Best by

[Craig234]

I set a new record today. I took notice of the pantry, and saw some stacks of canned green beans. I wonder how old those are.

I picked one up; it was sort of stuck. It felt almost empty, except for something rattling around. Man, that's old. Looked at the day: best by 2007. I'm better at buying vegetables than eating them.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I was going to put up my own oldest, but apparently this bottle of skinny cow chocolate milk mix doesn't expire. Bought sometime around 2012. Most of my actual furniture isn't that old (or at least isn't to me).

 

[Captante]

I set a new record today. I took notice of the pantry, and saw some stacks of canned green beans. I wonder how old those are.

I picked one up; it was sort of stuck. It felt almost empty, except for something rattling around. Man, that's old. Looked at the day: best by 2007. I'm better at buying vegetables than eating them.

Aside from maybe being a bit mushier then it was I'm pretty sure they're fine... well as fine as canned veggies ever are anyway!

 

[Craig234]

Aside from maybe being a bit mushier then it was I'm pretty sure they're fine... well as fine as canned veggies ever are anyway!

I don't think you understand. Imagine you took a can and emptied it except you put a penny in the can. That's what it was like.

 

[ultimatebob]

I don't think you understand. Imagine you took a can and emptied it except you put a penny in the can. That's what it was like.

The seal must have been broken somehow, otherwise it should have been fine.

There is a guy on YouTube who recently opened a World War II C-Ration that was canned, and most of it's contents were still edible 75 years later.

 

[AdamK47]

The seal must have been broken somehow, otherwise it should have been fine.

There is a guy on YouTube who recently opened a World War II C-Ration that was canned, and most of it's contents were still edible 75 years later.

Steve1989. I check out his channel from time to time.

YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[sandorski]

hehe, ya. I stopped Case Lot sales for the same reason.

 

[Captante]

I don't think you understand. Imagine you took a can and emptied it except you put a penny in the can. That's what it was like.

Oh you mean you actually fell for ...erm... I mean you trusted my sound advice ... yeah that's the ticket!

Dibs on your stuff!

The seal must have been broken somehow, otherwise it should have been fine.

All kidding aside my understanding is with a proper vacuum seal and enough added salt some canned food could potentially be good for 100's of years. (good in the sense that you most likely won't die if you eat it!)

 

[Craig234]

The seal must have been broken somehow, otherwise it should have been fine.

There is a guy on YouTube who recently opened a World War II C-Ration that was canned, and most of it's contents were still edible 75 years later.

That's what I thought, but there are multiple cans, they don't show visible damage that I saw, and each has the 'lightness' showing disaster.

I've been throwing away some cans of soup a bit ago, and one of them made a loud 'let the air out of the tire' sound when I lifted it, don't remember if it was 2014 or 2011. I suspect it was a risk for exploding.

 

[Captante]

That's what I thought, but there are multiple cans, they don't show visible damage that I saw, and each has the 'lightness' showing disaster.

I've been throwing away some cans of soup a bit ago, and one of them made a loud 'let the air out of the tire' sound when I lifted it, don't remember if it was 2014 or 2011. I suspect it was a risk for exploding.

That "lightness" means a lot of the liquid inside has most likely evaporated. Those cans were almost certainly leaking very slowly for years.

And yeah any can that has a bulge or does the hiss-thing (in or out) could easily contain enough botulism toxin to kill you.

 

[Craig234]

That "lightness" means a lot of the liquid inside has most likely evaporated. Those cans were almost certainly leaking very slowly for years.

And yeah any can that has a bulge or does the hiss-thing in or out could easily contain enough toxins to kill you ... or at least make you wish you were dead for 12 hours!

Ya, I suspect, though, that the cycle was that the food went bad, creating gasses and pressure that caused the leak, meaning not good to eat before the leak, either.

Agreed on the danger once that happens!

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

I don't think you understand. Imagine you took a can and emptied it except you put a penny in the can. That's what it was like.

Eat it anyway. If you live, you're famous. If not, I call dibs on your stuff. Well, all your stuff except the canned food.

 

[brianmanahan]

i survived 8 year old pickles

 

[lxskllr]

The newer easy open cans(I hate them) aren't as secure as the old ones. Easier for seals to breach. Acidic foods are more likely to breach any can.

 

[UsandThem]

i survived 8 year old pickles

Only 8 years old? That's bush league!

 

[Captante]

I call dibs on your stuff

Too slow!


*(see post #8)

 

[mrblotto]

The newer easy open cans(I hate them) aren't as secure as the old ones. Easier for seals to breach. Acidic foods are more likely to breach any can.

Are seals waddling around your area often? How did they learn to open those cans?

 

[Muse]

Aside from maybe being a bit mushier then it was I'm pretty sure they're fine... well as fine as canned veggies ever are anyway!

I usually figure if canned it keeps forever. Maybe not true. I have one of those little squat jars of artichoke hearts that I got to put on a DIY pizza, I think it's leaked a bit. Don't know what to expect when I open it. Have another tiny can of black olives for a pizza. Must be 12 years old. I may have a 20 YO 6oz can of tomato paste. I seldom buy canned veges, do buy canned corn... I do a few things with it. Don't buy canned beans anymore, I buy dry beans, soak and nowadays do 'em up in the Instant Pot.

I buy very little in the way of canned goods. My doctor said don't at all, but hey, there are exceptions.

 

[Muse]

i survived 8 year old pickles

I have home canned stuff older than that. A lot of it is tomato, from my home grown. I don't even pressure can it but a few years ago I started adding citric acid. That insures that botulism doesn't take hold and kill you mercilessly... a good idea. Even with out it, tomatoes are usually acid enough to prevent botulism poisoning. Still, I give a good look when I open my old jars. Some is real real old. Always good. I don't think I've had more than one fail, maybe not even one. I can plum jam too, sometimes blackberry and make pineapple/apricot jam. That stuff keeps indefinitely if canned hot enough. I don't pressure can that either, the bad bugs detest the high sugar content, can't handle it. If canned at over 160 degrees, the fungus spores die. I have plum jam probably from 2008 or earlier. I've never been disappointed opening a jar of old jam.

 

[Muse]

quiz: What's the one food that never spoils?

Spoiler

Honey!

 

[Craig234]

quiz: What's the one food that never spoils?

Honey, but actually I'm not sure it's the only one.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

quiz: What's the one food that never spoils?

Spoiler

Honey!

Yet ironically it still ships with 'use by' labels, because America.

 

[brianmanahan]

Yet ironically it still ships with 'use by' labels, because America.

best by ∞

 

[lxskllr]

best by ∞

Now that's not true. Use by may be ∞, but the best by is far shorter. It gets crunchy if it sits too long.

 

[brianmanahan]

Now that's not true. Use by may be ∞, but the best by is far shorter. It gets crunchy if it sits too long.

i heard that if you wait until actual ∞ then it gets nice and smooth and perfect at the end

some say the world will end in fire,
some say in ice.
from what i've tasted of honey
i hold with those who favor honey.