Canned "Jarred" Apples from 2005!

[Scupper]

I have a dear neighbor who needs help here and there with little things. I do what I can for her.  At 62, she is not old by any means and quite healthy. She grew up on a small farm an hour or so west of Minneapolis. She has been my neighbor here in north Mpls for 30 plus years. Her mother still resides on the farmstead. In return for my help, she will bake me a homemade apple pie. I've been enjoying her homemade pies for sometime now and find them most delicious.

I was recently at her home helping with the assembly of a storage rack. Upon completion and setting the rack in place she accidently knocked a canned Jar of sauerkraut off of another rack. She quickly scampered for the broom and some cleaning supplies as broken glass and sauerkraut was strewn about. I noticed the date on the jar lid was from 2011. I asked her how long canned goods were good for. She explained that there's no magic number but you must inspect it before use. She went on to say that the canned "Jarred" apples that she was using for the pies she made me are from 2006. I've shown no signs of illness previously from consuming these aged "apples" and have now received another Pie yesterday. I'm mentally holding back consuming and can't find a satisfactory answer from Mr. Goggle as to aged canned goods. Appreciate thoughts and or experiences. This is the old way of canning --- in jars!

P.S, Alamode is excellant!

Thanks for thoughts.

[RebelSS]

Uh, Personally, no way!  I wouldn't take the chance, even though they are low acid. I know some say sure, goahead, but not me. From the USDA canning safety fact page:

Food Safety
	Q. Are canned goods still safe after a year? Two years? Longer? A.  Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes. Store high acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit up to 18 months; low acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years. Canned meat and poultry will keep at best quality 2 to 5 years if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place. While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods. NEVER USE food from containers that show possible "botulism" warnings: leaking, bulging, or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. DON'T TASTE SUCH FOOD! Even a minuscule amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly. Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods such as tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time.

Edited February 15, 2016 by RebelSS

[leechlake]

I love apple pie, am not afraid of food age, and would love to lose weight but I'd put a Hazmat suit on and throw that pie away.

[smurfy]

1 hour ago, RebelSS said:

Uh, Personally, no way!  I wouldn't take the chance, even though they are low acid. I know some say sure, goahead, but not me. From the USDA canning safety fact page:

Food Safety
	Q. Are canned goods still safe after a year? Two years? Longer? A.  Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes. Store high acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit up to 18 months; low acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years. Canned meat and poultry will keep at best quality 2 to 5 years if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place. While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods. NEVER USE food from containers that show possible "botulism" warnings: leaking, bulging, or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. DON'T TASTE SUCH FOOD! Even a minuscule amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly. Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods such as tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time.

I say poppy cock!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what do they know about good old fashioned food done at home!!!!!!

[RebelSS]

4 minutes ago, leechlake said:

I love apple pie, am not afraid of food age, and would love to lose weight but I'd put a Hazmat suit on and throw that pie away.

I'm right behind ya, with the HAZMAT tape.......

[nofishfisherman]

When my great aunt died my family cleaned out her house.  I got the honor of cleaning out the basement.  It was a dark, musty, damp basement below a house that was 100+ years old.  In the basement I found an entire wall of shelves full of canned food from WAY back in the day.  Some of them dated back in to the 60's.  I'm not sure about canned food that is 10 years old but I can say without a doubt that food that was 40 years old was NO GOOD.  

Personally I'd have to look at the risk vs reward.  Sure an apple pie is pretty tasty but apple pies aren't that hard to come by, eating one isn't worth the risk.  

[leechlake]

36 minutes ago, smurfy said:

I say poppy cock!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what do they know about good old fashioned food done at home!!!!!!

just put the pie in the back of some drawer you don't use very often and you can give it out to the week one NFL winner next September.  Smurfy is the reigning champ and he will probably win week one so he can test his theory.  He's all about safety so he can't be wrong

 

 

[RebelSS]

HAHAHA! Boar could probably eat it and whatever's in his system would kill just about anything, anyway.   I feel bad, poor guys gonna lose a nice apple pie....and what to tell the nice old lady? 

[reinhard1]

I'm with Reb's post on this one.  While it is a guideline as many code dates are, it is also a safe zone.  Go over and take the risk.  With food it's not worth it.  I also had to clean out my mother-in-laws house and seen the same thing.  Not only in home canned goods, but caned goods [in can's] that were way out of date and some had bulges on top of the can.  Some even had leakage.  I knew what that meant and disposed of all of it.  The lady means well and has grown up with this, but someone needs to sit down and talk with her and explain the safety aspects of this.  

I've talked about my elderly Italian neighbor up in Duluth when I was a kid.  That basement was full of canned goods.  Who knows how they were rotated ect. and as far as I know nobody got sick over there and all lived a long life.  But having been in this buisness for so many years, I've seen so many thing in fresh or frozen meats and fish that I have been more "militant" with code dates.  Check them all the time.  Doesn't mean they are bad at the expiration date, but caution should be advised.  I grew up poor and who knows how long my mom stored stuff.  Made her own kraut also.  We all survived somehow without all  this processed food that is out there now.  Still 2005 canned apples is something I would not eat.  good luck.

[RebelSS]

I was hoping you'd chime in, RH. Looks like we're all in agreement, scupper, and you've got some smart. experienced folk here, all joking aside. Hope you can work it out. Keep us advised.....

[Scupper]

Thanks for everyones input. I've had a belly ache since I posted this. I spoke with my neighbor since posting this and asked her how she knows if canned things are spoiled. She said one can tell by all the normal signs as in bulging, leaking, color, smell and taste. She assured me that her mother on the farm has things older. She claims the pie is perfectly fine just like the one she made me in December. The December pie she made me and I consumed was from the same 2006 canning season. I'd like to think of it as aged fine wine but I don't think I will be consuming more "apples" pie from 2006.

I'll keep it around for a couple more days if anyone wants samples.    

[RebelSS]

Chill it, and set it out for the squirrels. If you see messy faced squirrels running around, great! If you suddenly notice none around anymore......  I'd actually like to give it to my drunken idjit jerk of a neighbor. Can ya let it sit out a couple months, then mail it to me? 

PS...I've taken the USDA food safety course, know ALL that by heart, and practice it. BUT, I've had food poisoning twice....once from some recalled frozen stuff, and once from a salad bar in the Summer. That one made me wish I could just die, for about a week.....but botulism would take care of that wish in about 8 hours. 

Edited February 15, 2016 by RebelSS

[Juneau4]

Chances are it's 90% safe, just not as tasty as fresh. If it was made from frozen that old? Your choice.  I'd dump it return the pie tin and tell her how much you and your friends enjoyed it.

There have been many of times I've told some lies to elderly people ( shiat that 62 year old is younger) guess I'm going to have to start keeping younger ones happy too.

[delcecchi]

If it smells ok, looks ok, and the lid was not corroded it is ok, and boiling or cooking the apples destroys botulism toxin which you can't see.  Biggest problem with long term storage is deteriorating quality. 

But it it is going to get you all nervous and stressed, throw it out, with a little white lie for the giver.  Stress is bad for you.  

[RebelSS]

Mail it to Del!!!!!!!!    My stuff smelled OK, looked OK, and tasted OK, too...that's what I kept tellin' 'em in the ETU.  Doc said that doesn't mean squat.

Edited February 16, 2016 by RebelSS

[delcecchi]

You ate something canned that was bad?  Or left it out on the counter? 

[smurfy]

4 hours ago, leechlake said:

just put the pie in the back of some drawer you don't use very often and you can give it out to the week one NFL winner next September.  Smurfy is the reigning champ and he will probably win week one so he can test his theory.  He's all about safety so he can't be wrong

 

 

hey I like that idea!!!!!!!!!! giving it away next year!!!!!

disclaimer............odd but my stuff that's canned never gets that old. 2 years  tops. I am pretty adamant about rotating stock, well except for the misses. cant just throw her out. not sure she gotz an expiration date!!!!!

[RebelSS]

42 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

You ate something canned that was bad?  Or left it out on the counter? 

Look up   six posts......and look out for those harbor seals. They might crack a clam on yer  noggin. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by RebelSS

[delcecchi]

Nah.  Harbor seals barely move.  Sea lions on the other hand can really boogie.