I had a can of Ravioli that expired in 2008 for supper.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I had a can of Ravioli that expired in 2008 for supper.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:14:28 PM EDT

I thought canned goods are supopose to last for a long time. Tonight, I grabbed a can of Ravioli's and they expired in 2008 or should I say best before 2008. I purchased them probably three years ago when I stocked up for a "what if" scenario. I ate them and all seemed ok. Curious to know if we have any canned food persons in house that can explain the longevity of canned goods.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:15:57 PM EDT

[#1]

dibs on guns and whatnot

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:17:18 PM EDT

[#2]

They will last forever unless the can is compromised in some way that would allow nasties to get in.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:17:36 PM EDT

[#3]

that's nothing my mother has a jello package that expired in 1964, I told her she has to keep it now...........

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:18:09 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
They will last forever unless the can is compromised in some way that would allow nasties to get in.

So I thought as well, does the FDA require an expiration date?

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:18:52 PM EDT

[#5]

It's more of a "Best By" date than an expiration date. Canned food lasts a LONG time, but loses taste and nutrition over time.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:19:24 PM EDT

[#6]

Tag for info.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:19:29 PM EDT

[#7]

Been there –– done that, young then, old now. Not a problem.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:19:43 PM EDT

[#8]

Basically, if the can is fine, and you open it and everything seems fine, it is fine.

I would have no problem eating 5 year old canned goods, 10 years old, maybe not, although it is probably fine.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:25:44 PM EDT

[#9]

long story short

grand parents bought house in 1930

found cabinet in basement that i never noticed before

asked grams what it was, said she never noticed it either, popped it open and it was full of canned fruit and mince meat left by the previous owners.

best 80+ year old mince meat I've ever tasted!

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:29:41 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
long story short

grand parents bought house in 1930

found cabinet in basement that i never noticed before

asked grams what it was, said she never noticed it either, popped it open and it was full of canned fruit and mince meat left by the previous owners.

best 80+ year old mince meat I've ever tasted!

Fucking sweet!!!!

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:33:46 PM EDT

[#11]

Last week I ate a can of vienna sausages that the "best by" date had passed by more than 4 years.

They were still enjoyable

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:44:25 PM EDT

[#12]

Tomato products don't last as long as other things.

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:44:51 PM EDT

[#13]

Don't know how else to put this but.... Always remember to rotate your meat. lol

Posted: 12/5/2010 4:52:18 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
They will last forever unless the can is compromised in some way that would allow nasties to get in.

So I thought as well, does the FDA require an expiration date?

Have you noticed that water has an expiration date?

...

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:00:23 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
It's more of a "Best By" date than an expiration date. Canned food lasts a LONG time, but loses taste and nutrition over time.

This ^ ^ ^

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:01:41 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's more of a "Best By" date than an expiration date. Canned food lasts a LONG time, but loses taste and nutrition over time.

This ^ ^ ^

Where does the nutrition go if the can is sealed?

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:05:56 PM EDT

[#17]

This is the first Grumble thread in a while I have clicked on without thinking "WTH is wrong with this dude??? Oh wait, he's trolling."

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:08:05 PM EDT

[#18]

Do you have your methane containment system installed yer?...

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:08:55 PM EDT

[#19]

Dibs on ammo.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:11:21 PM EDT

[#20]

There is so much preservative salt in that stuff, you can probably eat it 20 years from now and not die......
Unless, of course, you have a high blood pressure issue.
Enjoy your yummies...

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:12:39 PM EDT

[#21]

Made split pea soup with two packages of split peas that were "best by xx - 2005", and had ten year old home canned cherry peppers a few days before. Passed the sealed and smell tests, good to go.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:12:42 PM EDT

[#22]

Well if it is bad, be prepared to be acquainted with the inside of your colon as you puke it out your mouth[%] as long as the cans integrity isn't bloated etc. and the contents "smell" Ok ,and you heated it correctly your probably good to go.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:16:51 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
They will last forever unless the can is compromised in some way that would allow nasties to get in.

ie if the can is not bulged and/or leaking, you are GTG. I ate some campaing MREs that I bought for Y2K, a couple of weeks ago, and I am still alive. The main dish was okay, but the breakfest bar and the bread tasted really nasty. I only ate half of each and discarded it.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:17:36 PM EDT

[#24]

diarrhea thread

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:18:25 PM EDT

[#25]

I have alot that's expired from 2009 that I'm working my way through now.

As long as the can doesn't bulge, I've never had an issue.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:19:04 PM EDT

[#26]

Of course eating canned ravioli under any circumstances is probably not healthy.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:19:29 PM EDT

[#27]

I still have cans of Dinty Moore beef stew from my y2k preps that are yet unopened. To be frank I am afraid to eat them and will probably throw them out. But there are some things that still last; as an example I used some Coleman Fuel that I bought in 1999 in my MSR Dragonfly stove two months ago and it worked fine.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:19:35 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Tomato products don't last as long as other things.

Tomato sauces and pastes don't last long because usually the acid in the tomatoes eat through the can even with the food quality lacquer. People don't realize it but tomatoes are a high acid food.

BTW: Milk products are another product that can't be kept for the long term.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:21:31 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Tomato products don't last as long as other things.

I think you are right on that one. I recently opened a can of Dole stewed tomatoes from my preps –– they were about two years past the "best by" date and the tomatoes had visibly discolored. I threw them out.

NB: Yes, I have stewed tomatoes in my preps because I want to make chili after SHTF (beans or no beans).

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:22:31 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
It's more of a "Best By" date than an expiration date. Canned food lasts a LONG time, but loses taste and nutrition over time.

This ^ ^ ^

Where does the nutrition go if the can is sealed?

Vitamins can degrade, but the basic salt/sugar/protein doesn't change.

The real change is that flavors tend to blend together, and textures get softer and less enjoyable.
Neither of these changes will be noticeable in Chef Boyardee products.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:22:39 PM EDT

[#31]

Dibs on 2011 cans.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:34:31 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Tomato products don't last as long as other things.

I think you are right on that one. I recently opened a can of Dole stewed tomatoes from my preps –– they were about two years past the "best by" date and the tomatoes had visibly discolored. I threw them out.

NB: Yes, I have stewed tomatoes in my preps because I want to make chili after SHTF (beans or no beans).

Chili doesn't need tomatoes, I never put them in mine.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:45:04 PM EDT

[#33]

I used a jar of Heinz Homestyle Gravy a while back that expired in 2006.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:48:25 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
long story short

grand parents bought house in 1930

found cabinet in basement that i never noticed before

asked grams what it was, said she never noticed it either, popped it open and it was full of canned fruit and mince meat left by the previous owners.

best 80+ year old mince meat I've ever tasted!

No kidding? Details man, details!!!

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:50:10 PM EDT

[#35]

I've eaten the same recently. Still not dead.

Posted: 12/5/2010 5:59:58 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:

This is the first Grumble thread in a while I have clicked on without thinking "WTH is wrong with this dude??? Oh wait, he's trolling."

Lol,doesn't matter. I still think that.

I suspect someones "throw away" account they opened a while ago for when they get the Ban Hammer.

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:16:30 PM EDT

[#37]

had a couple of cans recently of ravioli and spaghetti w/meatballs almost 2 yrs past the date and they tasted like a fresh new can also a can of chicken about a yr past and it also tasted fine.
wasnt eager to try them but thought I should as a learning experience,now i wont worry as much about keeping them around a little loinger

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:22:23 PM EDT

[#38]

When I was in the service, I ate a can of coffee cake out of a C-Ration box which had "Made In 1959" (don't remember the month but I think that was on there too) stamped right on the bottom of the can.

This was during winter in 1982.

It was delicious.

Maybe because we were on an exercise in the woods and freezing/starving at the time, so ANY food would have tasted delicious.

But still, it was delicious.

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:25:37 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
Last week I ate a can of vienna sausages that the "best by" date had passed by more than 4 years.

They were still enjoyable

How did things finally work out?

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:26:33 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
diarrhea thread

Using keyholes as targets.

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:30:41 PM EDT

[#41]

We were useing US surplus ground coffee from the 50s at a convict camp I worked at in the 70s. It was OK.

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:42:32 PM EDT

[#42]

I've eaten canned ham 5 years past the "best by" date. Perfectly fine.

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:44:59 PM EDT

[#43]

I had a can of chicken noodle soup that expired in 1996.

Delicious and all my sodium needs met for two days.

Posted: 12/5/2010 6:47:49 PM EDT

[#44]

I have eaten 19 year past expiration MRE's with little ill effect (boy can they plug you up though

)

Posted: 12/6/2010 5:43:14 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Tomato products don't last as long as other things.

I think you are right on that one. I recently opened a can of Dole stewed tomatoes from my preps –– they were about two years past the "best by" date and the tomatoes had visibly discolored. I threw them out.

NB: Yes, I have stewed tomatoes in my preps because I want to make chili after SHTF (beans or no beans).

Chili doesn't need tomatoes, I never put them in mine.

Yeah, but some people think chili doesn't need beans either.

Back on topic, I just threw out some frozen pork chops that were dated 2007 from my freezer. Having suffered from food poisoning in 2000 after a visit to a small town in the Orient, I am firmly of the opinion that it's not worth it to risk food poisoning. A can of ravioli costs a paltry $2-3/can. Getting sick from bad food is a horrendous experience. It's just not worth saving a few bucks if you get sick. Moral of the story is to rotate your stores!

Posted: 12/6/2010 8:40:27 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
I have eaten 19 year past expiration MRE's with little ill effect (boy can they plug you up though

)

No matter the expiration date, you will get plugged up from an MRE. Back in the day, we would hump extra canned goods in our ruck sacks to avoid MRE's. My battle buddy and I always had hot canned food and coffee while the rest of our Platoon sat in the ice cold eating ice cold MRE's.....