What Really Happens When You Eat These Expired Foods - Tasting Table

As with all canned foods, the condition of the can itself is more important than an expiry date. Extensive rust, holes, or swelling could indicate harmful bacteria have made their way into the can. Eating anything bad can be highly dangerous and even fatal in some cases. Assuming the can is in good condition, there are other factors to consider when eating things like expired canned soup. The main thing to be aware of is the soup's acidity levels and what effects that can have on the can. Acidic soups, like tomato, can react with their containers, and the soup's quality can be impacted as a result. If you want to eat an acidic soup at its best, you may have less than two years to do so. If you choose to eat expired tomato soup, and the can seems to be okay on the outside, you probably won't feel any ill effects. However, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service says the food's texture, flavor, and nutritional value could all be affected due to its reaction with the can. Manufacturers are aware that their product may interact with its packaging, so a lot of cans are lined with plastic or ceramics to minimize that interaction and extend shelf life.

With really old canned soup, there is something else to consider. Cans manufactured before 1991 may be very hazardous for your health. That's because lead was one of the materials used to manufacture the can, and that heavy metal will have had a long time to potentially leach into any food stored within it. So while there's a slight chance soup in a 30-year-old can may not be spoiled, it really isn't worth the risk.

Adblock test (Why?)