Curious as to what people believe when can food is expired. Any personal exp.

If the cans are not bulging and the food tastes OK. I would consider it safe.

I have over 500 cans if some go bad faster than others is what I am wondering...

Last fall, November 2011, I ate a can of Campbell's Select Clam Chowder which had a "best by" date on it of 5/2007 meaning it was made likely some in the beginning of 2006. Not only did it taste great, but I had no trouble digesting it at all. This is the oldest specific example I can mention, but this is nothing abnormal for me, I have never had anything in a can go bad ever, even dented cans. From what I understand cans that are dented on the seam are about the only ones you should be suspect of that aren't obviously bulged or rusted through. Taste may be affected, however I have not encountered this problem eating any canned food regardless of its age.

That's the info i'm looking for. I know with dented cans that the metal releases fragments and can cause bacteria buildup.

And clam chowder is loaded with salt, but it has meat, potatoes etc..

Personal experience .... I had a can of Campbell's select clam chowder that was expired several months that had no dents or bulges, opened the can to heat, looked a little different (than should have been the second red flag) but smelled and tasted fine. So I cooked it and ate most of it and gave some to my dog. Well within hours I started feeling weird and then my whole body ached. I don't need to explain what happened in the middle of the night and the days that followed. Food poisoning is a hell of a thing. My dog was fine though. I will never eat expired canned clam chowder again.

Yes, Thank you, I am interested also.

Depends on the food... I have canned goods that are 2-3 years past the expiration dates and are just fine.

Keep in mind that the expiration date usually means "best by"
not "it turns rotten by.

Things like beans and soups break down over time, but if you heat to boiling, they're just fine.

Rule of thumb - If it smells bad or looks bad, don't eat it.

ALSO rotate your cans using a FIFO method (first in, first out) meaning you always eat the oldest products first and place you new purchases at the back of your stock pile.

If it is meat, then it is most likely still ok to eat.

just to add to the fyi most of the time expiration dates are when the items inside begin to loose a little bit of crispness or color or even the texture.. a past due item may be a little more mushy or loose a bit of flavor .. I think the can will tell the story ..rusted. leaking or bulging cans should be pitched..

A Bulging, swollen, bloated, or rusted can... if its fucked up looking... throw that shit away!

It can kill you!!!

I have canned vegetables, beans, and sardines from Y2K that are perfectly good--really, almost indistinguishable from one you bring home from the grocery store today.

as long as you cook it fully after opening there will be no problems, although it might taste bad. if you're going to open the can and eat it raw, i would pay close attention to expiration dates. but again, open can, cook in boiling water for awhile, eat, you'll be fine even if it's 50 years old.

again, just cook it, and you cant get food poisoning. food poisoning is bacteria that grew in there. once you kill them, it's game over and it's just spoiled but edible food, not dangerous at all.

Dumbass!!!! Botulism toxins produced by the bacteria cannot be destroyed by cooking!!! If you eat it you will likely die!!

Can food can last for 10s of years they have had cans of food from ww2 opened and still good. just google it. if the can has no leaks bulges or smells it should be good.

Correct. Botulism will kill you. Boiling will not work.

When I was in the USAF in the 80's, during basic training they fed us some canned rations from the 1960's, it wasn't too bad, but we were awful hungry at the time.

Sliced pickled beets. Can said best by Sept 7 2005. Tried them on husband. He loved them...no ill effects so I ate some to.

We buy new, store and use oldest first. Tomato products seem to be the ones that go bad first. I now grow um, dry um and vac-pac um.

The new cans they all use now keep the food a lot longer. Ya got to learn to "let go" and reinvest in the new stuff...and freeze dried.

No point in surviving TEOTWAWKI just to die of food poisoning...puking your guts out.