The home production and storage program is an integral part of the Church welfare services but is undertaken individually, according to the needs of each member or family. It's application, therefore, differs in relation to circumstances, but the responsibility of preparedness remains solely upon the individual family. The vast majority of commodities in the Bishop's Storehouse system of the Church must be found, as the Brethren have counseled, within the home and basements of individual families. Refer to Church publication "Essentialsof Home Production and Storage" (PGWE 1125) for guidance in planning your home storage.

The following basic items are recommended for storage. Indicated is the approximate amount of each needed to sustain an average adult for one year:

To these basic foods, others may be added according to availability, cost, and individual taste. Those frequently chosen are the dried legumes (peas, beans, peanuts, lentils which are high in protein and store well)-dried fruits and vegetables, and canned meats and fish. Dehydrated and freeze-dried foods may be included, however, foods preserved in this way are more expensive but they store well and better retain their vitamin content. It would also be a good idea to store (and use through rotation) a good multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.

People in highly mobile situations or those who have small homes with little storage area may find it more difficult to store a year's supply of food, clothing or fuel. However it is better to have food storage sufficient for a few months than to have no storage at all.

As has been indicated, the food storage program is to be adapted on an individual basis. The Church neither sponsors nor endorses any commercial products or firms. Successful food storage is dependent on several factors. Obtain the top grade food whenever possible, and store it away from other products that may affect the flavor of the food.

Usually metal storage cans or heavy plastic containers with air-tight lids are best. Foods store best at from 40-60 o F. Shelf life diminishes in proportion to the higher temperature. Date food items as you purchase or can them, using older items first. Use storage areas that are well ventilated, clean dark, dry and cool. Do not place food storage containers on or against cement or dirt floors and walls. Allow for ventilation between and under storage containers. Do not go into debt to acquire food storage. Building a year's supply should be done in an orderly and systematic manner, consistent with a family's income.

Store sufficient clothing and/or fabric for your family's needs for a year. If possible a year's supply of fuel should be stored (refer to section on Heating, Cooking, and & Lighting).

First-aid articles, prescribed medicines, soaps and cleaning agents, matches, bedding and other such necessary items should be included.

Dry pack canning is one of several excellent methods for storing foods with low moisture content. Grains, dry beans, non-fat dry milk and dried vegetables are examples. Dry pack canning is not recommended for products that contain oil or egg or are moist enough to support the growth of mold and/or other undesirable organisms. The following should NOT be dry pack canned: brown rice, cooking oil, roasted nuts, honey, baked goods, flour mixes containing leavening, dried meats, egg noodles, peanut butter, coconut. Dry pack canning may be done at the Granger Cannery, as well as some wet pack items.

Issued by The General Church Welfare Committee

Since pioneer days, our people have been counseled by their leaders to have a reserve of essential foodstuffs. In many cases, this reserve will be produced by the householder and preserved by him.

When these foods are processed in metal cans coated with tin or enamel linings, the question frequently arises as to the length of time the foods can be safely stored for human consumption. Canned foods that have been in storage for a long period of time in cans that are not bulged or leaking are safe to eat as the first day packed. However, they may have lost some of their flavor due to a chemical reaction in the can. This reaction is not poisonous, but does alter the flavor, texture, and nutritive value. The rate at which chemical reactions occurs doubles with each 18 degrees Fahrenheit rise in temperature. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit storage will hold four times longer than an 80 degree Fahrenheit temperature.

Due to the various temperatures where canned food may be stored, it is difficult to determine the definite period of time at which all canned foods will hold. We will group some of them. The short shelf life products are highly acid and pigmented foods such as grapefruit and orange juice, black and red cherries, all colored berries, prunes and plums. These canned foods generally have an average storage life of one to two years. Other fruits such as peaches, pears, apricots, and applesauce should average from two to three years. Vegetables such as beets, carrots, green beans, spinach, greens, tomatoes and tomato juice should have an average storage life from three to four years. Vegetables and meats such as peas, corn, lima beans and roast beef should have an average from four to five years. Canned milk should be agitated every thirty days. This prevents the fats from separating, and the product should be consumed within a year.

Canned goods should be stored in a cool, dry place; the cooler and dryer the canned goods are kept, the longer they will last. Place the oldest canned goods on the shelves so that they will be used first. Fruits, vegetables, and meats properly processed in glass jars and stored in the home will keep in a cool, dark, dry place fully as long as canned goods. Some fruits, such as the highly pigmented, will keep longer in a glass container.

The utmost care should be taken to see that foodstuffs produced and preserved by the householder do not spoil for that would be waste, and the Lord looks with disfavor upon waste. He has blessed His people with abundant crops. The Lord is doing His part, He expects us to do ours.

The actual life of a particular food will depend on the initial quality, the type of processing, the storage temperature, the type of packaging, the moisture content of the food, the extent of contact with air and other factors.

There is no precise moment at which a food suddenly becomes undesirable. There is just a gradual deterioration; the color may darken, the texture may soften or there may be loss of flavor or development of an off-flavor. There comes a time when there is a discernible change from the initial quality. The detection of this change will vary between individuals.

Changes that occur in a food when stored at temperatures higher than recommended are cumulative and cannot be reversed by returning the food to lower temperatures. The longer the storage time, the greater the deterioration in nutritional quality and palatability. In extreme cases the action of microbes can make the food unsafe to eat. Modern methods of food preservation, such as freezing, refrigeration and canning, considerably extend, above the normal, the time taken for a comparable loss of nutrients and eating quality.

Many food labels now include a date mark that gives an indication of the expected life of the food before a noticeable deterioration in quality occurs. The significance of the different forms of date marking is discussed on page 24. The 'use-by' or' minimum durable life' date is only applicable if the food is stored under the conditions specified on the label. If no special storage conditions are required normal cupboard storage should give the stated storage life.