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Make your emergency food stash last longer by keeping your cans in the refrigerator. Plus the refrigerator cycles less the more mass that's inside. I just think keeping them cool must slow any degradation.
That entirely defeats the purpose of canning foods: making them shelf stable, so that they do not require refrigeration.
That entirely defeats the purpose of canning foods: making them shelf stable, so that they do not require refrigeration.
It also presents a conflict in philosophies which is, in short, eat refrigerated goods when the power is on, eat canned goods when it is not. In the long run, that may not make much of a difference but in the 1st 72 hours..........if all your canned goods are in the frig and the power is out, you don't dare open that door lest to hasten the spoilage of non canned goods. If all your food is in there, we-ll........
Probably because for liability/CYA reasons, some stores/restaurants may have a policy of getting rid of anything that has passed the date, which makes people think that means it's bad?
Still, there seems to be an attitude of many people of, "This date is past. It's bad. Chuck it.". Where, what causes this attitude?
I can't understand why you even are wondering about it. Seems pretty easy to grasp. If it's
best by a certain date, then it's NOT best after that date, most likely. Lots of people simply don't want to chance a poorer flavor, or quality.
Best by date: This date guarantees the period of time the product will be at its best flavor or quality — when bread will still taste soft or crackers crisp. The food will still remain edible after this date, it is not about food safety, but about taste.
Sell by date: This date is determined by producers to inform sellers when to remove items from the shelves. The goal is to ensure consumers receive the item at its optimal quality, which can last for several days to several weeks past the date, depending on the item. Milk for instance, according to Consumer Reports, should last five to seven days past its sell-by date if stored properly.
Use by date: This is the last day the producer guarantees the best quality of the product. Again, except for the case of infant formula, this is not a safety date nor a mandatory label.
Yeah I don't know what the mystery here is. There's a date on a product and some wording that indicates that it's probably best if you consume it by then from the manufacturer. As consumers often lack the confidence to determine themselves what is safe and what isn't safe to consume that date represents guidance.
Go back to the history of canning. Napoleon had canning developed to feed his army. Those cans were sealed with lead solder, and there were no real can openers. Food that was stored in them would inevitably leach the lead into the food over time. As importantly, canned food that was improperly canned (and there was a fair amount of it) could develop botulism. As long as the food was then re-cooked (not just reheated) it was probably safe to eat, but there is one variable - you know - humans.
Some items can damage the seals and inner lining of cans. The acid in tomato products is a big one. Note that many of the spaghetti sauces are packed in glass or plastic, rather than metal. I've had cans of tomato paste that, when opened, were nothing but a dry powder. I've had a fair amount of cans where the can was bulging or leaking.
Bottom line on any food is to inspect carefully and use best judgment. If you don't have good judgement...
I can understand why manufacturers use "best by" dates. It forces retailers to make some effort to rotate stock as opposed to putting out what just came in.
Having said that, does it really matter that your case of ... BOTTLED WATER ... is past the "best by" date?
Most experts state that 40% of the food produced in the US is wasted. I do not have a source for that despite hunting for one. Having worked around food much of my life, I can believe it. I see so much waste among produce distributors. For example, the actually celery plant is far larger than what you buy in the market, I lot of edible stuff is cut off and not reused. A lot of fruit that is a bit too small is dumped or fed to animals.
Therefore, we have decided over the years to do things like rescuing produce from organizations like the Borderlands Produce Rescue. We buy past dated groceries from vendors like American Discount Foods and most Amish bulk stores. It cuts our food costs substantially and allows us to share a lot of food with out neighbors.
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Seems pretty easy to grasp. If it's 
