Tinned food

Silvics

This seems like the best forum in which to ask this question. I like to keep a store of tinned food in case of some unforeseen weather event.
Most tins have a best before date, but I wonder if they will keep indefinitely in dry storage? I've noticed a large discrepancy between different brands of the same product, for example tinned beans with a BBD of 1 year on versus 4 years on for another brand. Any suggestions? Thanks

Little Alex

Years and years ago, in a previous life, I started but didn't finish a course in Food Technology. Doesn't make me an authority, but as part of the course I did a project on canning.

When food is canned it is cooked afterwards, which to all intents and purposes kills off all microbial life. Once the can remains unperforated no new microbes can infect what is inside. This means that the food contained within will not perish, but it may be unenjoyable after the best before date.

Oils and fats will go rancid, making them taste unpleasant. Acidic contents such as tomatoes and carbonated soft drinks will leach metal ions out of the can and will also dissolve the inner plastic coating present in drinks cans, making them also potentially unpleasant in taste. In general, solid contents will probably also break down to an extent, making them mushy and unappealing. The same thing is true of deep frozen food.

Whatever you have is most probably still edible, but might not taste great. In the famine aftermath of a nuclear holocaust your cans would be a welcome sight, no doubt.

CJhaughey

Silvics wrote: »

This seems like the best forum in which to ask this question. I like to keep a store of tinned food in case of some unforeseen weather event.
Most tins have a best before date, but I wonder if they will keep indefinitely in dry storage? I've noticed a large discrepancy between different brands of the same product, for example tinned beans with a BBD of 1 year on versus 4 years on for another brand. Any suggestions? Thanks

If you want to try and build up a foodstore you need to buy foods from a place that has a big turnover so you always get the freshest stuff.
Even checking the dates in a supermarket can show there is a variety of dates on the same brand of beans!
Check them yourself and buy new stock if possible.

rubadub

I never saw BB dates on tins when I was growing up, they are sterile and the dates are really more a marketing thing, forcing turnover of stock. It also stops retailers stocking up when offers are on, and then having old labelled cans on shelves years later, with old logos and faded tatty labels.


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