Pellets - Best Before Date??

Matthew White · Nov 17, 2009

HI All

How long can pellets, I use Elips and Halibut, be kept for?

I bought quite a few bags of different sized pellets at the start of the season and I still have quite a few left, will they be OK to use next season? I transfer all my pellets to an airtight bag and store them in a cool place. I have some Elips pellets which I bought 2 seasons ago, they are only sold in 2 kilo bags and i only use a handfull in a session!

If pellets do go off, why don't manafacturers print a best before date on the bag?

Matt

Fred Bonney · Nov 17, 2009

They'll be ok if you've kept them sealed, if they crumble easy they have dried out though.

I'm useing some elipse from 3 years ago, when i bought a big bucket,still work ok, I just don't give so much free food as I used to!!

Peter Jacobs · Nov 17, 2009

Matthew White said:
If pellets do go off, why don't manafacturers print a best before date on the bag?

Because they are not for Human Consumption, so I don't think that the Law requires it.

geoffmaynard · Nov 17, 2009

You might find that the pellets at the bottom of the bag are super-oily after a long storage period - and the ones at the top are much drier. Carefully separate the super-oily ones from the dry ones and keep them in a bag on their own. Use these as hook baits.

alan whittington · Nov 17, 2009

Some pellets sacks do have dates on them as i believe i read somewhere they can become dodgy Matthew.

nchokie · Nov 17, 2009

I once read an article by a guy who reckoned that the oils in halibuts can go rancid quite quickly , so much so that he stored his pellets at home in his bait freezer . The guy had something to do with vision baits who at the time didn't sell halibuts so I don't think he had any ulterior motive but just felt that fresh bait was best . I don't know how true any of it was but there you go .

Fred Bonney · Nov 17, 2009

Matthew, take no notice of heresay, they will be alright.

Trust me

Philip · Nov 17, 2009

Rather than throw them in the bin I have on a few occasions prebaited with some really off pellets and bolies..white mould, stuck to inside of bucket etc & I have done ok.

I would obviously prefer fresh given the choice but if you keep yours in a dry cool place I am sure they will be ok.

alan whittington · Nov 18, 2009

Perhaps an inquiry at the wholesalers on the phone without being to open as to why?The biggest problem is how long they have had them as was mentioned in another thread eh Fred about hemp.One other thing the sacks that pellets come in are normally slightly 'breathable' why im no entirely sure,but the sack i have at the moment is similar to the bags you get bread in at sainsbury's but tougher.

Fred Bonney · Nov 18, 2009

Alan, hemp is live seed, pellets are fish oil soaked, wouldn't they would smell rancid if off?

I had a big bag of Ewe nuts in a dry garage, no obvious heavy oil content, they went green and mouldy in less than a year.

Just looked at my cod liver oil capsules(for human consumption) use by date 09/2011, doesn't say when they were packaged though.

As with most things, common sense will tell you if there is something wrong!

Matthew White · Nov 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice.
I was going to try and maybe 'pep' the pellets up a bit by giving them a glug of oil before I use them.

Matt

coelacanth · Nov 18, 2009

Fred Bonney said:
Alan, hemp is live seed, pellets are fish oil soaked, wouldn't they would smell rancid if off?

No they don't, we don't have the olfactory receptors to identify it efficiently at the point where there is no obvious change but oxidation has taken place. There's a significant body of research out there which shows that feeding pellets containing rancid oils has a deleterious effect on the health of a wide range of fish species. While it's true that for wild or semi-wild fish the proportion of the diet which is made up by pellets would hopefully be small, the common sense (and responsible) approach, given the low cost, would be to avoid using feed which has been incorrectly stored. Opinion is one thing, peer-reviewed research is another.

Just looked at my cod liver oil capsules(for human consumption) use by date 09/2011, doesn't say when they were packaged though.

Which are, I assume, encased in a gel capsule which acts as an efficient barrier against oxidation as long as they are kept dry.

alan whittington · Nov 18, 2009

Your probably right Fred,but my pellets have a date on them,does the oil deteriorate or the feed items of the pellet(we know its not ash i presume,going off),probably nothing goes off,for ive never seen a furry pellet unless it got damp.

Fred Bonney · Nov 18, 2009

I think that is the point, pellets will stay ok if stored correctly.

Mine are in a sealed plastic bucket, Matt's were in a sealed plastic bags.
My pellets still leak oil after 3 years, with pressure applied, they are still taken freely.
So my cod liver oil capsules are sealed to last at least a year, knowing food safety belt and braces, probably longer.

From Matt's query, if his are stored correctly, they should be safe to use.

Pellets - Best Before Date??

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