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 vessels”3.
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.
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
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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