<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOne of the reasons why many pet parents prefer Kibbles to canned food is because of its ability to last longer and the dogs live the crunchy taste of it too. But this crunchy delight when poorly stored, can lose its freshness and quickly become an airy-soft and distasteful meal for your doggie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are three major factors that are responsible for the quickening damage of dry food in storage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Light<\/strong> because it is a source of heat generation which radiates through the meal and leaves it warm, Humidity<\/strong> makes for hot, moist environment as it contains water vapour and Oxygenated air <\/strong>which is particularly responsible for the change in the crunchy dry texture, to soft and causes a degradation of fat in the food.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlthough, it contains a low moisture, dry food is formulated with a high fat content than the wet food and if allowed to come in contact with oxygen, the fat can easily become soluble and rancid which is bad for digestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But all this boils down to poor storage and with the right information on the proper method of storing dry foods, your bulk purchases would no longer be in vain again. Below are a few steps with the right information to follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before purchasing and\/or using any bag of dry food, check the body of the bag properly (that is if you are buying from a physical store)to make sure it is free from any openings or tears around the body and lid. Inspect the goods immediately after every delivery and do not feed any of its content to your dog as you do not know for how long it may have been opened.<\/li> Purchase only bags that have been vacuum-packed as they have been de-aired and very likely pumped out of almost all the oxygen that could make the food go bad easily.<\/li> Reseal lids after every use by pressing both kids together. In a case where the package does not come with a resealable lid, fold the lids tightly or clip them with a peg and store them with their original packaging in an airtight BPA-free container, a stainless container or a Ziploc bag.<\/li> For extra caution, oxygen-absorber pads are great for keeping out any of the remaining g oxygen left in the pack to keep the product fresh. Food processing companies produce food in vacuum-packed bags to help keep oxygen out for long lasting freshness while on the shelf.<\/li> Consult the best before date on the package label to enable you know just how best store your food for a long term.<\/li> Store in cool, dry and dark place away from sunlight and off the floor away from rodents.<\/li> Apply clove oil around the rim of the jar. This is great for keeping away ants and other pests that may likely surround the jar.<\/li> The best environment to store a bag of dry Kibbles is in a Cool, dry, dark place on the top of a kitchen cupboard, shelf and pantry away sealed in an airtight metal or plastic container that cannot be nibbled on by rodents nor infested by rats.<\/li> Automatic kibble dispensers are great for making mealtime for your dog with little need for opening and closing containers. But if left in fir too long, the kibbles stand the chance of Pest infestation from the tiny holes of the dispensers. They do not also make for the best environment for storing food for a long time.<\/li> Use up old bags of food completely before adding new bags into the container. Before adding a new bag to the container, first empty out the remnants of the old and thoroughly clean out the container to avoid any case of the old taste affecting the freshness of the new container.<\/li> Freezing dry food at high temperature is not recommended but you can refrigerate it for up to six months to keep it cool and fresh. The note though, that keeping dry food in the fridge can leave it susceptible to moisture and if left for too long lose its flavour <\/li> Microwaving dry kibbles would only leave it burnt, too dry and might even burn your dog. They are omnivores and have once lived in the wild forest so can adjust to eating their food without any need for heating.<\/li> Opened bags should be consumed first and the container cleaner out properly before storing another one to prevent creating an unhealthy environment for the next bag particularly if the old one has been there for quite a while.<\/li> Always store all dog foods indoors as room temperature no matter the change in weather is not as extreme as that of the outdoor environment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nAppropriate Storage Containers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe most appropriate plastic container to use are BPA-free, airtight containers <\/strong>as they do not contain the chemical used to preserve plastic containers and have lids that do not always require constantly unscrewing the lid. They also have Silicone rubbers which are very good for keeping away moist and providing a regular temperature for the rubber. Tupperware plastic containers are not usually recommended because of their composition which from research is found to cause<\/li>Before using any container, clean it out thoroughly to make sure that it is rid of production odor as this could affect the taste of your food. Keep dry food tight in its original bag before storing it in the container. This will help to prevent the entrance of air and keep it safe from moisture that could make it go rancid for which studies have shown that rancid fat can lead to a deficiency in a balanced meal for your dog\u2019s nutrition.<\/li> Stainless containers are also considered to be perfect for storage as do not hold in much Oxygen and are always cool in all seasons which is the perfect temperature for storing them.<\/li> Zip-lock bags are also recommended but only the ones with proper resealing lid as it does not work efficiently at providing a Oxygen-free environment for the food. Which is why, it is usually advised that you flatten it out to remove all the Oxygenated-air in it and keep the food tightly clipped in its lack before depositing into the bag.<\/li> Do not store or in a Garbage bag or bin or can especially in an outdoor location as they are prone to change in weather conditions and can easily lose their freshness this way.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nDIY airtight containers for storing dry food<\/h3>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nOld suitcases are great for storing large quantities of dog food for long term purposes as they check the box for cool, dry and dark storage spaces. Make sure they are well cleaned and rid of camphor scent as it is unhealthy for consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juice cans are also great for converting into food containers with its easy to pop top containers that are easy to open and close without giving too much to air contamination. Before using, ensure that the container has been thoroughly cleaned of moisture and makes for ease when pouring out food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Baby diaper pails are great for storing dry food as they have been made specifically with odor-free containers with silicone-free covers to keep freshness locked in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Storage duration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Insidethefoodbowl, dry food can stay for a maximum of 24 hours without going bad but it advised that you should clean out the bowl with soap and water for a fresh refill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once opened, dry food can last up to a year and perhaps a few additional months. Unopened bags of food are likely to stay stored in safe environments for about two to three years. It is not always advised that the food be consumed after the best before on the purchase bag but even a few months after expiry, dog food can still be consumed though with led nutritional value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep off the hardwood or cold tiles and away from your dog\u2019s nose on to the highest level in your kitchen shelf or pantry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nCanned food; Shelf life and Storage tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Canned food contain more moisture and less fat than dry food and are usually always preferred because of the ease of digestion in every balanced meal. Unfortunately, because if its moist condition, it us also very prone to bacteria and is very susceptible to getting bad easily. These tips are chock full if I formation that will hwlo you better store the dog food while forgetting the fear of it getting spoilt that even leftovers would be served fresh when next meal time arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before purchasing a canned dog food, it is just as important that you check the Best before on the bottom of the tin for production Shelf life. The best before is the manufacturer\u2019s expected duration of potency for ingredients used in producing the meal. It is not to be confused with the expiration as you could still serve your dog a food that has gone past the date, however it is the period when the nutrients begins to suffer breakdown and become less active.<\/li> Avoid buying canned food with swellings or puncture in them as they could be responsible for botulism, an acute food poisoning caused by a toxin that us both harmful to man and animal and produced in moist food like Canned foods by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum <\/strong>usually formed in moist environments.<\/li>The high moisture content makes, opened canned food easy substances for bacteria contamination and if eaten after a long period of time by the dogs could put him at risk of food poisoning. Which is why serving out only portions that your dog can consume at once is a better option .<\/li> Four hours is the maximum time for opened Canned food to be left u eaten. If after this duration, the food should be thrown out and the bowl rinsed out thoroughly for fresh refill. For little dogs with lower appetite, you can always check out on the dog food aisle and on dog food e commerce stores for smaller plates that can be consumed at once.<\/li> It is not always advisable to let your dog eat straight from the can as not only is it unhealthy, it also leaves the food messy and could give way for mold even especially when stored.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n