Dry dog food is a great convenience for many dog owners who lead busy everyday lives. You know the importance of choosing the right food to fit your dog's nutritional needs, but do you pay close attention to its storage?

Proper food storage is as important as providing your dog nutritionally balanced diet. Poor storage conditions often lead to nutrient degradation, molds and insect infestation.

You probably have noticed the “best used by” stamp on a bag of dry food. This applies only if the bag has not been opened. Store unopened bag in a cool, dry place. Avoid storing directly on a cement floor. The bag will pick up moisture from the floor and results in deterioration.

Once you open the bag, you should store the bag in a tightly fitted lid container to minimize exposure to air. Preventing over exposure to air reduces the breakdown of important nutrients such as vitamins. Keeping the food in its original bag is recommended even if you use a sealed container because plastic can leach vitamin C out of the food. Storing in a sealed container also reduces the chance of mildew spoilage, insect and rodent infestation.