Any food-stuffs good for decades with totally non-metallic packaging?

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In summary: But there were *so* many of them..."Oh, the humanity !"In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of food items that can last for several decades without any metallic containers or packaging. The suggested options include non-metallic containers such as plastic, glass, and molten glass. The conversation also touches on the idea of alien life forms that are hostile to metal, and the concept of a sci-fi story involving interactions with these creatures.
  • #1
Nik_2213
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Are there any food-stuffs which will be good for several decades with totally non-metallic container / packing ??

So, no cans, screw lids, clamps or bottle tops.

Not even the multi-layer foil in eg MREs...

Storage not above 'fridge' temperature, may go cooler at times unto '40 Below'.

Irradiated acceptable.
==

I'm working on a sci-fi notion akin to Cordwainer Smith's 'Game of Rat & Dragon'. Copyright lapsed, so free to read.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ga...Rat_and_Dragon
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2961...-h/29614-h.htm

My simpler take is that, out beyond the heliopause, there are 'Dark Matter' entities implacably hostile to life 'as we know it'. Space is Einsteinian, no warp-drives allowed. Worse, 'Dark Dragons' are drawn to moving metal, even the least traces. NASA's Voyager 1+2 and that 'Pioneer' probe haven't been noticed yet.

All alien Star-ships are purely biological, 'grown', use what we'd call Telekinesis to travel. Think 'ET' movie, but the ship is alive. Several different varieties, due different origins, but BIG. Must be ~100 km across to hold enough 'fat' to sustain decades-long journey. Passengers hibernate. Technically, 'ingested to vacuoles and intubated'-- Don't ask...

Arrangement is that planetary civilisations leave a kilotonne 'goodies bag' of sorted minerals & metals at L4 Lagrangian point approximately 60° ahead of the main body. Think truck-stop. A star-ship pulls in there, takes in raw materials, grows some hi-tech for comms & IT. Then trades with locals for eg asteroid dirt & water to re-grow spent 'fat' stores. Before leaving, 'excretes' those metals it borrowed, ready for the next visitor...

So, in mid-2024, having had a very bad 'Dark Dragon' encounter, one such mega-ship urgently goes off-route, pulls into Sol System, which 'Galactic Gazetteer' claims is pre-industrial. No 'goodies bag' at L4 point, so sends out gleaner craft to asteroid belt and Jupiter's outer moonlets. Collects minerals & metals, grows essential tech. Very, very surprised to detect brisk 'Hydrogen Line' signals, a swarm of small spacecraft ...

'First Contact' ensues. There are strict limits on 'downward' tech transfer, so no magic solutions to super-conductivity, fusion, AI etc etc.

Ship trades that innocently gleaned asteroidal stuff plus the rules of Chess & Go etc, lots of Mozart etc, a zillion places of Pi, e, Phi etc etc for a 'Heads Up' about 'Dark Dragons', some hints on superconductivity etc and a heavily redacted local chapter of 'Galactic Gazetteer'.

That still leaves a hefty trade surplus in our favour. Studying the 'Gazetteer', seems a *known* sub-neptunian planet, tauCeti 'f', has a potentially habitable mega-moon. About mid-way between Mars and Earth, face-locked, it had been partly terraformed before the project was abandoned. Tolerable Denver-thick Nitro-oxy atmosphere, some seas, polar caps etc. Latest biome apparently gleaned from Earth circa 100 k-years BP.

Why abandoned ? Well, terraforming takes so long and the responsible culture lost interest, project lost funding. FWIW, they're unlike us, are in a different chapter of Gazetteer, and please stay off their lawn...

Upside, given tau Ceti 'f2' has been fallow for millennia, it may now be claimed by Terran settlers.

So, a settlement team is put together. They cannot take any metal equipment or metal-containing devices, but purified minerals are acceptable to boot-strap initial neolithic tech. There'll be fifty in first group woken, who'll explore, break ground. About a year later, just before the ship leaves tauCeti, remaining 200 will be decanted, with a lot more stores, full library etc etc. As the journey will take ~ 25 years, they're collectively tagged the 'Forty-Niners', but it's that first group who proudly carry the label...

( Also, given ~ 2% risk of 'miscarriage', tag began as a grim quip, sort of grew...)
 
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  • #2
Google up 'D ration bar'
Some swear that it's still edible
Some swear it was never edible...

Ps.: google up 'pemmican' too
 
  • #3
Bags of grain, seeds, etc. -
Plastic water containers.
Spirits and wine, corked.
Check out lifespan of salted ( and /or smoked ) fish and meat, in brine, or dried.
 
  • #4
Nik_2213 said:
So, no cans, screw lids, clamps or bottle tops.
I have no idea where you're getting that. 2-liter soft drink bottle have plastic screw tops. Numerous medical concoctions in the drug store (in fact pretty much all of them) have plastic screw lids. LOTS of things have plastic containers with plastic screw tops that seal quite nicely.
 
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  • #5
Glass. Put stuff in a glass container, then seal the opening with molten glass. Break the glass in the future for use.
 
  • #7
Nik_2213 said:
My simpler take is that, out beyond the heliopause, there are 'Dark Matter' entities implacably hostile to life 'as we know it'.
Why use ridiculous gobble-de-gook such as "dark matter entities" instead of just having implacably hostile ailiens from another solar system? That is, why be deliberately unbelievable when you don't have to be?
 
  • #8
These seem to have lasted a very long time...

https://thewindsorwriter.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/549691_632894086727033_1108319649_n.jpg

1578507444644.png
 
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  • #9
phinds said:
I have no idea where you're getting that. 2-liter soft drink bottle have plastic screw tops. Numerous medical concoctions in the drug store (in fact pretty much all of them) have plastic screw lids. LOTS of things have plastic containers with plastic screw tops that seal quite nicely.
No metal screw-tops etc. { Implied, surely ?? } So no 'crown' bottle tops, either...

Happens I was our lab's go-to guy when we needed reluctant plastic 'security' screw-tops cleanly and safely removed from 'complaint' and/or 'reference' samples. "Apply pipe-cutter to top, go around and around until done..."

phinds said:
Why use ridiculous gobble-de-gook such as "dark matter entities"
Why not ??
Personally, I'd like to see both Dark Energy & Dark Matter robustly falsified, sufficient mundane stuff detected in galactic halos to resolve rotation issues. But, until then, with DM even more elusive than neutrinos, it still has enough free parameters to extrapolate unto fun.

Besides, alien pirates who come swooping out of deep space to board and pillage hapless star-ships is a tad too weary a meme for my taste. Being swarmed by giant, witless Amoeboids carries more of a 'yuck' factor.

FWIW, I remember fleeing a Adriatic beach when a shift in the wind brought a seasonal jelly-fish 'bloom' in-shore. Individually, they were small, mostly harmless. At least by comparison to each evenings' mossies that had to be 'coil-smoked' until semi-torpid, then swatted. Think 'Nettle Rash' rather than 'Many Itchy Lumps'. But, I've known holiday beaches closed due lethal 'Lions Mane' jellyfish, and seen pics of those truly enormous types that can swamp Asian fishing nets...
 
  • #10
So your story has dragons made of dark matter, but the idea of MREs using non-metalized plastic as opposed to metalized plastic, well, that's beyond the pale. Ain't nobody going to believe that!
 
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  • #11
Bah ! Foiled again !
:wink:
 
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  • #12
My favorite commentary on suspension of disbelief was in a review of the movie While You Were Sleeping.

"I've seen some unbelievable things in movies. I've seen a man flying. I've seen a monster lizard destroy Tokyo. I've seen a giant gorilla climb the Empire State Building. I've seen the Land of Oz. But I ain't never seen anything as unbelievable as Sandra Bullock not being able to find a date on a Friday night."
 
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1. What types of food can last for decades with non-metallic packaging?

There are several types of food that can last for decades with non-metallic packaging, including freeze-dried foods, dehydrated foods, and certain types of canned foods. These foods are processed and packaged in a way that removes moisture and oxygen, which are the main factors that cause food to spoil.

2. How long can food last with non-metallic packaging?

The shelf life of food with non-metallic packaging can vary depending on the type of food and the specific packaging method used. However, in general, these foods can last for several decades if stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

3. Is non-metallic packaging safe for long-term food storage?

Yes, non-metallic packaging is considered safe for long-term food storage. In fact, it is often preferred over metallic packaging for its ability to keep food fresh and free from contamination. However, it is important to follow proper storage guidelines and to check for any signs of damage or spoilage before consuming the food.

4. What are the benefits of using non-metallic packaging for long-term food storage?

Non-metallic packaging offers several benefits for long-term food storage. It is lightweight, durable, and does not rust or corrode like metal packaging. It also helps to preserve the nutritional value and flavor of the food, making it a popular choice for emergency food supplies or for those with limited storage space.

5. Can non-metallic packaging be used for all types of food?

While non-metallic packaging can be used for a wide range of foods, it may not be suitable for all types of food. Some foods, such as those with high oil content, may not store well in non-metallic packaging. It is important to research and follow specific storage guidelines for each type of food to ensure its longevity and safety.

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