ALBANY,Ore.- July 12,2012- Mountain House, the leading domestic brand
of freeze-dried food,
released the results
today of a study designed
to illustrate how different brands handle oxygen levels in their long term
food storage products. The study, conducted
by Columbia Food Laboratories, focused on oxygen levels found in pouches
of Mountain House freeze-dried foods compared to those of a competitor.
"For proper long-term food storage,
it's important to maintain oxygen exposure
as low as possible," said Lee
Goin, laboratory director at Columbia
Food Laboratories. "Oxygen causes rancidity in foods containing unsaturated fats. Even slight
rancidity can make a food undesirable. Oxygen causes nutritional value to be lost, especially vitamins
A, C, D and E. Removal of oxygen will kill any insects, larvae and their eggs that may to be present."
Consumers should be aware that there are four main contributors to food spoilage: water, heat, light, and oxygen. Freeze drying removes
98% of the water in food, while
dehydrating removes between 80% and 97%. Storing food in a cool, dark place helps to avoid heat and light exposure. However,
the fourth factor, oxygen, can only be averted
through quality processing and packaging,
which is where the study found competitor's
products falling short.
"Our curiosity was piqued when we saw brands such as Wise Company implying
that their pouches
have up to a 25-year
shelf life, which is rarely found in pouches of freeze-dried foods," commented Norm Jager, head of research
and development for Mountain House. "Freeze-dried meals serve families
in times of dire need
when emergencies hit, which means that it's imperative that these foods deliver
on the promises made. So instead of just sitting on the sidelines, we decided to test their products in an effort to educate consumers across
the U.S. on the importance of oxygen, which should
ideally be less than 2 percent for long term food storage."
Oxygen Levels in Wise Company Products
were 110 Times Higher Than Mountain House
Mountain House commissioned Columbia Food Laboratories to test 30 samples of dehydrated
and freeze dried meals from Wise Company as well as 30 samples of comparable Mountain House freeze dried meals. The results
were staggering. Average oxygen levels in Wise Company products were 18.25%, nearly the 21%
level found in the atmosphere and 110 times higher
than the average 0.16% oxygen found in Mountain
House products. The most
alarming part is that Wise Company products
were manufactured in April of 2012 and already
exhibit near-atmospheric levels of oxygen, which would not provide a 25-year shelf life.
In distinction, Mountain House has a long-standing history of excellence in the freeze-dried foods industry, pioneering the necessary technology and processes for more than 40 years. As part of a rigorous, ongoing quality assurance
program, Mountain House regularly
tests its own archived products
from as far back as 35 years. For additional information on products offered by Mountain House please visit www.mountainhouse.com.
About Mountain House
Mountain House, the #1domestic
brand of freeze-dried food, has been the leading
choice of backpackers,
hikers, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts for nearly 50 years, and more recently
has become a favorite long-term food storage
solution for
emergency preparedness. Mountain House products are convenient, easy to prepare
and have an industry-leading
shelf life. For more information and a complete list of product offerings, visit
www.mountainhouse.com.
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