Anybody freezing kibble?

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

I've always heard that an open bag of kibble should be used within a 4 week time period. Right now I've been taking a week's worth out of the bag and putting it in a big plastic bowl with a sealed lid. What's left in the bag is rolled up tightly.

Lately I've decided to do more home cooking to mix with the kibble. So, now a 28 lb pound bag is lasting 6 weeks (or a little longer) instead of 4-5. Is that OK, or should I be freezing what's left in the bag? If freezing won't help, I can buy the smaller 15 lb bag. But, I'm saving $100 a year by buying the larger bag! :-)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sure you can freeze it. I don't, but I know a lot of people who do. Just make sure it's sealed up tightly in freezer safe bags with all the air squeezed out. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You can also just keep the 6 weeks worth in the storage container, but you need to transfer it into ziplock bags; don;t leave it in the original bag, even in the storage container. 

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Hmmm- I've done a little more reading since I posted this, and I'm seeing that I lot of people (PetMed, CDC, Fromm) DO recommend leaving it in the original bag and putting that bag in a storage container. I'll do some more checking...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The printed material from JD's dermatologist says not to even bring the original bags into the house if there are storage mite allergies. I rebag it in the mud room and discard the bags immediately after opening. 

What's the best way to prevent storage mite occupation of dry pet foods?

Advise clients who have allergic animals to buy dry pet food in small bags, immediately empty the bags into sealed bags and place them in a freezer. Keep one bag out in an airtight container and feed the pet from that bag first. Take the food that is next to be fed to the animal out of the freezer and place it in an air-tight container to thaw.

Canned food or a cooked diet that doesn't contain grains or cereals may be fed to the animal. For example, cooked hamburger is OK but not the bun; cooked oatmeal instead of Cheerios; cottage cheese instead of sliced cheese (since it doesn't mold as easily).

Keep in mind that it's unknown if microwaving or freezing dry food is sufficient enough to kill storage mites. The reason for freezing unused new food is to prevent the food from being contaminated with storage mites in our homes.

http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/faqs-about-house-dust-mite-and-sto...

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Ah- that makes sense with a storage mite allergy. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And another article with similar advice: https://www.heska.com/Documents/Allergy/Controlling-Storage-Mite-Ex...

Perhaps those you saw who advised keeping the food in the original bag are not aware of the protocol for stoarge mite allergies and are concerned with keeping the lot numbers and bar codes in case of a recall. The way to handle that is to cut the info from the bag and tape it to the storage container with each new bag. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I freeze mine in the gallon plastic freezer bags that I buy at Costco.  Before I freeze each bag though I place the kibble in a colander and shake it back and forth to get out all the dusty little particles and tiny pieces, then put in freezer bag, press out any remaining air and freeze. Since I have been feeding Nature's Instinct LID Lamb, I have noticed there is not near the little particles that there is some other foods.   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep. The less grain and filler in the food, the less particulate matter; the less particulate matter, the less chance of storage mites, which is what all this is about.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I never thought of that Karen.  Yes, it is grain free. 

[Chris Ringle]

Yes - we do freeze ours, mainly because our GD has food and environmental allergies. I buy the big bag of Acana, put what I can in an airtight, sealed storage container, divide the rest into 2-gallon freezer bags and freeze. They get kibble, some high quality canned and homemade toppers.

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Great- thanks! I'm starting to think I should just freeze the whole bag and eliminate the possibility of storage mites and degraded fats....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD tested positive for storage mites and we don't freeze it, as long as there's less than a month's worth opened. We do transfer it into ziplock bags immediately when a bag is opened, and throw the original packaging away.