 Russian rations to try out, extra information is useful to learn more about them.

[ViperGTS]

Bought mine from ebay so was skeptical too, but so far so good. It "expires" in 2 months, (2 yr lifespan) but was packed well and would likely be good for much longer. Here is the review of what i have tried so far:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9967
There seem to be many many different russian rations that are designed for a specific use. Which one are you thinking of picking up?

No clue on the import legality or how the seller obtained it. Customs had no issues, but that is not always the case since they do contain non usda food items. The seller declared it as survival/camp food on the outter label so i was surprised customs didnt open it.

[prado67]

I've seen various Russian rations on Amazon listed as being fulfilled by Amazon. Does that mean they have been approved for import to they U.S.? What do you guys think about the safety of these rations?

As a Russian I can tell you a terrible secret of how to do so when eating a Russian ration everything went well and there were no consequences. As I do: I adjust my cotton jacket and hat with earflaps,then lay down on the ground balalaika, take out from my bosom a bottle of vodka, drink it myself. After that I call to myself the nearest of bears standing nearby, I get from bosom the second bottle of vodka and I drink it together with a bear. After that, we sing with him songs about Kalinka-Malinka, shoot from a Kalashnikov, after that, the bear falls asleep drunk on my lap. And only after that I begin to eat rations, washing down his third bottle of vodka. Only such ritual will save when eat Russian ration.

[Hardtack]

Thats the best advice I've heard in a long time! A true Russian!

[prado67]

I'm glad you liked it. And remember, that's the way to do it! How is the situation with the bears, is there?

[parafireboy]

Yep, as long as you apply the same rules as you should to any ration regarding smell, package integrity, etc. I've eaten probably 30+ Russian rations now over the past 5+ years, and have never had any sickness. In that time, I've only come across 2 or 3 components that were bad (usually due to a micro-hole), and it was apparent as soon as the package was opened. I wouldn't have any reservations about consuming Russian rations.