December 20, 2010 - 7:19pm
Longevity of Red Wheat Berries in the fridge?
I've had a plastic bag red wheat berries sealed with a twist tie in the fridge for almost a year now. Should they be bad by now?
How long do wheat berries last in a fridge?
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In the fridge? 'till the apocalypse, I s'pose.
Wheat berries have ~10 year life span if stored in an airtight container. I'd imagine in a fridge wheat berries have to last at least as long, if not near infinitely long.
What were/are your plans for the berries?
Sounds like they could have been exposed to some moisture in the refrigerator. Air tight, and dry, may be key. Inspect them carefully for mold, rot, off odors, etc.
I have a very similar situation, but mine are in the freezer, in a sturdy deli tub, and then freezer bagged. I often wonder if they will still sprout after tempering back to room temp.
I had initially planned on sprouting them to make diastatic malt, but shortly after found a source for the malt.
Post your results. Thanks.
They should last indefinitely if kept in a cool dry place. You an even freeze them. I don't think that the amount of moisture in a fridge would do them any damage as most fridges tend to dry things out. You would have to get them really wet in order for them to sprout.
When exploring the pyramids, the archeologists discovered some wheatberries - thousands of years old.
They sprouted.
I wouldn't worry about it.