PREP Y2K Stored Food

[Seeker]

Just ate (after sampling the day before) more canned corned beef. 11 years past "best by" date, looks and tastes good. This was my test for the others (many) stored in pantry.

 

[Red Baron]

It's been my experience that MRE crackers don't last well at all, unlike the canned crackers in C rats. The new stuff develops a nasty, musty, moldy taste after just a couple of years.

I think the MRE crackers start out with that funky smell. I'll eat them but they have a taste and smell like no other "cracker" ever made.

ETA - Thinking about it a little, they smell like a bottle of vitamins. I'll bet the crackers have been "enriched" with some kind of vitamins. And that smell does not get better with age.

 

[SmithJ]

So I just opened a #10 can of Rainy Day Foods Super Nutty Granola that I bought around 2006/2007. it’s been stored inside at around 75 degrees since then. It looks good, and smells fine as far as I can tell.

Tastes fine to me. Good actually, although I have just tasted a few bites.

Anyone think there’s anything to worry about? I’ve read that granola can go rancid (whatever that means) because of the oil level. Would I know that from taste?

I heard a slight hiss when the can opened so it appears it was sealed well.

 

[biere]

Rancid oil will normally smell bad and taste bad.

The hiss depends. If it sucks in that is good. If it pushes air out that can be bad. Sucking inwards means vacumn was maintained. Pushing outwards means something produced gas to build a bit of pressure.

There is a method someone posted about putting a few drops of water on the lid of the can, rock can to side so water is in one spot and then use can opener to puncture can. You will tell by what water does if you maintained vacumn or not.

 

[CathyC]

My understanding is that as the food ages it loses some of its nutritional value. Vitamins and such are decayed but the calories are still the same. Fats may go rancid which is not healthy to consume.

I bought some number 10 cans of raw eggs. It said they were good for 7 years in climate controlled environment. It says after opening the can they are good for 2 days. I plan on freezing the eggs after opening them. Each can has 96 eggs. This is all from memory so my statement may be off slightly. Also the cans of milk that I bought said same thing that they were good for 7 years. Well it has been more then 7 years since I bought them. I still plan to use if needed. I have some old powdered milk that I use when ever I have oat meal. It is at least 10 years old, yellowish but still tastes good and has not made me sick.

I plan to use most of the freeze dried food that I bought for when the power goes out. I expect it will. I have been slowly clearing out my freezer and then can put yeast and opened freeze dried food in it as needed. I have some oxygen absorbers which I add to any freeze dried food once opened and put in Tupperware. I have my own freeze drier as so have a lot of canning jars full of freeze dried food. I use this food all the time. The number 10 cans I am saving for true emergency.

One of my biggest fears...long power outages.

 

[SmithJ]

There was no bulging to the can.

 

[Skyraider]

I keep seeing pics and interviews with folks who were out of food in two days, kids are hungry, I have never had to take a handout, sad but true. In the end my tribe will say y2k for you and y2k for me too.

Skyraider

 

[lonestar09]

Opened up a can of oatmeal from 2008 and no problems. Tastes fine and not bad at all

 

[Bubble Head]

Popped the top on a 5 gallon bucket of rolled oats from 1999. Still good and getting ready for oatmeal cookies. Had some tomatoes from a jar we canned 11 years ago. No problem. We do have a good root cellar for storag.

 

[SmithJ]

You aren't going to get botulism from dehydrated food, or, for that matter, ANY food that was properly canned and which remains sealed. Can't happen.

Food poisoning of another variety is marginally possible, but only if the can or jar seal has been compromised somehow. Age of products except as it is related to potential failure of integrity of the packaging, is irrelevant.

That said... plain dehydrated foods (NOT freeze dried) take some getting used to, in terms of flavor and texture.

And, yes, 70 degrees is the standard. For every 10 degrees below 70, shelf live is doubled. For every 10 degrees above 70, it's halved. So "30 year shelf life" cans, if stored where it gets close to 80, and more lije "15 year shelf life". But even then you are mostly just losing taste, color and vitamins. Protein (if applicable) and calories are mostly stable.

Summerthyme

So I just opened a #10 can of Rainy Day Foods Super Nutty Granola that I bought around 2006/2007. it’s been stored inside at around 75 degrees since then. It looks good, and smells fine as far as I can tell.

Tastes fine to me. Good actually, although I have just tasted a few bites.

Anyone think there’s anything to worry about? I’ve read that granola can go rancid (whatever that means) because of the oil level. Would I know that from taste?

I heard a slight hiss when the can opened so it appears it was sealed well.

 

[summerthyme]

Rancid oils have a distinctive odor. Rancidity happens when oxygen interacts with fats or oils. If your can was properly sealed with a vacuum inside, the oils lacked any oxygen to interact with, and there really isn't any chance of rancidity.

Rancid food also will give s small "tingling" sensation on your tongue or lips.

One thing I've noticed is that old food (I'm thinking mostly of rice and white, unbleached flour here) tends to start "turning" rancid in a much shorter time than you'd expect, even if you packed it with O2 absorbers or vacuum sealed it when it was perfectly fresh. So, once you open an older container, start thinking of ways to use it up within a couple of months, or remove a porti9n and repack the remainder with O2 absorbers.

Summerthyme

 

[DragonBurrow]

N

No fear here as I’ve stated I rotate and eat fresh. Just do the minimum google search on canned foods / botulism and enjoy the reading , while your on “lockdown”

I’m not sure why you are hung up on this. This thread is VERY specific to dehydrated foods in long term storage conditions. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt that this fact was missed, but it has been shared repeatedly.
If there is something constructive you would like to share we would love to hear it. Last I checked botulism is a non issue for the type of product being discussed. If there is information otherwise please share a link for us.

 

[Silverfox]

Those were C-rations and yes the canned crackers did stay fresh.

Yeah. Keep in mind, nowadays, crackers are strictly subject to the, "best by", date. Otherwise, even the chickens won't eat them.

Fox.

 

[Vulture45-70]

Been putting the ole Harvestright freezdryer to good us along with the All American Canner. 50 lbs taaters canned. Guy once told me the magic number is "52", Asked why. He said there are 52 weeks in a year--One can for each week. Next to can is Roma Flat beans. Course Deer meat still good from 2010-Makes good chili. Have Canned Maters in jars since "11 with Tattler Lids-Plastic. Had cans of tomatoe paste but the acid ate thru the cans. If it "Sucks" use it, If it "Blows', Sh-t can it