Wonder survival biscuit, 5 year shelf life

[zarkwon]

Anyone tried these? I have some but haven't had cause to open them yet.
http://evaq8.co.uk/EMERGENCY-FOOD-RATION-0.5kg-2500-Kcal-Long-Life-Survival-Biscuits/

 

[wicca]

The description of the biscuit itself sounds remarkably similar to the ones that used to form part of lifeboat stores aboard British Merchant ships. If so, they are not dissimilar to compressed sawdust with a slight oatmeal taste, but they would keep you alive. Part of the same stores too in those days was 16 ozs of sweetened condensed milk, per man The trick was to cover the 'biscuit' in sticky milk. Quite edible then, and they tended to swell on reaching the stomach, so quite filling into the bargain. They came in sealed tins in those days. (1960's)

 

[Laurentius]

Anyone tried these? I have some but haven't had cause to open them yet.
http://evaq8.co.uk/EMERGENCY-FOOD-RATION-0.5kg-2500-Kcal-Long-Life-Survival-Biscuits/

What only five years, you can keep weetabix for longer ! Watch out for the weevils though, added protein.

 

[Neumo]

When I was in the cadets we used to have some biscuits like this, that were thick & very dry to eat, which I seem to remember were the same as ones used in liferafts. I think they were called sailor's biscuits or something like that. Those things could last for decades in their waxed paper packets. Maybe this is a newer version of those old military biscuits

 

[Everything Mac]

When I was in the cadets we used to have some biscuits like this, that were thick & very dry to eat, which I seem to remember were the same as ones used in liferafts. I think they were called sailor's biscuits or something like that. Those things could last for decades in their waxed paper packets. Maybe this is a newer version of those old military biscuits

sounds like biscuits brown. - brilliant things.

I imagine that they would last a considerable amount of time.

out of interest - how long would something like that last in a sealed packet?

or in a tin?

Andy

 

[wicca]

I have a vague memory that under the old Board of Trade Regulations which affected merchant ships, the stores in the lifeboats, in those days, were changed every three years, (water breakers usually refilled with fresh before every voyage)There were the biscuits, condensed milk, barley sugar and water rations for the number of persons that the lifeboat was certified for, and which ever AB's got the job of renewing the stores got to capture the biscuits etc: They seemed very well preserved in the sealed tins and probably would have been quite edible for very much longer than the three year 'official life'..

 

[lab72]

sounds like biscuits brown. - brilliant things.

I ll second that !

 

[Oblio13]

Sounds like hardtack. We make our own for wilderness trips. Lasts for years, and you aren't going to eat it all before you're really hungry


Whole Wheat Flour - 2 cups

Wheat Germ - 1/2 cup

Corn meal - 2 cups

Rolled Oats - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1 tablespoon

Salt - 1 tablespoon

Water - (approx.) 1 3/4 cups

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Add water and knead until moistened but not sticky. Roll 1/4" thick. Cut into 3-inch squares or rounds. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Score with a knife to facilitate breaking later. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Can be stored indefinitely in an airtight container.

 

[evaQ8]

The Survival Rations discussed in this thread were indeed originally designed for use in lifeboats and life rafts as Wicca suggests.

As for taste, they are neutral, pretty bland really and perhaps thankfully so when you consider the wide range of personal tastes possible and what you’d have to stock in order to cater to that.

Neutral taste however does not equate little substance.

These biscuits are power packs: 500g gives 10,300 kJ or 2,500 kcal and contains the highest possible ratio of balanced nutrition compared to volume. In survival situations, one pack lasts one person 72 hours.

Andy: the Seven OceanS Ration is compressed into tablets of approx. 27.8g. Each package (500 g net) contains 18 tablets packed in 9 bars with grease-proof paper. The 9 bars are packed under vacuum in air- and water-tight alu-foil. The unit is protected by a water-repellent cardboard box. Manufacturers guaranteed shelf-life is five years from the date of production…. but they have been known to last longer.

Biscuits Brown of course are the stuff of legends. As far as I know they’re also being phased out...

Your recipe sounds wholesome and well balanced Oblio13. I can imagine it would be hard to resist eating the lot but have you ever stored some for over 18 o 24 months and then eaten them?

 

[Oblio13]

... Oblio13. I can imagine it would be hard to resist eating the lot ...

They're hard and bland. They remind me of dogfood, but are okay with clotted cream or Nutella on them. I've also dipped them in coffee to soften them up, and crumbled them into soups and stews.

... but have you ever stored some for over 18 o 24 months and then eaten them?

Yes.

 

[aelthric]

I worked for a company that won a Government contract to manufacture tins of MAFF Emergency ration biscuits about 20 years ago, their shelf life was 50 years but during the preservation and packing process the tins were filled with Nitrogen and hermetically sealed with a thick foil seal and a lid that was soldered closed....

I had the opportunity to have a taste of the rations we would be expected to eat in the event of a national emergency and I have to say that my favourite biscuits (There were two different types the sweetened and the unsweetened) were the unsweetened....

Given that these had a shelf life of 50 years I can quite believe that the rations featured would be perfectly edible after only 5 years...

 

[rulyg26]

I came across these food suppliment buscuits
they seem quite similar just thought i'd share them with you guys
http://www.msi-germany.com/en/emergency_food-nrg5.html

 

[rik_uk3]

Sounds similar to Turblokken emergency rations.

Recently sorting through some mixed ration pack food and ate some biscuits brown and fruit made in 2000 and they were perfect.

 

[Chrisf]

I have some boxes of these these and they don't taste very nice. They leave a horrible fatty slimey taste in the mouth. The good thing is they taste foul so you won't be tempted to eat them. I bought three boxes and opened one at work, not even the guys in the office would eat them. I sure they will tast great after two weeks stuck in a Lifeboat or similar disaster.

 

[tomongoose]

My mum makes biscuits like that, you have to have not eaten anything for 5 years to be desperate enough to eat one

 

[JohnnyTwoBoats]

These biscuits (see link) look similar to Seven Seas. Shelf life is minimum 10 years and price is similar.

I imagine I'd have them in a simple dish or with maybe peanut butter on top for taste. Either way, they look a fine and relatively cheap addition to my TEOTWAWKI prepping. I'm prepping for six folks and, even with supermarket basic tins and dried foods, it's getting awfully expensive. I like the minimal storage space requirement and the sheer portability too.

http://shop.conserva.de/en/30-day-b...ion-vorteilspack-24-x-500g-2000100000090.html

 

[DaveA]

You can still get Biscuits brown, I got mine here

They have lots of other food stuff, they even have the flameless heaters for cooking ration pack meals