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  1. #1
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    Default BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    Dear Gunsiters,

    Most shop-bought plastic bottled water generally seems to have a 12 month "best-before" date.

    Whilst I know that ideal (cool, dark, dry) conditions will prolong any product's shelf-life, does anybody know how long one can - or should - store bottled water, for safe human consumption?

    Naturally, if the contents appear clear, that's a good starting indicator, but how long before undesirable compounds start getting leached from the plastic container, by the contents?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    I found a bottle of nestle bottled water that had been forgotten in the back of the cupboard about a week ago. The bottle was still sealed. I noticed quite a lot of "floaties", what looked like small whitish colored bits when I shook the bottle. The BB date was sometime towards the end of 2016.

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  3. #3
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    It depends partially on the type of plastic. I read a while ago that all types of plastic has a shelf life, after which it starts degenerating and should be cast away. Check your containers for a circular moulded or stamped production date.

    I don't know about "better" brand names like Tupper.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    PET plastic is Pretty safe and most of the stuff in the water was in there when it got bottled. Your biggest concern with Plastic related stuff would be BPA but that got in there right from the start. BPA is a concern for small children, but your thermal printed till slips that you got for paying for the water has more BPA on it then the few bottles you bought.

    Water does not go off and is infinitely recyclable. It is the microbes and chemicals that is in the water that is a problem. Chemicals in bottled water should be rather stable. The organic compounds is what you should really be thinking of. But clean water that is bottled and stored in the dark does not have much nutrients for stuff to grow on so it should last much longer than the sell by date on the bottle.

    Expiry dates are a requirement for many governments/retailers. So even though a product could last indefinitely it must have an expiry date if it is made for consumption. Rock salt is a good example. it's been in a hill for thousands of years but suddenly it expires a year after it's placed in the packet...

    I have used bottled water that was stored for 5 years and it did not have any off taste.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    If you know you're going to be storing it for a long time, I would rather sanitize the water (boil it), and then pour it into sanitized glass bottles (with crown caps), cap them and store them upright. If they are stored cool and dry, they'll last for many, many years.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    Quote Originally Posted by Toxxyc View Post
    If you know you're going to be storing it for a long time, I would rather sanitize the water (boil it), and then pour it into sanitized glass bottles (with crown caps), cap them and store them upright. If they are stored cool and dry, they'll last for many, many years.
    Is there a method to do the capping? Rubber should degrade after a while as well?

    I reckon going glass is the best route as well.

    Edit*

    To ensure nothing has a way of crawling in.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    Would it not be better to buy a decent filter system and then you can use any water when it hits the fan?

  8. #8
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    Quote Originally Posted by noost View Post
    Is there a method to do the capping? Rubber should degrade after a while as well?

    I reckon going glass is the best route as well.

    Edit*

    To ensure nothing has a way of crawling in.
    Yeah you buy a bottle capper from your local home brew store. They're cheap, caps are cheap and they last a very long time if stored upright (in other words, no liquid against the cap). While you're at it, and you might think I'm joking but I'm not, it's not a bad idea to know how to make crude fermented drinks for when the shit hits the fan. They last longer than water, IMO, as you have a controlled "infection", so to speak, and fermentation creates a CO2 protective environment inside bottles.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    Micro organisms grow in water under various conditions. We currently bottle water and use ozone and UV to kill the micro organisms but still only give a limited shelf life. I would strongly suggest a decent filter for water that has been standing for more than a couple of months.

    BPA is also really not a big issue, it was added to the virgin material to serve as a lubricant agent during processing in the 80’s. It has not been added to the resin for years now.


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  10. #10
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    Default Re: BOTTLED WATER - SAFE SHELF LIFE

    Like having a 1000 litre fish tank that is set up to be self cleaning, and then a decent water filter attached and if SHTF then you eat the fish and have a 1000 liters if fresh water... you just stuck in one place unfortuantly... i think Vaal has the right idea, rather the ability to find and clean water then store water... if you walking out of anywhere you noit going to be carrying much water anyway

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