Food Storage - Appendix – Medicine Storage - Part 7

Medicine Storage

According to a Medical Study in the UK (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10168.php) the recommended maximum storage and transit temperatures for most medications is 25 degrees C or 77 degrees F and are set by the pharmaceutical manufacturers. ... Others, however, 'do seem temperature sensitive.' Many drugs, including cefalexin, ampicillin and erythromycin have shown a reduction in efficacy when exposed to high temperatures. Aspirin, for example, degrades under increased temperature conditions. ...

From Prevention.com

General Guidelines

• Store medicines in a cool, dry place, protected from sunlight and out of reach of children. A good spot is the top shelf of a linen closet. A bad spot is a bathroom cabinet, due to the high humidity.
• Group medications by category so the one you need doesn't get lost in the shuffle.
• Once a year, throw away outdated drugs. Some old medicines lose potency, while others may undergo chemical changes that could make them unstable or even risky.
• Contact the American Pharmaceutical Association for more information if lacking from the pharmacists or missing on the label.

Repeated in another article by Teri Walsh when interviewing Marisa A. Lewis of PharmD on Prevention.com

• Keep it cool and dry. Read storage recommendations carefully. Unless special conditions are suggested (for example, antibiotics are often stored in the refrigerator), choose a storage spot that's cool, dry, protected from direct sunlight, and out of the reach of children. Best bet: the top shelf of a linen closet. Worst: bathroom cabinets, due to high humidity.
"Proper storage is important, but most people don't bother because the bathroom is so convenient," Dr. Lewis says.
• Organize. Group meds by category so the one you need doesn't get lost in the shuffle. Put cold remedies, tummy soothers, and pain relievers into labeled plastic storage boxes for easy retrieval.
• Toss. Once a year, throw away outdated drugs and remedies. Some old medicines lose potency, while others may undergo chemical changes that could make them unstable and even risky, says Paul Insel, MD, professor of pharmacology and medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

Tips For Storing And Handling Vitamins (focus on bulk generic) from ArticlesBase.com

It is vital that all drugs, even vitamins, are kept out of the reach of children. Excessive amounts of vitamins such as A, D and K can be exceptionally harmful to children.

When vitamins are stored properly, they can usually remain at their best for four to five years. So, what are the most important things to know about supplying and handling vitamins?

• •First and foremost, the majority of discount vitamins and supplements should be tightly sealed, at a cool temperature, dry and away from light. The information for the specific requirements for the vitamins can usually be found on the packaging and the manufacturer's website or customer service line.

• •The best place to keep vitamins is in the linen closet, which can accommodate all of the requirements for storage.

Vitamins should only be placed in the refrigerator when long-term storage is necessary. According to Glen Shue, a nutritionist for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a three-month supply of the discount vitamins should be kept out of the refrigerator, with the remaining sealed tightly. For all others when it comes time to retrieve more vitamins, the storage bottle should be taken out of the fridge, allowing it to get to room temperature before opening. A helpful money saving tip is to ensure that when buying in bulk, the specific types of vitamins and/or minerals being purchased will be used on a daily basis to ensure that they do not go too far out of date and thus disposed of.

• •The only supplements that don't fall under the "no fridge rule" are fatty acids and antioxidants, especially Carotenoids (luteins, beta-carotene, etc.) and Vitamin E. These must be must be protected from air oxidation thus storing in the refrigerator in a dark bottle/container is best.

• •Never store vitamins in the kitchen or in the bathroom. The bathroom is a bad idea because of the amount of heat and humidity caused by showers or bathing. Kitchens also contain a large amount of moisture as well as vaporized fats. These collect on the vitamins, causing them to lose their potency.

• •Packaging does make a difference! As often as possible discount vitamins and minerals need to be kept in the original container it was sold in. in order to avoid deterioration of its strength.

The Food and Drug Administration does NOT require expiration dates or storage instructions on bottle on vitamins. While most manufacturers indicate the dates anyway, it is not a requirement.

** Vitamins that are out of date are not dangerous to a person's health. These vitamins simply lose their effectiveness and potency.

Medicine Storage for Pets and Livestock from FoodAssurance.teagasc.ie

Medicine Storage: Best Practice

Secure, segregated and safe storage of medicines/remedies and equipment (e.g. needles) is important.

Suitable Storage

• The medicine store (s) should be of a sufficient size and strength to hold all the livestock remedies on the farm.
• Store livestock medicines in accordance with manufacturer instructions. Some medicines may need to be stored within a specified temperature range. (e.g. vaccines) and may require refrigeration. Medicines from a refrigerator that were inadvertently frozen should be discarded.
• The medicine store should not be located in direct sunlight or adjacent to any source of direct heat.
• The medicine store should be located indoors (e.g. in an adequately lit shed)

Safe Storage

• Livestock medicines must be kept out of the reach of children
• The medicine store should be locked when not in use. The key should be kept in a safe location. All farm workers should know the store location.
• The medicine store should contain a clear warning label.
• Do not store medicines in close proximity to animal feed. Any medicated feed (if prescribed) should be clearly labelled and stored away from ordinary feed.
• Dairies are an unsafe place to store medicines, accidental contamination of milk could potentially occur.
• Do not store medicines near household food (e.g. deep freezes, fridges) in case of accidental contamination of food.
• Store medicines separately to other farm chemicals (e.g. weedkillers, disinfectants). Animals have been poisoned where farm chemicals were given by mistake.
• Segregate and preferably remove expired medicines from ‘in use’ medicines.
• All spillage’s should be removed immediately from the medicine store and disposed of in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.