the real shelf life of canned meats
 

I've tried to search for information on the shelf life of various canned meats and fish. Here's what I've concluded so far. Can the experts here can help me out with the rest?

canned tuna - max 10 years?
canned salmon - max 20 years?
canned sardine - ??? french like their smoked sardine aged but how long can it stay in a can?
canned chicken?

Now, this isn't the freeze dried stuff, just regular cans you guy at the grocery store.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

About a week ago, I ate a five year old (bought in 2003) can of sardines and it was okay. I am in no way a sardine fan, but I thought it would be useful to find out how tolerable they were after five years on the shelf. The answer is not bad -- about what I would have expected from "fresh" sardines. Hope this helps.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

the type of meat shouldn't make a difference. the quality of the canning process should be the important factor here.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

There are all kinds of beliefs out there - the government regulators say 3-5 years - there are lots of stories on the net of people eating stuff 20-30 years old. From home canned to factory canned.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

The type of meat does indeed seem to make a difference. In my experience, several-year-old corned beef and tuna in water tend to lose their flavor and gain a metallic or papery aftertaste. On the other hand, Spam of similar age still tastes surprisingly fresh. We might not know exactly what it is, but it certainly lasts.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

I tried one of those can hams made in Denmark that had 1998 date on it
so it was probably mfg in 1995, so 12-13 yrs old... it was fine.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

I recently purchased some cans of Spam with a "best by" 2011 date. I'm hoping these last a lot longer than 2011. I have heard Spam is good for several years, but I am confused with the 2011 date. How long is Spam typically good for?

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

SPAM IS ETERNAL, AND WILL OUTLAST HUMANITY.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

Thanks for the rsponse. :s9:

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

^^ almost all canned goods have shelf dates that seem way too short. Chili and spam are marked about 3 years off their manufactured date - but the reality - as it sseems - is more like 10-20 years.

I think as long as no air has gotten into the can - the can isn't damaged - no rust ect - it should last between 20 aand 30 years....

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

Had some home canned salmon from 94 last year. I couldn't taste any difference in the salmon loaf made with it.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

I read somewhere that recently they found WWII rations that were still fine...The worst enemy of canned food storage is fluctuaction in temp. Best kept cool and dry and I believe SPAM will outlast you, your kids and Grandchildren too...!!! Other stuff? Maybe. Hormel products...Indefinite, under ideal conditions... Lets just hope we can eat this crap for fun...not eotwawki survival rations...!!!

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

I've heard the quip that after mankind has destroyed itself and all our civilization, visitors from space will find unopened cans of Spam that are still OK. As one who likes Spam occasionally (sliced thin and fried on toast with Mayo), it is comforting to see my stash growing.

I can't say the same for canned corned beef hash, however. I love corned beef hash, but threw out an out-of-date can several years ago that just did not taste good. Can't say exactly what was wrong -- it just tasted off.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

Great thread. I've avoided canned meats for my stockpile, due to certainty regarding shelf life and have stocked up on (very expensive) freeze-dried meats. Reading the posts in this thread, I definitely reconsider Spam and oil-packed tuna.

I went through some older supplies a month ago and found several jars of dried beef. This stuff was 8 years old and was clearly inedible, looked like mold was growing on it. I thought this stuff would have lasted forever!

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

i've been finding Bumble Bee Tuna in Oil with expiration dates beyond 2013.

that's nearly five years.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

I have too. I also have found sardines (King Oscar) with a 2012 expiration date. I still don't know if I would trust them (fish) to still be edible after the expiration date. Mental block.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

When I was in Nam 1970-71, we ate a fair amount of C-rations...the LRPS (Lurps) freeze dried meals were then fairly new.

I was in the Mekong delta (rained 18 days almost non-stop once) and we once got a bunch of C-rations dated 1957.
There were meals in the boxes no longer in production....they were fine.

I made the mistake of catching and drinking non-boiled rain water, and came down with Amoebic Dysentary.....I was a sick, bone tired, dehydrated puppy for a week, first time in my life I slept 20+ hours in one day.

Re: the real shelf life of canned meats
 

This tends to be a typical CYOA scenario. Many times the pull dates say "best" by xxxdate.

I think in an actual SHTF scenario; 2-3 years into it, your survival instincts will be very honed and this type of question will be seem elementary. In the current-day timeframe, we can only store meat as is currently available, there just aren't many other options.

S