[Witch]

Hello all,

I'm sorry if this topic has been posted before - admittedly I did not dig through the threads much. :taped:

I have a question regarding the storage of can goods. Today, I purchased several tins of smoked herring. I noticed when I got home that the tins were noticeably cold/cool to the touch - certainly a more pronounced temperature difference from the tins already in my pantry...

The ambient temperature in the pantry is low to mid 70s (Fahrenheit). Will any harm come to the fish from the cans warming up to the pantry temperature? Is the fish still safe to consume once they do warm? The cans are all sealed with no abnormalities to them.

On a related question: what are the parameters in which can goods are still safe to consume if one is unable to control the storage temperature (such as during a time of power outage in a winter storm, for instance)? Certainly storing cans in a "cool, dry place" is ideal - I'm just wondering how well things can last given less than ideal conditions and even in my little circumstance that arose today getting my can goods home.

(I'm aware of the problems/dangers from bulging or dented cans. Also, I do understand that once cans are no longer sealed, it is best to use them quickly. I am more concerned with mitigating less overt issues of contamination that might occur through temperature variations)

Thank you kindly!

 

[ShaynaGirl]

It really matters if the canned fish is made for on the shelf storage or refrigerated storage. I would carefully check the label on your canned items and also determine if you bought them from the refrigerated section of the store or on an unrefrigerated shelf.

I have found that some canned fish products need to be refrigerated, even when the can they are in is sealed. It depends on how the food was processed in the can, and that should be evident on the label.

 

[Witch]

Hey thanks for your input! This is a "kipper snack" style canned herring. It is bought from off the shelf next to other normal, room-temperature dry canned goods.

 

[Witch]

FWIW, I read through the canned-good sticky but couldn't find anything specific to my question as it relates to changes in temperature where a can goes from cold back to warm/room and the safety there.

Everything i've read so far has more to do with things getting too hot, but not so much with what happens once the can returns to room temp.

Anyone have experience with this?

 

[ShaynaGirl]

I wouldn't worry too much about the temperature changes from you bringing the can to the store and then to your home. There is little you can do about that, and even if you could, it's such a short exposure that it probably doesn't make a difference in longevity or quality of the food.

What is more important is having a consistent and cool storage temperature for your cans. You don't want to store them in heat, and you also want to avoid frequent fluctuations in temperature if at all possible. I would also avoid letting your canned goods freeze, because this may cause the contents of the can to expand and possibly damage the seams of the can itself.

Some things just can't be avoided, so you do the best job possible. If you have a basement, that is likely going to be the best area for your storage, but if not then just be creative in finding room elsewhere. I would definitely avoid storing food or water in a hot place like an attic or in an non climate controlled garage because of the heat exposure in summer and possible freezing in winter, depending on your climate.

To answer your original question, in the situation you have described I don't think there will be any problem with your canned fish coming back to room temperature.

 

[Rusty52]

I live in southern Arizona and store my canned preps in rooms where they aren’t kept at a constant temperature. Consequently, the temperatures probably range from the high 80s to the 40s over the course of a year.

A couple of weeks ago I opened up some of the boxes of cans with best by dates in the 2012 and 2013 years. The food was good and there were no problems.

My advice is that you try to avoid freezing temperatures and overly warm temperatures. But, canned goods can take much more than most people think.

 

[Iamfarticus]

Most of my canned goods are in a relatively cool basement, boxed up off the concrete floor. I don't want the bottom of the boxes on the floor for rust reasons, so they're up on short pieces of wood. Again, I eat what I store, store what I eat so I don't worry about it going bad.