Blood storage container containing aqueous composition for the storage of red blood cells

A method for storing red blood cells (RBCs) from a donor comprising:

• (a) concentrating red blood cells to obtain packed RBCs;
• (b) mixing the packed RBCs with an amount of an aqueous composition sufficient to form a RBC suspension having about 35% to about 80% RBCs by volume;
• (c) cooling the RBC suspension to about 1 to about 6° C.;
• and
• (d) storing the cooled RBC suspension in a DEHP-lacking blood storage container without periodic mixing according to standard blood bank procedures, wherein the aqueous composition comprises adenine, dextrose, at least one non-metabolizable membrane-protectant sugar, and a pH buffering system, wherein the pH buffering system consists of a combination of physiologically acceptable buffering agents including at least one agent providing bicarbonate anions, at least one agent providing phosphate anions, and at least one agent providing sodium cations, wherein the aqueous composition is substantially free of exogenously derived chloride ions,
• wherein the red blood cell (RBC) suspension stored without periodic mixing under standard blood banking procedures for a storage period of 42 days will meet US regulatory standards for said storage period of 42 days, wherein the RBCs have a level of hemolysis below about 1.0% with 95% confidence and 95% reliability for at least 42 days storage.