does canned food go bad?

[KattyKillFish]

hi guys! i got a can of spaghetti-O's that has a date on it. it says aug 7, 2008. is this the date it was canned or is it an expiration date?

we've eaten our own canned food when it was well over 15 years old. my boyfriens argues that this can of spaghetti-O's is not good to eat, but i recalls someone saying that canned food does not go bad unless the can has been open for a while


should i just eat it? i'm starving!

 

[NancyP]

If the top of the can is puffed up it is bad. If not then open it and use good judgment. IE smell, looks and taste. If any one of those are off don't eat it.
Nancy

 

[SpringChickens]

Ehhh... I'd eat it. I'd eat just about anything though, and don't believe in expiration dates. Did you know people used to store eggs for 6+ months before selling them at the store? And now the expiration date for eggs is 30 days post packing. (although the expiration date is not required by law)

If it tastes funny, throw it out!!

 

[fargosmom]

I think this is probably one of those "best by" dates . . . not that the stuff becomes inedible the next day, but that overall quality of experience declines after awhile. On the other hand these are spaghetti-os

don't they fall into the same food group as twinkies? I'm sure they're fine.

 

[shortcake1806]

The USDA says:
Safety After Date Expires
Except for "use-by" dates, product dates don't always refer to home storage and use after purchase. But even if the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe, wholesome and of good quality -- if handled properly and kept at 40° F or below. See the accompanying refrigerator charts for storage times of dated products.

Foods can develop an off odor, flavor or appearance due to spoilage bacteria. If a food has developed such characteristics, you should not use it for quality reasons.

If foods are mishandled, however, foodborne bacteria can grow and cause foodborne illness -- before or after the date on the package. For example, if hot dogs are taken to a picnic and left out several hours, they wouldn't be safe if used thereafter, even if the date hasn't expired.

 

[KattyKillFish]

my boyfriend: YOU KNOW WHAT I GOTTA SAY 'BOUT IT??.... i'm not having any.

silly stuck-up boy. more for me then. thanks guys!

Edited to add: my mom says to just boil it for 15 minutes to be on the safe side. here i go!

 

[kingmt]

Yes it will go bad but unless it is canned wrong or contaminated it should have 10-20 year shelf life for most foods.

 

[KattyKillFish]

hi guys. it tasted like card board and freezer burned meat moose meat.

threw it out for the gulls.

luckily, a friend of the family stopped by with a LOT of real spaghetti. even better perhaps. it was green! you know, the kind of noodles they use spinach to make? delicious and healthy. probably got more out of that than i could have gotten out of the Spaghetti-O's.

now i know that canned food stays good for a long time, but after the date the taste declines severely. yuck