A Prepper’s Guide to Storing Canned Goods SAFELY

[Sentry18]

https://www.theorganicprepper.com/preppers-canned-goods-safe/

A Prepper’s Guide to Storing Canned Goods SAFELY

December 15, 2019

by Sandra D. Lane
Even though many of us process our own goods for long-term food storage, we also supplement our pantries with canned foods from stores.

Sometimes it can be cheaper, especially when there’s a sale. Sometimes we supplement with items from stores that we don’t know how to can (or can’t safely can at home). And sometimes it’s items that are hard to come by or aren’t grown locally. As well, storebought canned goods have a longer shelf-life than our home-canned goodies, so there’s definitely a place for them in our stockpiles

Whatever the reason, there are certain things we need to remember and keep an eye on for safety reasons.

‘Best By’ dates are still relevant.
There’s a lot of contention regarding the expiration dates on canned foods.

Frequently expiration and ‘Best By’ dates are confused with each other, making things even worse. The ‘Best By’ date on any product is when the manufacturer estimates the product will remain at the best quality possible; like the best color, texture, smell, and taste. This date isn’t a hard line as to when the contents spoil, though. Neither are the expiration dates on commercially canned items.

Obviously, things that must be kept cold, like store-bought raw meats, dairy, cheese, and eggs are exceptions, as are most foods that were previously sealed. What really makes those dates important, though, is the fact they become guidelines for after you’ve bought them and stored them away, allowing for accurate rotation of goods.

Most expiration dates on canned foods can generally be extended.
Expiration dates on canned goods are, again, not hard lines for when a product spoils, and can usually be extended for a few years. In fact, expiration dates on canned goods are being replaced by ‘Best By’ or “Best if Used By” dates.

“Expiration” dates are rarely found on canned food. The codes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and usually include coding for time and place of canning. Many canned products now have a “for best quality use by” date stamped on the top or bottom of the can. The general rule of thumb is that canned food has a shelf life of at least two years from the date of purchase.” source (emphasis mine)

The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute are hoping to prevent food waste and are advising major food manufacturers/retailers to stop using expiration and sell-by dates unless food safety is involved. One might wonder how they can encourage the practice of NOT using expiration dates.

This article has more information on these dates.

There is no federal law regarding expiration dates.
Product dating is not required by federal law, except for infant formula.

“The key exception to this general rule is for infant formula products. These products are required to bear a “Use By” date, up to which the manufacturer has confirmed that the product contains no less than a minimum amount of each nutrient identified on the product label, and that the product will be of an acceptable quality.” source

“For meat, poultry, and egg products under the jurisdiction of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), dates may be voluntarily applied provided they are labeled in a manner that is truthful and not misleading and in compliance with FSIS regulations.” source

So, if there is no requirement, why do they do it?
Money. If consumers buy a product that isn’t as fresh or tasty as another brand, they switch to the other brand. I certainly would. So those dates are voluntarily put on there to keep consumers coming back.

“The labels, you see, don’t mean what they appear to mean. Foods don’t “expire.” Most foods are safe to eat even after that “sell by” date has passed. They just may not taste as good, because they’re not as fresh anymore. Companies use the labels to protect the reputation of their products – they want consumers to see and consume their food in as fresh a state as possible. But those dates often have the perverse effect of convincing over-cautious consumers to throw perfectly good food into the trash.” source

Even so, we can use those dates to organize and rotate our food stores.

A warning about botulism
Metal, factory sealed cans, won’t shatter but can be bent and dented, and some seals on the cans are already compromised with pre-scored pull tabs. Compromised seals and containers can mean Clostridium botulinum.

Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium that produces dangerous botulism toxins under low-oxygen conditions, and it is one of the most lethal substances we know of. These toxins block nerve functions and can lead to respiratory and muscular paralysis, effectively killing a human being. Foodborne botulism is rare in developed countries but is caused by consuming improperly processed, canned, preserved, or fermented foods. This bacterium can exist in any improperly canned items, whether that be home-canned or commercially canned.

“C. botulinum is an anaerobic bacterium, meaning it can only grow in the absence of oxygen. Foodborne botulism occurs when C. botulinum grows and produces toxins in food prior to consumption. C. botulinum produces spores and they exist widely in the environment including soil, river and sea water. The growth of the bacteria and the formation of toxin occur in products with low oxygen content and certain combinations of storage temperature and preservative parameters. This happens most often in lightly preserved foods and in inadequately processed, home-canned or home-bottled foods.” source

It’s absolutely not worth the risk to eat food that could be tainted with botulism. It’s very serious, can cause lifelong after-effects, and even death. When disposing of suspect food, be sure to put it where animals cannot get to it, as they’re also susceptible to botulism.

How to prevent getting botulism
First, remember to examine all containers before ever buying them. Do not purchase unsealed, cracked, or dented containers. Discard all containers and their contents that are bulging, leaking, cracked, or even dented – it’s not worth the cost.

Seriously consider multiple can openers instead of buying pre-scored cans of food with pop-top lids. You can’t see, smell, or taste botulism, but you can listen for the small release of air that should occur when you break the seal of your jar or can.

Lastly, avoiding letting foods, cooked or not, stay at room temperature for too long before refrigerating them, and strongly consider reheating leftovers to the sustained internal temp of 85 °C/185 °F.

Which storage method do you prefer, cans or jars? Or maybe both?
Are there particular foods you’re wary of purchasing or canning? Are there other requirements on your checklist for canned foods?

 

[hiwall]

botulism is one of few things that can NOT be killed by normal cooking.

 

[Tacitus]

botulism is one of few things that can NOT be killed by normal cooking.

Interesting. Not sure I knew that.

I looked and found a site disussing it (Food Safety Authority of Ireland -- Foodborne Botulism):

Normal thorough cooking (pasteurisation: 70°C [158°F] 2min or equivalent) will kill Cl.botulinum bacteria but not its spores. To kill the spores of Cl.botulinum a sterilisation process equivalent to 121°C [250°F] for 3 min is required. The botulinum toxin itself is inactivated (denatured) rapidly at temperatures greater than 80°C [176°F] .

It occurs to me, though, that these times and temperatures will vary according to altitude. Perhaps these values are only good in Ireland?

 

[Terri9630]

The time it takes to get to that temp will vary. Once you get there the time should be about the same or a bit more. Look at the elevation guidelines for water bath canning. The higher the elevation the longer the processing time after the water comes to a boil to make sure it reaches and stays at the correct temp. For my elevation of 7450ft I add 15 minutes.

 

[Amish Heart]

We're at 5000 ft and I add about that, too.

 

[Weedygarden]

I'm surprised that there was not much activity on this thread. It is about canned goods, and that is something to watch out for, but there are other things that people are concerned about, and I get that.

In another group I belong to, there is so much discussion about throwing everything out that is a day past the due date. Lots of discussion about getting rid of spices that are past the due date. SMH! I have cinnamon sticks and bay leaves that are decades old and are still strong in flavor.

I used some baking powder and looked at the date on the bottom of the can. It was 5 years old, and I believe I purchased it last year, when I was concerned about how old the previous can I had was. I never thought to look at the bottom of the can I was purchasing.

https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Masses-of-food-wasted-use-by-dates-mislead-4825974.php


https://news.yahoo.com/expiration-dates-food-study-203844261.html

 

[Pearl]

I'm surprised that there was not much activity on this thread. It is about canned goods, and that is something to watch out for, but there are other things that people are concerned about, and I get that.

In another group I belong to, there is so much discussion about throwing everything out that is a day past the due date. Lots of discussion about getting rid of spices that are past the due date. SMH! I have cinnamon sticks and bay leaves that are decades old and are still strong in flavor.

I used some baking powder and looked at the date on the bottom of the can. It was 5 years old, and I believe I purchased it last year, when I was concerned about how old the previous can I had was. I never thought to look at the bottom of the can I was purchasing.

https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Masses-of-food-wasted-use-by-dates-mislead-4825974.php

Use by dates are just for a general idea of how long I've had something.

 

[Weedygarden]

Use by dates are just for a general idea of how long I've had something.

Yes, but so many people think they HAVE to get rid of food that is past these dates or everyone will die!

 

[Amish Heart]

I don't throw out spices, either. They still have flavor. I bought son 10 or so jars of cardamon at the discount store for under $2 and he was thrilled. He likes it in his coffee, and it's normally expensive. I'm sure it was ready to expire

 

[Caribou]

Here is an article about a 64 year can of lard that was still edible. I have seen other examples where canned food over 100 years old was still edible and mostly held its nutrition. Unfortunately I lost the links when my computer crashed. I've eaten 20 year old home canned salmon. One thing in the article that I disagree with, I see no reason that home canned food would last a shorter time than commercially canned.
https://www.delish.com/food/news/a39005/64-year-old-lard-edible/

 

[Caribou]

I ran across this.
Canned Food Study One
A Food and Drug Administration Article about a shelf life test that was conducted on 100-year old canned foods that were retrieved from the Steamboat Bertrand can be read at the following link:

The Canning Process: Old Preservation Technique Goes Modern (September 1990)

Following is a brief summary of a very small portion of the above article:

"Among the canned food items retrieved from the Bertrand in 1968 were brandied peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes, honey, and mixed vegetables. In 1974, chemists at the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) analyzed the products for bacterial contamination and nutrient value. Although the food had lost its fresh smell and appearance, the NFPA chemists detected no microbial growth and determined that the foods were as safe to eat as they had been when canned more than 100 years earlier. The nutrient values varied depending upon the product and nutrient. NFPA chemists Janet Dudek and Edgar Elkins report that significant amounts of vitamins C and A were lost. But protein levels remained high, and all calcium values 'were comparable to today's products.'"

"NFPA chemists also analyzed a 40-year-old can of corn found in the basement of a home in California. Again, the canning process had kept the corn safe from contaminants and from much nutrient loss. In addition, Dudek says, the kernels looked and smelled like recently canned corn."

"According to a recent study cosponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and NFPA, canned foods provide the same nutritional value as fresh grocery produce and their frozen counterparts when prepared for the table. NFPA researchers compared six vegetables in three forms: home-cooked fresh, warmed canned, and prepared frozen. 'Levels of 13 minerals, eight vitamins, and fiber in the foods were similar,' says Dudek. In fact, in some cases the canned product contained high levels of some vitamins that in fresh produce are destroyed by light or exposure to air."
https://www.survivalistboards.com/threads/canned-food-100-years-old-good-to-eat.180585/

 

[JustMe]

botulism is one of few things that can NOT be killed by normal cooking.

Actually that's a misunderstanding, which is common because the whole process of botulism is complicated.

Back story? My mother and aunt had both canned and learned from others to water bath can, because pressure canners were dangerous. This was their way of thinking and in those days may have had some truth, IDK, but that's what & how I was taught as well. That was all I knew about canning and nobody ever got sick from any of those WB foods, ever.
Over the years, when I'd meet other canners and try to talk about canning and recipes & such, I found I was up against a brick wall. So I tried learning more about botulism and how it worked. And after much reading, discussion and argument, I learned this.......

Botulism SPORES are everywhere especially in the soil and are more or less harmless in that state of sporedom. They thrive in a heated, and oxygen-less environment (canning process) and then become TOXINS which then can kill you. But once the food is opened (adding oxygen) and then heated, it renders the toxins harmless.
It's all about the changing of the environment of those spores or toxins. Heat and no oxygen, makes them dangerous, Heat and with oxygen makes them safe.

So even if a jar has botulism toxins in it, as soon as you open that jar, and boil the contents for a few minutes, it becomes safe to eat. Unfortunately I don't have a link as proof of any of that as it was in an argument with a chemist that worked in such a field, but I have found websites that have said to boil any canned foods after opening.

UCSB Science Line

Because the botulism toxin is destroyed by high temperatures, persons who eat home-canned foods should consider boiling the food for 10 minutes before eating it to ensure safety.



I have since learned pressure canners can be used safely and have been PC canning everything since, Including meats & other vegetables my mother & aunt wouldn't have dreamed of canning. But I will say, that if for whatever reason I could not use a pc, I still wouldn't hesitate to use a WB.

 

[JustMe]

Oh I should have included another problem with home canned foods that is more overlooked and not discussed.

And that is called Flat Sour. It's a very different bacteria that does feed on heat, the hotter the better.......better for the bacteria, but not for you. It's not lethal or dangerous and the foods can be eaten, but they taste nasty. Very sour, just as the name implies.

It happens when home canned foods aren't able to cool in a timely manner after taken out of the canner. I have had this problem a few times, and is usually with canned corn, for me atleast. It happens mostly with home canned foods, but can also happen in commercially canned foods from the store.

My challenge with this, is because I have a small kitchen that I call the cave. one way in or out. Counter space is limited, so I put just processed jars on top of the washing machine at the other end of the kitchen entry (back of the cave) where air flow is limited. So in the heat of summer when harvest is heavy and stuff needs processed, it gets hot in there, even with windows open. But I'm working on figure out a better way of doing things to improve that.


Flat Sour - Healthy Canning

 

[Tacitus]

I have a theory about commercially purchased canned goods. Maybe I have voiced this theory before; I can't remember. But, here it is:

• Older cans may be more reliable for long term storage than newer cans.

Does that make sense?

Again, I'm talking purchased cans, not home jar "canning" goods.

My point is that decades ago, I think they used thicker cans that were more reliable, and they were intended to last. Now, it seems like canning companies are putting nearer (shorter term) expiration or "best by" dates, and implementing planned obsolescence across the board...and companies are trying to save money by shaving micrometers off of can thickness to save $X over 10,000 cans...and replacing part of the metal with a liner, etc. It almost seems like a 20 year old can might be safer to eat than a 10 year old can.

Anyone have any thoughts on that? I have no studies to back this up. This is just an impression.

 

[JustMe]

I have a theory about commercially purchased canned goods. Maybe I have voiced this theory before; I can't remember. But, here it is:

• Older cans may be more reliable for long term storage than newer cans.

Does that make sense?

Again, I'm talking purchased cans, not home jar "canning" goods.

My point is that decades ago, I think they used thicker cans that were more reliable, and they were intended to last. Now, it seems like canning companies are putting nearer (shorter term) expiration or "best by" dates, and implementing planned obsolescence across the board...and companies are trying to save money by shaving micrometers off of can thickness to save $X over 10,000 cans...and replacing part of the metal with a liner, etc. It almost seems like a 20 year old can might be safer to eat than a 10 year old can.

Anyone have any thoughts on that? I have done no studies on this. This is just an impression.

I do agree to a point. Yes things nowdays are being made cheaper. The one thing I'm not so sure about is high acid tomatoes & tomato products or fruits & juices that can react to the tin in cans that has given a 'tinny' taste to the product and that may be why they have liners to help avoid that. But who knows what's in that liner too and if it's safe or not. One way to avoid the problem is to buy those things in glass, or possibly re-can it in glass jars.

 

[Weedygarden]

I ran across this.
Canned Food Study One
A Food and Drug Administration Article about a shelf life test that was conducted on 100-year old canned foods that were retrieved from the Steamboat Bertrand can be read at the following link:

The Canning Process: Old Preservation Technique Goes Modern (September 1990)

Following is a brief summary of a very small portion of the above article:

"Among the canned food items retrieved from the Bertrand in 1968 were brandied peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes, honey, and mixed vegetables. In 1974, chemists at the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) analyzed the products for bacterial contamination and nutrient value. Although the food had lost its fresh smell and appearance, the NFPA chemists detected no microbial growth and determined that the foods were as safe to eat as they had been when canned more than 100 years earlier. The nutrient values varied depending upon the product and nutrient. NFPA chemists Janet Dudek and Edgar Elkins report that significant amounts of vitamins C and A were lost. But protein levels remained high, and all calcium values 'were comparable to today's products.'"

"NFPA chemists also analyzed a 40-year-old can of corn found in the basement of a home in California. Again, the canning process had kept the corn safe from contaminants and from much nutrient loss. In addition, Dudek says, the kernels looked and smelled like recently canned corn."

"According to a recent study cosponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and NFPA, canned foods provide the same nutritional value as fresh grocery produce and their frozen counterparts when prepared for the table. NFPA researchers compared six vegetables in three forms: home-cooked fresh, warmed canned, and prepared frozen. 'Levels of 13 minerals, eight vitamins, and fiber in the foods were similar,' says Dudek. In fact, in some cases the canned product contained high levels of some vitamins that in fresh produce are destroyed by light or exposure to air."
https://www.survivalistboards.com/threads/canned-food-100-years-old-good-to-eat.180585/

That thread leads to a post with another link for Grandpappy. His site is no longer available. I was looking for it a couple days ago. I know we don't want to copy other people's stuff, but sadly, this is a perfect example where copying his stuff, a wealth of knowledge, would be good to have now.