Letters to the Editor
JWR,
I work in the oleochemcals industry, just a little info on oil storage.
Oxygen is by far your worst enemy when it comes to long term storage for any fat based materials. The oxygen will primarily interact with any of the double bonds located on a fatty acid chain, breaking down the fatty acid and creating the compounds that cause the oil to become rancid. The more unsaturated the oil is the more double bonds that will be available for the oxygen to interact with. Coconut oil is naturally highly saturated (typically ~94%), therefore fewer double bond sites on the fatty acid chain for oxygen to attack and degrade the product. That said, it is still best to store any of these oils in an environment where there is little to no exposure to oxygen.
• Purchase only high quality oils, if it is a major brand - it is high quality. These will already have been processed to eliminate the vast majority of the compounds that occur naturally in the oils that help to speed up the degradation of the oils.
• At our facility, we nitrogen blanket our tanks for product protection. Use of dry ice, similar to long term storage of grains, will provide the same effect.
• Plastic is NOT impermeable. While convenient and unbreakable, I have had Olive oil (poly unsaturated) go rancid while still in its original unopened plastic bottle. Metal and glass are better choices.
• Storage as a solid (frozen) will ensure that only the material on the top can have any exposure. We actually do this also at work for some of our high $ materials that don't get processed as often. Melting point of coconut is ~75 Degrees F, just keep in a cool place.
Use of these methods can stretch oils storage times greatly - far past the 2 years on the label. - P.M.R.
I work in the oleochemcals industry, just a little info on oil storage.
Oxygen is by far your worst enemy when it comes to long term storage for any fat based materials. The oxygen will primarily interact with any of the double bonds located on a fatty acid chain, breaking down the fatty acid and creating the compounds that cause the oil to become rancid. The more unsaturated the oil is the more double bonds that will be available for the oxygen to interact with. Coconut oil is naturally highly saturated (typically ~94%), therefore fewer double bond sites on the fatty acid chain for oxygen to attack and degrade the product. That said, it is still best to store any of these oils in an environment where there is little to no exposure to oxygen.
• Purchase only high quality oils, if it is a major brand - it is high quality. These will already have been processed to eliminate the vast majority of the compounds that occur naturally in the oils that help to speed up the degradation of the oils.
• At our facility, we nitrogen blanket our tanks for product protection. Use of dry ice, similar to long term storage of grains, will provide the same effect.
• Plastic is NOT impermeable. While convenient and unbreakable, I have had Olive oil (poly unsaturated) go rancid while still in its original unopened plastic bottle. Metal and glass are better choices.
• Storage as a solid (frozen) will ensure that only the material on the top can have any exposure. We actually do this also at work for some of our high $ materials that don't get processed as often. Melting point of coconut is ~75 Degrees F, just keep in a cool place.
Use of these methods can stretch oils storage times greatly - far past the 2 years on the label. - P.M.R.
Jim,
I'm writing about the recent letter on coconut oil. It takes away odors as well. It is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. I use the natural tasting extra virgin coconut oil when using for everything except cooking items where I really don't care for the coconut taste in a particular food. Since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees it can be easily melted and used in place of unhealthy corn oils. My local Costco started selling this only about 6 or 7 months ago. I have found unflavored Extra Virgin coconut oil at Swanson Vitamins (an Internet/mailorder company that I have used for years that has very good prices in North Dakota). We only use coconut oil for my daughter's babies and not only is it healthy, no stinging or horrible taste if it gets into their mouth. Hope this helps. God Bless, - Diana
I'm writing about the recent letter on coconut oil. It takes away odors as well. It is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. I use the natural tasting extra virgin coconut oil when using for everything except cooking items where I really don't care for the coconut taste in a particular food. Since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees it can be easily melted and used in place of unhealthy corn oils. My local Costco started selling this only about 6 or 7 months ago. I have found unflavored Extra Virgin coconut oil at Swanson Vitamins (an Internet/mailorder company that I have used for years that has very good prices in North Dakota). We only use coconut oil for my daughter's babies and not only is it healthy, no stinging or horrible taste if it gets into their mouth. Hope this helps. God Bless, - Diana
Dear JWR:
The excellent article, "Fire: Your Partner in Survival, by Pledger" mentioned the BTU ratings of certain trees. Wanting to know a bit more, I did some searching and found a chart of the BTU ratings of various types of wood.
The excellent article, "Fire: Your Partner in Survival, by Pledger" mentioned the BTU ratings of certain trees. Wanting to know a bit more, I did some searching and found a chart of the BTU ratings of various types of wood.
On another note, Pledger's reference
to a cord as 4x8 feet by 16 inches threw me. I looked it up and found that a
"full cord" measures 4x4x8 feet, which is the number I was familiar
with, ranging from 80 to 100 cubic feet stacked. The web site I found uses 90
cubic feet for its BTU ratings. However, a "face cord" is
one-third of a full cord and measures 4x8 feet by 16 inches. This is the
one Pledger's article uses. - Larry X.
I am an Emergency Room physician in Arizona and a preparist. When I treat people with Type 1 diabetes I routinely mention the need to stockpile and safeguard insulin and diabetes supplies. When the patient is agreeable I write prescriptions for extra supplies on the spot. One of my patients told me about Wal-Mart's ReliOn brand of regular insulin, which is about half the price of other U-100s. Those SB readers who are physicians and other healthcare providers have an obligation to their patients to inform them and help them obtain the medication and supplies they will need when TSHTF. - Dr. John in in Arizona
Three Letters Re: Insulin Dependent Diabetics When TSHTF
Sir:I am an Emergency Room physician in Arizona and a preparist. When I treat people with Type 1 diabetes I routinely mention the need to stockpile and safeguard insulin and diabetes supplies. When the patient is agreeable I write prescriptions for extra supplies on the spot. One of my patients told me about Wal-Mart's ReliOn brand of regular insulin, which is about half the price of other U-100s. Those SB readers who are physicians and other healthcare providers have an obligation to their patients to inform them and help them obtain the medication and supplies they will need when TSHTF. - Dr. John in in Arizona
JWR:
First, many thanks to AERC for a very well-written article on Type 1 diabetics in SHTF situations. It was greatly appreciated and well written.
My youngest son (now 7) was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic about 2 months after I read [the novel] One Second After by William R. Forstchen (the daughter of the main character is a Type 1 diabetic), and along with getting used to our "new normal" lifestyle, I have also been trying to get prepped over the past 18 months in case SHTF. We are stocking up on insulin, test strips and other supplies, but I felt more was needed. My biggest concerns are 1) refrigeration for medications, and 2) protecting vital equipment from EMP/solar flare bursts.
My solution to refrigeration has been to begin testing a small "six-pack" refrigerator with a battery connection, which my father-in-law found at a swap meet. (I've also seen "battery powered coolers" for sale elsewhere.) This refrigerator is big enough to hold a few dozen vials of insulin and requires much less power than any other refrigerator. To keep it going long-term, I plan to rotate several car/deep cell batteries with a solar trickle charger for the duration of the emergency. Based on AERC's article, I'll also be looking at other alternatives as well. [JWR Adds: With a couple of 40 watt photovoltaic panels and a charge controller, you should be able to keep a refrigerator running for up to eight years. (The limiting factor is the sulfation of lead-acid batteries.]
For protection against EMP and solar flares, I intend to build a Faraday cage for extra diabetes electronic equipment such as an extra blood glucose test kit (along with radios, laptop, etc.). One possibility I will be trying is a 2-drawer filing cabinet conversion; the instructions are at Instructables. There are other possibilities I'm researching now for small, easy-to-build Faraday cages.
Even with a prepper mentality, along with a parent's acquired nerves of steel....I still haven't been able to pick up and read One Second After again since my son's diagnosis. Just can't do it. But articles like this one give me hope that, with proper planning, we can weather almost anything as a family. Thanks again. - Z. from Arizona
Dear JWR:
Another option not mentioned in the article is a DC refrigerator, batteries, charge controller, and a few solar panels. There are other uses for this setup as well. One brand of compact refrigerators to consider is Sundanzer. - S.B., MD
First, many thanks to AERC for a very well-written article on Type 1 diabetics in SHTF situations. It was greatly appreciated and well written.
My youngest son (now 7) was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic about 2 months after I read [the novel] One Second After by William R. Forstchen (the daughter of the main character is a Type 1 diabetic), and along with getting used to our "new normal" lifestyle, I have also been trying to get prepped over the past 18 months in case SHTF. We are stocking up on insulin, test strips and other supplies, but I felt more was needed. My biggest concerns are 1) refrigeration for medications, and 2) protecting vital equipment from EMP/solar flare bursts.
My solution to refrigeration has been to begin testing a small "six-pack" refrigerator with a battery connection, which my father-in-law found at a swap meet. (I've also seen "battery powered coolers" for sale elsewhere.) This refrigerator is big enough to hold a few dozen vials of insulin and requires much less power than any other refrigerator. To keep it going long-term, I plan to rotate several car/deep cell batteries with a solar trickle charger for the duration of the emergency. Based on AERC's article, I'll also be looking at other alternatives as well. [JWR Adds: With a couple of 40 watt photovoltaic panels and a charge controller, you should be able to keep a refrigerator running for up to eight years. (The limiting factor is the sulfation of lead-acid batteries.]
For protection against EMP and solar flares, I intend to build a Faraday cage for extra diabetes electronic equipment such as an extra blood glucose test kit (along with radios, laptop, etc.). One possibility I will be trying is a 2-drawer filing cabinet conversion; the instructions are at Instructables. There are other possibilities I'm researching now for small, easy-to-build Faraday cages.
Even with a prepper mentality, along with a parent's acquired nerves of steel....I still haven't been able to pick up and read One Second After again since my son's diagnosis. Just can't do it. But articles like this one give me hope that, with proper planning, we can weather almost anything as a family. Thanks again. - Z. from Arizona
Dear JWR:
Another option not mentioned in the article is a DC refrigerator, batteries, charge controller, and a few solar panels. There are other uses for this setup as well. One brand of compact refrigerators to consider is Sundanzer. - S.B., MD
No comments:
Post a Comment