Chicken... 3 years past use by date... tasted great

[Tonka]

I have been refreshing my food stores, and I came across an old can of chicken in white sauce that had missed the last inventory. It's use by was 2009. I thought this would put it just on the 5 year since new limit that canned meat was supposed to be safe, acording to my survival manuals ... although they are about 30 years old.
So I thought I'd better test this, in case I have t rely on it in harder times. It looked and smelt OK, but tasting to check it before cooking would be stupid. But once cooked tasted as good as a fresh can. That was 4 days ago and I didn't get anything nasty. So it seems that canned meats 3 years passed their use are very much edible.

[bigpaul]

most food in tins will last a long time past their expiry date, there was an American site i read once where they said some tins would last 30 years, flavour might be off but they would be edible. just make sure none of your tins are pierced or dented...old trick my late mother taught me when i was a kid.

[Skean Dhude]

I agree I've eaten several tins that have been forgotten and well past their sell by date. I make sure that when I buy my tins none are dented or damaged and if they are when I come across them at home I eat then straight away.

I heard something a long time ago that may be BS but I never forgot. WHen a tin is dinted the inside has microfractures which the ingredients get to and eat the metal. The food obsorbs the metal and when the actual tin gets thin enough the O2 outside starts to interact and the food becomes posionous. It makes sense but I don't know if it is true. Nevertheless I avoid dints in tins.

[bigpaul]

when we go shopping i check every tin for dents etc. before i put it in the trolley, that way no dented tins get into our stores, if the tin is dented i put it back on the shelf.

[Bucket]

I heard something a long time ago that may be BS but I never forgot. WHen a tin is dinted the inside has microfractures which the ingredients get to and eat the metal. The food obsorbs the metal and when the actual tin gets thin enough the O2 outside starts to interact and the food becomes posionous. It makes sense but I don't know if it is true. Nevertheless I avoid dints in tins.

It's true- There's a layer of coating inside the tin that stops the food inside interacting with the metal (the gold stuff on the inside of a tin of beans for example)- one little dent and that goes, only works as a continuous layer, once broken, what you've written there is true.

takes about three weeks for the food to become poisonous after the dent has occurred.

[Tonka]

takes about three weeks for the food to become poisonous after the dent has occurred.

I think that's in the most extreme cases. If every dented can became poisonous after three weeks we wouldn't have the overpopulation problem we have now!

A dent increases the risk, and potential longevity of the food. It doesn't necessarily mean that the inner coating has split. So it is best to reject them if undented cans are available. Definitely avoid them for long term storage. But if you have a dented can in your cupboard, just check it when you open it. Pour it out and look at the can. It's pretty visually obvious when a steel can has been oxidising.

If dented cans were that dangerous, they would be whisked off the shelves fast, to avoid legal action.

I know someone who is convinced dented cans kill... but she is autistic and also runs screaming from lap dogs.

I have eaten from more dented cans than I could count, and never got ill form it... left over Xmas turkey however!

[Skean Dhude]

Three weeks seems a tad fast. I'm with Tonka on this I've eaten from tins that have been dinted a lot longer than three weeks. Even when I detect a dinted can I just move it to the front of the pantry tins. It can be a few weeks before it is consumed and nothing has ................................................... Ha, only kidding.

[Nemesis]

[Timelord]

Three weeks seems a tad fast. I'm with Tonka on this I've eaten from tins that have been dinted a lot longer than three weeks. Even when I detect a dinted can I just move it to the front of the pantry tins. It can be a few weeks before it is consumed and nothing has ................................................... Ha, only kidding.

Same for me. I would not discard any dented tins. Only I would put them in the daily use cupboard and would have a closer inspection upon opening. Any swollen tins would of course be chucked. Also like others I would not purchase dented tins in the first place if possible. The place where they are stored and the temperatures may have a lot to do with the rate of deterioration of damged tins contents too.

[bigpaul]

i dont let dented tins get in my store, there is no need to store dented tins in the good times...why take the risk??