John Myers
While cleaning up my basement, I found several cans of unopened “Fruit Cocktail in Juice” with an expiry date. The cans are intact. Can the content still be eaten?
The date given is not a use-by date, but a best-before date (MHD). This means that the manufacturer is responsible for the quality of his food up to this point. When it comes to canned food, manufacturers usually state an MHD of 18 months from bottling. But even after the best-before date, the contents of the canned food can still be consumed. However, the taste, consistency or color often suffer over time.
Trust your senses. If the contents smell and taste normal, you can use the fruit cocktail. If it smells fermented or tastes foul or metallic, throw the can away. Even if you’re not entirely sure, better throw the contents in the trash.
Under no circumstances should you use the preserves if the lid or the entire preserve is curved outwards. In this case, the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum could be present, which can lead to severe food poisoning. In this case you will throw the can in the trash unopened!
Cans that are kinked or dented are also better disposed of. In these places they can easily rust through and are then no longer durable.
