British 24 hour ration - life time or use-by date ?

Discussions about rations from other countries - IMPs, EPAs, RCIRs, etc.
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Varley
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British 24 hour ration - life time or use-by date ?

Post by Varley » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:17 pm

Does anyone know what the shelf life of British 24-hour ration packs are ?

Am I right in assuming the date on the side of the box is the 'from' date and not the expiry date ?

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kman
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Post by kman » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:54 pm

Hi Varley - welcome to the forums!

I believe the shelf-life of the British rations is supposed to be around 3 years. But like the MREs, that time period could be longer (or shorter) depending on storage conditions.

And yes...I believe that date on the side of the box is the date produced, not the expiration date.

aquarius
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Post by aquarius » Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:06 pm

Hi,
as far as I know the date at the side of the box is the production date.
The main entrees can be eaten up to 10 years after the production date. (I tested it myself), but other items as soup, beverage powder and side dishes will taste bad after 6 or 7 years. I have consumed several rations that were perfect after 6 years, except for the cheese spread. The cheese had rotten its way right through the aluminium container it was in!

I like the main entrees of the Brit rations.
The dumplings in heavy sirup taste good, but on a cold day the sirup sticks to your tongue and theeth like candle wax.
They also had Arctic Rations with freeze dried meals which tasted reasonably well.

greetz, Jan
"if you don't read the newspaper, you are uniformed. If you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed". (Mark Twain)

rational
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:05 pm
Location: Oregon

longevity of British 24-hour rations

Post by rational » Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:08 pm

Hi all,
I am having a "Beef Stew with Dumplings" from a British 24-hour ration pack, it tastes perfect, no funny taste, just great; packed in 1996! Amazing. So yes I concur with a 10-year shelf life claim! Best stuff I've tasted since the Wornick or Sopackco Chicken and Salsa.

Gerry

copper_knobblet
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Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:20 pm

ORP

Post by copper_knobblet » Fri Mar 25, 2005 10:47 pm

aquarius wrote:Hi,
as far as I know the date at the side of the box is the production date.
The main entrees can be eaten up to 10 years after the production date. (I tested it myself), but other items as soup, beverage powder and side dishes will taste bad after 6 or 7 years. I have consumed several rations that were perfect after 6 years, except for the cheese spread. The cheese had rotten its way right through the aluminium container it was in!

I like the main entrees of the Brit rations.
The dumplings in heavy sirup taste good, but on a cold day the sirup sticks to your tongue and theeth like candle wax.
They also had Arctic Rations with freeze dried meals which tasted reasonably well.

greetz, Jan
Argh! FFS don't eat the cheese! It's all been removed from the rat packs for the reasons you state. If you find some with it in just don't eat it!

The date on the side is the packed date.

Never had the treacle pudding then :)

They are all being revamped now however.

cogsinister
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Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:03 am
Location: New Brunswick Canada.

Post by cogsinister » Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:00 pm

My Uk ration packs have a production date of 03/07/03 and a best before date of end of Jan 2007.

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