How to Know if Canned Food is Safe Past its Best Before Date

I love that Sandra asked not just whether it was safe or not, but also how to assess it so she can apply the information next time. Here’s what I recommend regarding canned or tetra pak items and Best Before Dates.

What does the Best Before Date on Canned Goods Mean?

Canned and tetra pak items are processed and packaged to prevent any microbial action from occurring inside the packaging. As long as the package is perfectly sealed and there are no punctures, the product inside will be safe from microbial action.  As a result, food inside this type of packaging should be safe for decades. However, the quality, flavor, color, texture and nutrient content will deteriorate over time. Therefore, you should rotate your cans and follow the first in, first out rule to ensure you don’t end up in this predicament of having to determine if canned goods are too old to eat.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency does not require Best Before Dates on any food with a shelf life longer than 90 days. Companies often choose to add Best Before Dates as indicators of quality on these types of products. They choose the date based on their best estimate as to when the quality (color, texture, nutrient content, etc) may not meet their promised standard. It does NOT mean that the product is not safe to use once the date has passed.

As long as the packaging stays perfectly in tact, I would feel confident using what’s inside this type of packaging after the Best Before Date has passed. But you need to be confident that the package is perfectly in tact.

DO NOT eat canned food if the package is:

For canned food and tetra pak foods, assessing the container is key.  But remember even a tiny pin prick can compromise the safety of the food inside a container. Because pin pricks may be hard to spot, it’s important to think of how your container has been handled and stored. Has it been in stable conditions for it’s entire lifespan (dry, out of direct light, consistent temperature, etc.)? Was it part of an inheritance from your crazy relative who moved houses ten times and lined windowsills with canned food? Was it rolling around the bottom of your camper trailer for the last two years going through numerous temperature swings? Take these factors into consideration before you decide whether to eat or toss it. In case it isn’t obvious, I would NOT eat the camper trailer food or the crazy relative’s canned food. It may be safe, but I have my doubts and don’t have enough information, so I throw it out.

Here are some sites that I visit if I’m not sure about the shelf life of a product:

• EatbyDate is a searchable database for how long food really lasts. The authors of this site are unknown but they claim to rely on various sources including the USDA.

• StillTasty.com is another searchable database for how long food really lasts. The authors of this site are unknown but they also claim to rely on various sources including the USDA. This site listed the greatest tolerance for foods I looked up.
• Harvest Manitoba, Manitoba’s largest food bank’s statement about food past the Best Before Date.
• FoodBanksCanada shares information about Best Before Dates and safety of food past BBDs.

• FoodShare.org a food bank in Conneticut, US committed to a hunger free world also has a chart showing shelf life after BBD

What do you think? Would you eat canned food past its Best Before Date?  If you were looking for a definitive answer, I’m sorry, but there isn’t one. There are too many factors at play to make this a simple yes or no answer. And that’s why, I will end with the same line that so many other articles on this topic end with – if in doubt, throw it out.

Getty Stewart is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker, frequent media guest and writer dedicated to putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of several recipe books on enjoying and preserving fruit, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener. Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this.