Sunday, May 2, 2021

Best By Date©

 

 

Some foil pouches of tuna fish, from a previous wilderness adventure, that have been stored in my kitchen cupboard, photograph by the Author.


Maybe you are a prepper, maybe you are an outdoorsperson who is using up old rations from a previous outing, maybe you are simply a consumer, but did you ever find a foil pouch or a can of food in your survival kit, in the back of your cupboard, or in a box and wonder...

 

Is it safe to eat this if it is past the best by date?  Is it still good?  Will it make me sick?  And just what is meant by the “Best By” date?

 

These are all great questions!  So, let’s find some answers.

 

Nicolas Appert, the “Father of Canning”, from The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Many Years, page five, found HERE.


the history of canning...

 

But before we start, let’s first talk about the history of canning and how those foil pouches and steel cans are packed with food and made shelf stable.

 

Before the Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815), there were only six ways that food could be preserved, it could be salted2, sugared, dried, smoked, fermented, or pickled.  However, none of these could preserve the flavor of the food and none were certain to prevent the growth of dangerous microorganisms, such as bacteria, mold, or yeast.  These dangerous microorganisms can either spoil food or cause illness, like botulism, and the only good news is that viruses are not on this list, since they cannot grow in food1.

 

Nicolas Appert is called the “Father of Canning”, since in 1810 he won the 12,000 French Francs that had been offered by the French Army to anyone who could find a way to keep military food supplies from spoiling.  The prize money, which had been originally offered in 1795, during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792 to 1802), encouraged Appert, a candymaker, to find a way to solve this problem.  Fifteen years later, in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars, by packing glass jars full of food, corking them, and then submerging them in boiling water, Appert proved that you could preserve “...foods through sterilization by heat in closed vessels3.  He won the money, published his process as required by the rules of the contest and canning was born!

 

Subsequently in England, in 1810, Peter Durance patented the process of using metal containers for canning foods.  And in 1821, Englishman William Underwood emigrated to America and established the first and oldest canning company in the United States, the Underwood Company, which still makes deviled ham spread today!

 

what is canning...

 

Canning is a way to store foods for long periods of time by preventing the growth of spoilage or disease-causing microorganisms.  Canned foods are packaged in either in foil pouches or in metal cans.  The foil pouch, or retort pouch as it is also called, is a flexible pouch for low-acid foods that is made of layered polyester, aluminum foil and polypropylene4. 

 

Both metal cans or foil pouches are packed with food, sealed, and then are heated in a pressure vessel called a “retort”, to between 240o and 250oF (116o to 121oC) to destroy any living microorganisms and to inactivate any enzymes.  This makes the food in the can or the foil pouch commercially sterile, so that it doesn’t spoil.  As the foil pouch or can cools, an airtight vacuum seal is formed in the container, preventing new microorganisms from entering. 

 

The “Best By” dates on some foil pouches, from a previous wilderness adventure, and a can, that have been stored in my kitchen cupboard, photograph by the Author.


Best By?

 

Dates labels that are commonly seen in the United States and their meanings

 

A “Best if Used By/Before” date -- indicates when a product will be of the best flavor or quality.  It is not a purchase or safety date.

 

A “Sell-By” date -- tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management.  It is not a purchase or safety date.

 

A “Use-By” date -- is the last date recommended for the use of the product while it is at its peak quality.  It is not a purchase or safety date, except in the case of infant formula...

 

From “Food Product Dating” by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service

 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Best By”, “Best if Used By” and “Use By” dates printed on commercially packaged foods are not food safety dates.  Foods that have passed the labeled “Best By” date but have been stored properly and are not exhibiting signs of spoilage are still safe to eat, sell, purchase or donate5.  The color, taste or overall quality of the food product may deteriorate after the labeled “Best By” date has passed, but the food should still be wholesome, again provided that the containers are not showing signs of spoilage and have been stored correctly.

 

When in doubt throw it out...

 

So how should you store shelf-stable foil pouches and cans, to ensure that they remain good to eat.  According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration, you should always store canned foods and other shelf-stable products in a cool, dry place.  Never keep them above or besides a stove, under a sink, in a damp garage, basement or other similar place, or in any place that is exposed to high or low temperature extremes and or moisture.  It is best to store shelf-stable products in areas where the temperatures are below 85oF (29oC).  Storing shelf-stable foods in high temperature areas, places with a temperature above 122oF (50oC), can result in the growth of harmless, heat-loving (thermophilic) bacteria which can swell and sour the food6.   

 

Also, you should rotate items in your pantry or cupboard so that the oldest item is used first.

 

To avoid food borne illnesses, like botulism, carefully examine foil pouches or cans.  Never use the food from containers that are rusted or deeply dented (if they are cans), leaking, bulging, spurt out when opened, have a bad smell, or contain a milky liquid, which should be clear.

 

You should discard heavily rusted cans.  Heavily rusted cans might have small holes in them that can allow microorganisms to enter and contaminate the food.  Cans with surface rust, which can be wiped off with a finger or a cloth are safe. 

 


An example of a “medium” sized dent, which is smaller than my finger, photographs by the Author.

 

You should discard deeply dented cans or cans with a deep dent on either the side near the seam or on the top or bottom seam (if the can has a bottom seam), as these cans might have holes which can allow microorganisms to enter contaminating the food.  A deep dent is any dent that you can lay your finger into, additionally these dents often have sharp points. 

 

The top, bottom and side seam of a can, photograph by the Author.


Be careful of cans or foil pouches that have frozen because the food inside will expand when frozen, and this might damage the container allowing microorganisms to enter when the can or pouch thaws.  Discard any frozen can or pouch that has been allowed to thaw at temperatures of 40oF (4oC) or higher, also, discard any pouches or cans that have frozen, thawed and then have been refrozen, even if there is no sign of swelling7.

 

If you have any doubts about the quality of the food in a suspect container, either a foil pouch or a can, then follow the advice of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “when in doubt throw it out”!  Don’t taste it, because only a little botulism toxin is enough to kill you, just throw it out.  It isn’t worth the risk. 

 

Shelf-stable foil pouches and cans, photograph by the Author.


So, in the end, it comes down to you to decide if that container of food is safe or not, the “Best By” date printed on the side can only tell you when it will have the best taste and quality.  Your decision will come down to how was it stored and is it damaged.  If it was stored properly, and it is undamaged, it should still be safe to eat, even if it is past the “Best By” date.  If you have any doubts, however, throw it out, it isn’t worth the risk.

 

For more information about shelf-stable foods and food safety, read The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service articles, “Food Product Dating”, HERE, and “Shelf-Stable Food Safety”, HERE.

 

Don’t forget to come back next week and read “Then and Now ©”, where we will talk about all the animals that were nonexistent or rare in the 1970’s, but can be found, in some cases in urban areas, in the 2020’s.

 

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at Bandanaman Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

 

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

 

 

Notes

 

1 “Food Product Dating” by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

 

2 A Fun Fact – In Colonial America it took 40 pounds of salt per person, per year, to preserve food.

 

From “Shelf-Stable Food Safety”, by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

 

3 The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Many Years, by Nicolas Appert, translated by Bitting, K. G., page 7.

 

4 These pouches were developed in the 1960’s by the U.S. Military to replace C Rations and offer several advantages over the traditional can: they are lighter, flexible, use less space and can take a lot of abuse.

 

From “Shelf-Stable Food Safety”, by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

 

5 The USDA estimates that 30% of the food supply is wasted at the retail or consumer level, in part due to confusion over the meaning of the dates printed on the labels!

 

From “Food Product Dating”, by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

 

6 Interestingly, MRE’s, which are packaged in a tri-laminate retort pouch and are shelf stable, can be kept a long time, but not indefinitely, just like food in cans or other foil pouches.  The MRE’s length of shelf life is highly related to its storage temperature. 

 

Storage Temperature                              Shelf Life               

120oF (49oC)                                           one month

100oF (38oC)                                           one and a half years

90oF (32oC)                                             two and a half years

80oF (27oC)                                             four years

70oF (21oC)                                             four and a half years

60oF (16oC)                                             seven years

 

From “Shelf-Stable Food Safety”, by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

 

7 According to the The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, “A frozen can that has not thawed can be safely defrosted in the refrigerator and used.  If the canned food is still frozen, let the intact can thaw in the refrigerator before opening.  If the product doesn't look and/or smell normal, throw it out.  Do not taste it!

If the product does look and/or smell normal, thoroughly cook the contents right away by boiling for 10 to 20 minutes.  At altitudes below 1,000 feet, boil foods for 10 minutes.  Add an additional minute of boiling time for each additional 1,000 feet elevation (for example, at 3,000 feet, boil for 12 minutes).  Spinach and corn should be boiled for 20 minutes at all altitudes.  This is due to the high density of these vegetables.  Products can then be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

 

From “Shelf-Stable Food Safety”, by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service.

 

 

Sources

 

Appert, Nicolas; Translated by Bitting, K. G.; The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Many Years, [Chicago, Illinois, August 1920], page 5-7, https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5Qaco8PbmgR_irje1gIXrwT37TQlQVtrpZ25KwX-hj9IuwpPJ2uv9-1wjQhgG6_wJERPWPlVemKvOa5iXIKsLEt1f7dIvilrcFgjVKMwJUnuGNKjSsU1d_8_IWVRZmvLVxiI_dzuTd35OvuzsIzdXeJZmanjJvSoOMF8iZVcU_U4zXxl9kuy8TFPhtPZxONVuQf5Iy2Odh8CoIKMlaonZAmUFsDurQjmh90hFfUm_NN_qDii3JVSJJoANs4SYJE9klTn-SGIOSdL8HkHFWl_AeHhWyeLDSyKkY-71QYLDJanL5HcW3Og, accessed April 28, 2021

 

Eschner, Kat; “The Father of Canning Knew His Process Worked, But Not Why It Worked”, February 2, 2017, Smithsonianmag.com, [© 2021 Smithsonian Magazine], https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/father-canning-knew-his-process-worked-not-why-it-worked-180961960/, accessed April 28, 2021

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Food Product Dating”, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-product-dating, accessed April 23, 2021

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies: Power Outages, Floods & Fires”, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/emergencies/keep-your-food-safe-during-emergencies, accessed April 26, 2021

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Shelf-Stable Food Safety”, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/shelf-stable-food, accessed April 26, 2021

 

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