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Frozen food and Deli items are code dated (re by Law).
Sales reps of a co will at times check their product as to the code dates and authorize a partial credit to the store in order to move the product in question.
Many times a frozen food item on SALE will have a close too or expired code date.
Last thurs July 15th I was at a chain store that had a name brand pastry product with a Sale Price sign reducing it to only .99 cents. Expiration date was July 4th. This meant that the products were baked the 3rd week in June. The date shown is always about 2 weeks later. Count the days yourself.
I was in the Grocery trade for 23 yrs so do know the true facts.
We have a great storage space in our garage for canned and packaged foods I buy on sale or at Aldi's when I can get to one. Here in NC we have had unreal temps for about 6 weeks and our garage gets up to the 90's during the day and doesn't cool down too much in the night.
I am starting to worry about my foods in my garage pantry. Will they be adversely impacted? Will my garage fridge have to work extra hard and cause higher electricity bills being in such a super heated space?
Heat index was 105 today. same for the weekend expected. Should I put as much of my food in the fridge as I can?
I stored a cake mix in the fridge and it did not turn out OK at all. Was that caused by being refrigerated or some other fluke?
I like having an extra big storage space for my canned foods but I don't want to make any body sick.
Comments please.
Location: Los Angeles>Little Rock>Houston>Little Rock
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I've stored hurricane supplies in the garage and decided to throw them out when it started getting to over 100 in there almost daily. I have a chest freezer in there that seems to do ok. I don't know, I guess the canned goods are fine if the cans aren't bulging.
We have a great storage space in our garage for canned and packaged foods I buy on sale or at Aldi's when I can get to one. Here in NC we have had unreal temps for about 6 weeks and our garage gets up to the 90's during the day and doesn't cool down too much in the night.
I am starting to worry about my foods in my garage pantry. Will they be adversely impacted? Will my garage fridge have to work extra hard and cause higher electricity bills being in such a super heated space?
Heat index was 105 today. same for the weekend expected. Should I put as much of my food in the fridge as I can?
I stored a cake mix in the fridge and it did not turn out OK at all. Was that caused by being refrigerated or some other fluke?
I like having an extra big storage space for my canned foods but I don't want to make any body sick.
Comments please.
There is no question that your compressor in your garage fridge is working harder to keep things cold.
As for the canned goods, they should be fine. The temperature gradient might affect their overall texture, but I wouldn't be worried about their safety.
There are double-blind, scientific studies that have linked BPA to endocrine disfunction as a hormone disruptor and heart disease. One study found that baby formula and chicken soup contained levels high enough to seriously disrupt normal hormone function.
HOw long have you kept canned items before using them?
I know someone who has some that are over 7 years old
and said that if not bulging they are ok..
I don't keep anything over 1 year...
Seems like inviting a problem to keep canned items over one year maybe 2 max, depending on the item
Reading the responses to this original post made me wonder: "how do people know how long something's been in their cabinet?" Honestly, I totally forgot about the date stamp (which can be harder to find and read than just opening a can and offering up a little prayer)
In any case, just based on life events I know some canned/jarred food items have been around more than 2 years. If it seems like years and years since I had that item at all (instead of regularly used items that might not have been rotated in stock) - I'll try to find the sell by date. If the date is less than 2 years past and the can seems ok, I 'might' still give it a go.
Agreed that the date stamp is more of a guideline than a drop dead date - and that it usually indicates sell by/buy by, as opposed to use by. I don't buy dented cans and would toss a bulging can. Only ever had a bulging can 1 or 2 times -also have read (but don't have a citation) that dented cans don't necessarily spell doom.
As for one of the off topic posts: Personally, I'd try to avoid extremes of temp and wouldn't be excited about stockpiling food in a garage - especially boxed goods. IMO your cake mix bombed because it should be kept cool and dry - not cool and damp in a fridge (even frost free are damp). Boxed food doesn't usually last too long here but I did use a really old box of cook n serve pudding a while back and it was just fine.
Cans have plastic linings which are toxic. I've eliminated all canned goods!
I haven't heard this.
I use canned goods less frequently these days, but I note the ones that have a lining and prefer those because I don't like the aluminum cans. Aluminum leeches into the food and is thought to have a connection with Alzheimer's (not proven but suspected). If you consider all the products you use with aluminum in them, you'd want to cut out what you can.
I suspect that the plastic linings in the cans I've been using are safe and preferable, since some of the manufacturers even advertise that their cans are lined.
Generally I take "best by" dates to mean just that: the item will taste best if used by that date. It will probably taste just fine after that date too (and usually does). However, as a matter of course I don't keep canned goods longer than a year.
As to the heat issue - if you have a concern, give a call to your county extension office. They have very knowledgeable people there who can answer your questions. Also, there's usually a phone number on your product and you can call the company with questions.
I'm pretty sure I have food that's six months old. Probably the rice, maybe some other things.
The rice is probably fine, but you may notice a stale taste (unless you use herbs or seasonings).
I can tell with crackers, cookies, rice, cereal -- anything like that I can taste if it is "off", and I get rid of it - can't stand the taste. But, it's generally not harmful to consume.
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Worried about heat damage to canned foods
they are ok..
Honestly, I totally forgot about the date stamp (which can be harder to find and read than just opening a can and offering up a little prayer) 
