Shelf-life of pre-cooked rice oral rehydration salt packets

The shelf-life of pre-cooked rice oral rehydration salts (ORS) at the household level was studied in urban Dhaka. To prepare the packets, cooked rice was dried and ground to fine powder and the salt ingredients were mixed according to the World Health Organization formulation. For each half liter packet, 10 g glucose was replaced by 25 g of instant cooked rice powder. The packets were kept in different environments for three months among 30 households of varying socioeconomic status. At monthly intervals, two packets from each family were collected for laboratory tests. Physical characteristics of ORS such as color and dispersibility remained the same throughout the three month study period. However, in the third month flavor changed slightly. The electrolyte concentration of the prepared solution remained the same at the end of the first, second and third months. However, progressive but minimal increase in moisture content of the packets was noted over the allotted time period. This increase in moisture was less when the mixture was packed in double thin layer polythene bags as opposed to the single layer bags. In conclusion, the shelf-life of pre-cooked rice ORS remains stable at least up to three months when stored at the household level. Therefore, pre-cooked rice ORS can be kept at households for future use in the event of diarrheal episodes.