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Michael in Phoenix- what is the difference in the expiration dates of canned vs "boxed" Hormel Chili
- Thread starter CathyZ
- Start date
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
Always keep in mind that expiration dating is 98% voluntary. Only a couple...
...of products are mandated by the government to have expiration dates affixed. One is baby foods and formulas, and I can never remember the second one.
It's funny you asked about the boxes. I just recently had to call Hormel since I had an offer on my desk for Stagg Chili in the boxes. Hormel says the cans are good for 3 years, and the boxes are good for 2. But, they said that as long as either container hasn't been breached in any way, the product is "good indefinitely". The dates are on there to indicate best taste and, more importantly, to indicate that during the time period covered by the dating, the full nutritional content on the label is guaranteed to be in the can or box. After that date, with slow degradation of the nutrients, the product will not contain the full amount of nutrients listed on the label. It is still fully viable, just not as high in nutritional quality.
Tuna typically is good for sale for 4 years in the can, and 3 years in the foil pack. Again, that assumes it has been stored properly and the container not breached in any way. And, the same is true of tuna, in that it is good indefinitely, except for a slow degradation of nutritional content and flavor elements.
I would also add that this would be true of most name brand, American-made products. International standards vary widely, if you know what I mean.
Michael
...of products are mandated by the government to have expiration dates affixed. One is baby foods and formulas, and I can never remember the second one.
It's funny you asked about the boxes. I just recently had to call Hormel since I had an offer on my desk for Stagg Chili in the boxes. Hormel says the cans are good for 3 years, and the boxes are good for 2. But, they said that as long as either container hasn't been breached in any way, the product is "good indefinitely". The dates are on there to indicate best taste and, more importantly, to indicate that during the time period covered by the dating, the full nutritional content on the label is guaranteed to be in the can or box. After that date, with slow degradation of the nutrients, the product will not contain the full amount of nutrients listed on the label. It is still fully viable, just not as high in nutritional quality.
Tuna typically is good for sale for 4 years in the can, and 3 years in the foil pack. Again, that assumes it has been stored properly and the container not breached in any way. And, the same is true of tuna, in that it is good indefinitely, except for a slow degradation of nutritional content and flavor elements.
I would also add that this would be true of most name brand, American-made products. International standards vary widely, if you know what I mean.
Michael
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I don't use them, but canned green beans tend to go bad faster and more...
...often than any other canned product I know of.
To be truthful, I worry more about eating in restaurants these days than about any other aspect of food storage.
Another thing that I'm wary of is any produce coming out of Mexico that sits on the ground as it ripens in the field. I had a very candid conversation with the produce manager of a number of stores in a national chain of markets here in Phoenix. He said that in Mexico you can never be sure what they irrigate their fields with. Sometimes the water is very unclean. Anything sitting on the ground gets saturated with whatever is in the water. He tipped me off on this. Strawberries are the worst. Cantaloupes and any other melons are suspect as well. Squash. Anything that grows on the ground.
As far as quality goes, a lot of stores cut wheels of cheese and wrap them for bulk sale. I know for a fact that cheese sold on discount this way is usually known as "junior" cheese. "Junior" referring to the grade of quality. Usually it has too much salt, or not enough salt, or it had a problem developing flavor due to a problem with the molds used for flavoring. Or, if it is a color-added cheese it can have too much or too little color. Not bad for you, just not very good quality. Shredded cheese can be that way too. Most plants used scraps for their shredded cheeses.
That's all I can think of for now.
Michael
...often than any other canned product I know of.
To be truthful, I worry more about eating in restaurants these days than about any other aspect of food storage.
Another thing that I'm wary of is any produce coming out of Mexico that sits on the ground as it ripens in the field. I had a very candid conversation with the produce manager of a number of stores in a national chain of markets here in Phoenix. He said that in Mexico you can never be sure what they irrigate their fields with. Sometimes the water is very unclean. Anything sitting on the ground gets saturated with whatever is in the water. He tipped me off on this. Strawberries are the worst. Cantaloupes and any other melons are suspect as well. Squash. Anything that grows on the ground.
As far as quality goes, a lot of stores cut wheels of cheese and wrap them for bulk sale. I know for a fact that cheese sold on discount this way is usually known as "junior" cheese. "Junior" referring to the grade of quality. Usually it has too much salt, or not enough salt, or it had a problem developing flavor due to a problem with the molds used for flavoring. Or, if it is a color-added cheese it can have too much or too little color. Not bad for you, just not very good quality. Shredded cheese can be that way too. Most plants used scraps for their shredded cheeses.
That's all I can think of for now.
Michael