[nveagle]

Last night I was a bit hungry, and a bit lazy so I decided to do grilled cheese and canned soup. Campbells Chunky, Beef and Vegetable to be exact. So I grab the can and as I am carrying it it kinda has a rattle/sloshing sound. I inspect the can and notice that it looks fine, no bulges/rust/dents but then notice the date on the can is Dec 2002. Well since the next morning is my monday I figure if I get sick the worst thing that will happen is I have to miss a day of work, the busiest of the week. At the least it was a good test of canned goods shelf life.

When I opened the can the soup was a solid gelled brick much like jellied cranberry sauce. I cut it up, put it in the pan and heated it up. It melted back to the consistency of soup and tasted great. Felt fine this morning and went to work.

So at least 6 years past date with no damage to the can is still edible!

 

[Squawker]

Just don't eat it if the top is bulging out- that's a sign of botulism (unlikely given modern sanitation, more common with home canning)

 

[Irishwarlord]

Thanks,

That kind of information can save lives, thanks again. :thumb:

Keep your senses sharp and your weapons clean, unlocked and loaded.

 

[Roastie]

I wish I could say the same about spaghetti-o's. The can was almost exactly as described, with the sloshing, but it looked fine. BOY was I wrong! It was only about a year old and halfway through eating it I had to stop, the next morning I was sick.

Correct me if I am wrong but the sloshing sound means that air got into the can somehow, the fact that it was a block attests to that. The only thing that saved you was probably boiling it on a stovetop. I cooked the spaghetti-o's in the microwave.

 

[birdman]

Sloshing only means there is space in the can. It is no indication as to what's in that space. Cans are never completely filled before the lid goes on so that during the "canning" process (cooking after the container is sealed) the liquid has room to expand without rupturing the container.

The bulging can indicates bacterialogical activity is giving off CO2 indicating the food is spoiled.

Allan

 

[nveagle]

I never brought the soup to a boil where it would have killed off bacteria, just warmed it enough to eat it. I figured that the thickeners in the soup just caused it to gell up over time.

 

[Bobo]

I have eaten the Campbell's bean & ham soup routinely 2 years out of date. I have never had ill effects. They tend to gel up but turn out okay. I do have some salmon I will try soon that is 2 years past best by date.

Bobo

 

[test]

They put so much salt in Campbell's soup I think it would keep even longer.

 

[Roastie]

So, if there is a space in the can and the food is sloshing around and a solid block, what is taking the space in the can? I'm afraid I can't follow the logic.

 

[hanklet0]

I have eaten soup over 10 years old!! Still good. Question though. I have alot of food preps in Hardigg cases. The other day I was looking for some Baltic smoked Sprats and I opend a case full of tuna and chicken and assorted fish, IT STUNK!! I inspected each can. All good. I felt I missed somthing, reinspected, no dented cans or bloating, ANY IDEAS?????

 

[nveagle]

Could something have been spilled on the outside of the can that is giving off the smell?

 

[birdman]

So, if there is a space in the can and the food is sloshing around and a solid block, what is taking the space in the can? I'm afraid I can't follow the logic.

The same air that was taking up the space when they sealed the can...

Heating the sealed can (and its contents) to 160+ degrees kills any bacteria in the can with the food. When the liquid (water) is heated it expands. If the can were completely full when the lid went on, then the sealed can would explode, whereas the air in the can simply compresses a bit and then when the can cools back to room temperature the air contracts back to its normal volume/pressure.

Physics 101...

Allan

 

[countryboy123]

I have several cans that are pretty much new and last week I opened one just to make sure they were good before I bought more and it was bad. I tried to eat it but had to spit it out and I have (usually) an iron stomach.

Ive since opened 3 more of those cans and they are all the same.

Im not talking about a taste you'd have to get used to, Im talking about it tasted nasty.

 

[zula]

good info:thumb:

 

[tattooed_hatred]

you are braver than i sir... i got food poisoning before and laid on the couch for 3 days begging people to kill me

Last night I was a bit hungry, and a bit lazy so I decided to do grilled cheese and canned soup. Campbells Chunky, Beef and Vegetable to be exact. So I grab the can and as I am carrying it it kinda has a rattle/sloshing sound. I inspect the can and notice that it looks fine, no bulges/rust/dents but then notice the date on the can is Dec 2002. Well since the next morning is my monday I figure if I get sick the worst thing that will happen is I have to miss a day of work, the busiest of the week. At the least it was a good test of canned goods shelf life.

When I opened the can the soup was a solid gelled brick much like jellied cranberry sauce. I cut it up, put it in the pan and heated it up. It melted back to the consistency of soup and tasted great. Felt fine this morning and went to work.

So at least 6 years past date with no damage to the can is still edible!

 

[LaRue]

Well I did my own test/gamble tonight with canned goods. Not trying to hijack the thread, I just figured since this one was already started, no since in me starting another.

Anyways, one week ago I went shopping for canned meats and veggies. I picked up several cans of baked beans, green beans, corn, carrots, roast beef, chicken and pink salmon. Upon checking out, as they were bagging my purchased items, I noticed that one of the cans of salmon had a large dent. I normally inspect all my canned goods before placing them into my cart, I am very paranoid about dented cans. This one seemed to have slipped by me. Since it was already purchased, I let it go into the bag and went home. Upon arriving at home,one of the bags split and a few cans dropped out into the trunk of the car (having a really bad day) and I dented a can of green beans. I was going to throw those 2 cans away, but being a person who hates to waste money, I decided not to and packed them away into the cupboard.

One week later (tonight) I decided to cook those dented cans, hoping no bacteria had formed in them. Other than the dents, there were no other signs of damage (i.e. bulging, rust, cracks). I opened the green beans and the salmon and inspected the contents, they seemed okay. Dumped them into my pot and cooked them on the stove top. I made sure they cooked long and hot enough as to kill any bacteria that might have made its way into the cans through microscopic cracks formed by the dents. I am eating it now as I type.

Like I previously said, I am paranoid about dented cans. It may not seem to be a big deal to some, but to me it is. I have always been that way for as long as I can remmeber. Well, I'll see how it goes, I don't forsee any problems, but I will let you know if I do get sick, though I doubt I will. Have a good night.

 

[coldworld]

does anyone know if the packaged items like spam and the chicken breasts that come in the foil last any longer than can foods?

 

[test]

LaRue, I understand your concern, but I think dented cans take quite a long time before it goes bad. I wouldn't think twice about eating them this early on. But you were right to use them first.

 

[LaRue]

LaRue, I understand your concern, but I think dented cans take quite a long time before it goes bad. I wouldn't think twice about eating them this early on. But you were right to use them first.

I had no real worries about the beans I dented, but the canned salmon was a different story. There is no telling how long it sat on the shelve in the store with dent. I am sure there was nothing to be concerned over, but still it is a paranoia of mine.