How long do canned goods last?

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splitshot

splitshot

Head cook, Bottle washer, and Peace keeper.
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Going through my chuck box, I found some old cans of dinty more, rotel and beans (no spam;)). What is the shelf life of this stuff? Especially when exposed to temperature extremes.
 
my recollection is that canned foods have life expectancies of years but you could always open one and see if the can has lost its vacuum integrity. me personally, I'd chunk it if it's over a few years old.
 
Similar to MREs. The temperature of storage is very important. The cooler, the better. Canned foods can last over a decade if stored in a cool place like at 50F. On the other hand at 100F a MRE is only expected to last 3-6 months. Note MREs are only rated on taste. The nutritional content lasts much longer than good taste.
 
Michael Hanson said:
If the can pushes out at the top its bad.Otherwise its ok. MIke
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x2 if the can is bloated, something is growing inside.:eek::eek: If its damaged toss it. You might also check the expiration date:rolleyes:, although most canned food is good long after it "expires."
 
I've also tried to find the answer to this, and the closest thing i could come up with is "it depends". Depends on the brand, the type of food, the storage conditions, and what your definition of platable is. Most canned foods will be fine way past the expiration date, in some cases almost indefinitely as long as the can isn't bulging. It might not look or taste great, but it's still safe to eat.

Hormel (the makers of Dinty Moore) state on their website that unopened cans have an indefinite shelf life if the can hasnt' been damaged. I'd say open it and if it smells and looks ok, eat it.
 
funny you should ask. found a canned of store brand 'mixed vegetables' w/an exp date of like 98 or sumtin. :eek:

and I was curious, but afraid. :hhmm:



so I took it to work, and made cajun rice casserole w/all the old junk in the frig at the firestation [2 week old rice, 6 week old pureed jalapenos, 6 day old 'fresh' mushrooms]. :hillbilly: :idea:


the guys thought the broiled salmon was tasty, and kept asking how I made the rice.:cheers:


No, I did NOT tell them. Just said it was a magic receipt, and left it at that.:doh:



FWIW, the contents of the can did not look appetizing at all, not even after getting mixed into the rice. something bout baking the casserole mighta helped. :meh:
 
So, what I've gathered, that can of Rotel will no longer look like tomatoes and chilis but more like chunks of potatoes and still taste the same?
 
splitshot said:
So, what I've gathered, that can of Rotel will no longer look like tomatoes and chilis but more like chunks of potatoes and still taste the same?
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The Rotel would prolly make an excellent base for Southwest spagetti sauce. Is the exp date still legible?

My pops kept can of Dinty Moore in his well truck: we'd heat 'em up on the manifold en route or while pulln pipe. Hunger is the best spice ya know... :p
 
sirenmoses said:
The Rotel would prolly make an excellent base for Southwest spagetti sauce. Is the exp date still legible?

My pops kept can of Dinty Moore in his well truck: we'd heat 'em up on the manifold en route or while pulln pipe. Hunger is the best spice ya know... :p
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Most of these have rattled around long enough that it is hard to distinguish what is actually inside the can.
 
splitshot said:
Most of these have rattled around long enough that it is hard to distinguish what is actually inside the can.
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Yep, that's pretty much how my dad's truck food was: sometimes a mystery, but once opened you could usually figure out what it's supposed to be.
 
splitshot said:
So, what I've gathered, that can of Rotel will no longer look like tomatoes and chilis but more like chunks of potatoes and still taste the same?
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Not likely.

From what I understood edibility, which includes taste, is the first thing to go in properly canned foods. Because an army runs on it's stomach, that is why MREs are shelf life rated on taste.

On one of the pages I read on canning in the foil pouches they commented that it took a much shorter period of time to properly cook the food than in a standard can. As such less of the original flavor is lost. In one example given the flat foil pouch used for tuna only needed 30 minutes to fully cook whereas a can took 4 hours.
 
How many miles can you put on your car before it dies? .... It's a very loaded question, too many variable. I'd say either open and hope, or as my pop always says "when in doubt toss it out".
 
how many years do you think it took for whatever "food" is in the can to end up on a shelf at the store and then for someone to buy it?

my guess is somewhere around 3 years...

i think the 10 year rule probably applies, as long as the can is not severly dented or buldging.

sirenmoses, i also have cooked food under the hood of a Hilux, just to see if it would work!

maybey ask a Mormon, I am sure that plenty of them are sporting10 year old cans in their familial fallout shelters!
 
oh god, I bet my aunt could let you know. her entire basement has been devoted to food storage. I don't understand the concept. think if the end is coming I wouldn't trust a civilian home to keep me safe from the zombies anyway
 
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