Storing Food - How long will it stay safe

[mjnc]

I'm guilty of keeping things too long.
And I store things in the fridge in open cans, covered with plastic wrap.
Not a good idea, according to these sources.

StillTasty - Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide

Good Housekeeping - Rethink Your Food Storage

[gman863]

With hurricane season coming up, this is a great reminder to anyone living near the coast to re-check their emergency food supply to be sure it's still good. Most sources recommend you keep a minimum 3-day supply of food and a minimum 5-day supply of bottled water on hand (and don't forget food and water for your pets ).

The same logic also applies to batteries. If they are at or near their "use by" date, buy a fresh stock. If you don't use the older ones by Christmas, consider donating them to Toys for Tots or another good cause that collects toys for kids (after all, a "Batteries Not Included" toy is useless without them).

Don't live in a hurricane-prone area? You should still have these items on hand in case of a tornado, ice storm, earthquake or extended power outage.

[Puppywunder58]

If it isn't green, orange or brown and fuzzy or moving under it's own power then it should be alright.

[oma]

Originally Posted by mjnc

I'm guilty of keeping things too long.
And I store things in the fridge in open cans, covered with plastic wrap.
Not a good idea, according to these sources.

StillTasty - Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide

Good Housekeeping - Rethink Your Food Storage

I'm guilty of throwing things out in the garbage just 1 day past expiry dates. Also never realized that one can freeze so many items, even garlic. After having read through the entire 2nd link I have bookmarked it for future reference and sent the same link to my daughter because she's doing the same as her mom.

[sach2]

I'm super paranoid about keeping old food. I buy all my dairy products well before the expiration date so I can use them up by the actual date. I know they are good for a week afterward but I can't help it. I did learn that with milk (although I buy in small quantities so I never get close enough to actually have to do the test) don't smell it from the container but put it in a glass and smell it ( the container can get dried milk that smell sour when the milk inside is fine).

Ground beef and fish I buy the day I want to use it.

My only thing about those recommendations is it seems almost everything is 4 days in refrigerator. I often make chicken broth/stock and although it says 4 days, I don't hesitate to use it for 6 days (a week is questionable in my mind) but I figure since it is boiled before eating it is safe.

Lastly, the one thing I learned previously is that store-sliced lunchmeat has the possibility of carrying a lot of bacteria. Four days really is the longest you should keep it. Something about the thinness of the meat and more surface area for bacteria to congregate (sort of like ground beef). I always threw out lunchmeat around that time period but now make sure I buy my actual "meats" in quantities I can use in a few days. Store-sliced cheese gets a little more leeway even to 10 days, but I can eat a pound of any type of cheese well short of that!

[Spad]

Originally Posted by Puppywunder58

If it isn't green, orange or brown and fuzzy or moving under it's own power then it should be alright.

Reminds me of a veteran police officer I knew. He was a rookie in the 1950's, and served for over 30 years. He once said (of food in general), "If nothing is swimming in it or growing on it, it's still good!"

I'm a bit more particular then that . . .

Dry goods, like rice, beans, etc. will be edible indefinitely if kept in a cool, dry place in a sealed container. Tossing in an oxygen absorber before sealing it up is a good idea. Canned goods are edible long after the "Best by" dates if you are in a survival situation - but always listen for a inward 'hiss" when opening older canned goods (actually, this is a good idea for any canned product no matter what's it's age). Any can that is rusty, has a bulge, doesn't hiss when opened, or seeps it's contents out when opened should be avoided. It goes without saying if something passes all the tests and just doesn't smell or look right, don't eat it.

When I was in basic training we were issued C-rations that were dated from the late 50's through the early 60's, which by that time were 20 years old. The canned goods were fine. I found the pound cake to taste so-so but edible. Lotta guys loved it. The peanut butter was delicious, though! I actually traded other stuff for it (like the pound cake). If I found a can of that peanut butter now (1958 was a very tasty year) I'd still eat it if it passed my "can tests" I must relate I do remember something about a certain issue year of the pound cake we were not supposed to eat . . . but I don't recall why.

[mjnc]

Originally Posted by Spad

Any can that is rusty, has a bulge, doesn't hiss when opened, or seeps it's contents out when opened should be avoided. It goes without saying if something passes all the tests and just doesn't smell or look right, don't eat it.

wikipedia: Botulism

Metal cans containing food in which bacteria, possibly botulinum, are growing may bulge outwards due to gas production from
bacterial growth; such cans should be discarded. Any container of food which has been heat-treated and then assumed to be
airtight which shows signs of not being so, e.g., metal cans with pinprick holes from rust or mechanical damage, should
also be discarded.

[Spad]

Originally Posted by mjnc

wikipedia: Botulism
Quote:

Metal cans containing food in which bacteria, possibly botulinum, are growing may bulge outwards due to gas production from
bacterial growth; such cans should be discarded. Any container of food which has been heat-treated and then assumed to be
airtight which shows signs of not being so, e.g., metal cans with pinprick holes from rust or mechanical damage, should
also be discarded.

Exactly . . .