Would you eat….

can of pink salmon. expiry date Dec 2009?

Dont like salmon but anything else I think I would.

I used JackDaniels BBQ sauce on my burgers last night that expired in Feb 2008.

hmmm? Salmon? Really are you that desperate? How far is the shop?

Give some to the cat. If the cat doesn't drop dead then its ok.

Wouldn't touch it. Tinned salmon is minging enough, but out of date tinned salmon…. bleurgh!

Jeeze what's wrong with people?

It's in a tin. It's vacuum sealed at the point of packing. Therefore the contents can last for years without degrading. It's less than a year out of date. It's perfectly safe.

Sell by/use by dates are put on everything to satisfy over-zealous food standards officials (and so we use stuff up fast/throw it away and buy more stuff). I've eaten stuff that's years out of date, with no ill-effects. Had some pasta recently that was from the mid-90s. It's dried, sealed food. It would take decades to break down and become uneatable.

Pfft. I don't eat most things until after their use by date. I prefer to let things get a bit 'gamey'. 🙂

Sell by/use by dates are put on everything to satisfy over-zealous food standards officials

Rubbish.

For the OP, it depends if it's a use by or best before date. Use by is exactly that, I wouldn't go too far over it. Best before is a guide, and it's up to you to judge it. Have you tried opening it and seeing what state it's in? Quite apart from that, tinned salmon gops.

I would… Just to reminisce. I used to love tinned salmon when I was a kid!

+1 Elfnsafety, I pay no attention to use by or best before dates, use your eyes and your nose if it looks or smells off then don't eat it, otherwise get stuck in. I've had yogurts 3 months pass their use by dates, absolutely fine.

Elfinsafety – Member

Jeeze what's wrong with people?

Nowt.

Rubbish.

No it's not. Many food/health/hygiene experts support me on this. billions of food is wasted each year in the UK because people are too feckless and easily led by bullshit.

My rules are: Unless it's got a green furry blanket all over it, is a colour vastly different from what it ought to be or has grown legs and is running around the place, it's good to go.

I've never suffered from anything but very mild food poisoning my entire life, and that was only from stuff I've eaten when out. Cut the bad bits off, enjoy!

Botulism for the win.

I ate a tin of tuna in brine a couple of weeks ago dated BB Nov 2007. It lacked much flavour but was perfectly edible.

I'm also certain there was a story about someone eating a can of 'bully beef' recently that they found in an old Anderson shelter.

The only thing I'm wary of is chicken… but the smell of it lets you know if it should be eaten.

but the smell of it lets you know if it should be eaten.

A bit like hairy pie then!

Do it!
Do it!
Do it!
🙂

Salmon and chips for tea tonight then!

in the seventies while serving in the forces we had ration packs dated from the fifties i wouldn't worry too much about any out of date tins or dried food

I'm pretty relaxed about BB dates, but no expert…but can salmon not get really dangerous?

No it's not. Many food/health/hygiene experts support me on this. billions of food is wasted each year in the UK because people are too feckless and easily led by bullshit.

Yes, it is.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=best+before+use+by+dates&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SKPB_en

I ate a tin of tuna in brine a couple of weeks ago dated BB Nov 2007. It lacked much flavour but was perfectly edible.

As above, Best before is a guide.

Yes, it is.

Oh no it's not.

Go and find me scientific proof why you shouldn't eat a slightly out of date can of salmon.

I am right and scientists support me on this matter. As do most religious organisations and the Red Cross/Crescent.

If its best before date dont worry. Even use by dates are pretty rubbish sometimes.

The smell test is the way forward.

Scientific proof

What do 'use by', 'best before' and 'display until' mean?
'Use by' means exactly that. You shouldn't use any food or drink after the end of the 'use by' date shown on the label. Even if it looks and smells fine, using it after this date could put your health at risk and cause food poisoning.

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/foodlabels/asksamlabelterms/

Food standards agency. I'd have thought they'd be experts on it.

In fact, if you'd like to direct me to any link on here from a respected source that says it's ok to eat food after the use by date:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-gb%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7SKPB_en&q=use+by+dates+safe+to+eat+&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

I am right and scientists support me on this matter. As do most religious organisations and the Red Cross/Crescent.

Proof please.

I would not, but, I would make a pate for elfin 😉

tree-magnet – Member

Sell by/use by dates are put on everything to satisfy over-zealous food standards officials

Rubbish.

No it's not*.

I used to do some work on BB dates in the food industry.

Basically you store them until the point where they go mouldy or lose flavour, etc and then take a certain amount of time off depending on the product. There's not much science in it and a fair amount of guesswork or experience in knowing how much time to allow before the BB expires.

I'd expect a can to last for many years with perhaps only the flavour being affected.

As advised above, sniff it, taste it – if it doesn't taste off then it won't be.

And yes, I would eat it myself, with a plateful of chips smothered in salt and vinegar and the juice from the salmon. Haven't had that for years…….

*I'd perhaps reword the quote to read

Sell by/use by dates are put on everything to satisfy idiot consumers who've lost any ability to tell whether food has gone off or not

Use by dates are set assuming the highest level of numptyness by everyone in the supply chain… from the original packager to the end consumer.

They are set short so that if you're a complete Fickwut and leave your fresh chicken on the worktop for an hour before putting it in the fridge, after already driving an hour back from the supermarket then it should still be ok.

No it's not*.

I used to do some work on BB dates in the food industry.

Yes it is. Elfin says food after it's use by is fine. If you'll look up there…

For the OP, it depends if it's a use by or best before date. Use by is exactly that, I wouldn't go too far over it. Best before is a guide, and it's up to you to judge it.

You'll see I already covered best before.

Id mash it up in a bowl with some out of date vinegar and have a nice sandwich

Id mash it up in a bowl with some out of date vinegar and have a nice sandwich

made with mouldy bread, last years butter and a dash of mayo that's been left in the sun all day.. 😀

Proof please.

Ok.

'Elfinsafety is right.'

See?

However, there was one dissenter:

'Elfinsafety might not be right, but then I'm a former member of the Hitler Youth'

His predecessor was a supporter though:

'Got to say, that Elfinsafety is bang on the money, from what I've Googled'

That's me told then. 🙄

I think in current parlance, that would be 'pwned' 😀

damn, i should have read your post better

I think Tree has won this epic battle.

*tips hat*

Cheers al. *takes a bow*

I think the question should be, why would you?

How much is a tin of salmon?

Unless its the very last thing you have and cannot physically get out to buy more, I don't see the point in risking it?

I think Tree has won this epic battle.

Eh? How d'you work that out? I've support from the finest scientific and theological minds in the World, so what qualifies you to make such spurious statements, eh? And don't try saying stuff like 'well the entire populations of Iceland and Burkina Faso support me', because that's just stupid and no-one will believe you anyway.

Elfinsafety – Member

And don't try saying stuff like 'well the entire populations of Iceland and Burkina Faso support me', because that's just stupid and no-one will believe you anyway.

It's about as believable as anything the FSA says……….

It's in a tin. It's vacuum sealed at the point of packing. Therefore the contents can last for years without degrading.

Indeed.

"Foodborne botulism results from contaminated foodstuffs in which C. botulinum spores have been allowed to germinate in anaerobic
conditions. This typically occurs in home- canned food substances and fermenteduncooked dishes.[/quote]
— from Wikipedia on Botulusm

Vacumm makes no odds to botulusm. But if it was sealed in an entirely sterile environment and kept at the correct storage temperature throughtout its life then thats all good.

But the tin and the coating inside will still begin to break down eventually and leech assorted nasties into the food. Far worse if the tin is dented at all.

GrahamS – Member

Far worse if the tin is dented at all.

But you shouldn't be buying food in dented cans anyway, for that very reason.

I really cant understand how were all still alive 🙂