And what I tried to tell the girl cleaning my house.
When she got to the pantry she started tossing stuff based on the date.
I had to sit her down and explain what studies have shown and the dates are arbitray government numbers that really have no meaning or value.
At least for canned or jarred foods.
Then explained what caused food to spoil and what one of the catalysts, oxygen, is and does.
Then explained that canned food is filled to the lid and is exposed to no air.
She actually wanted to toss soy sauce that had expired. LOL
Had to explain what salt does and why it is used as a preservative.
She then asked why there was open bottle of soy sauce, various hot sauces, etc in the fridge if foodstuff that high in salt could be stored for very long times at room temp.
Not my decision, like most things that go on in the house.
She still had her programming and kept trying to toss perfectly good food. So I had to stand side by side with her and then finally asked that she just clean up the shelving and organize everything.
I left to attend to business and when I returned I opened the pantry. Damn! Looked great and she threw everything away.
I started laughing because again, I don’t get to make a whole lot decisions around here.
Besides, I have other caches in the event there is a disaster and if push comes to shove I’ll be eating and explaining why the dates on the cans are irrelevant, while they are sitting hungry.
They’ll eat eventually.
the only thing to watch out for with canned goods is if there is a top or bottom that is not flat...its had bacteria invade it somehow.....years back when I worked as cashier in grocery store we watched for those slightly bubbled out bottoms or tops....sometimes the stock boys would find them when putting up stock...don’t eat unless you want to die...Same goes for home canned food products. The rubber lid just needs a micro air space to cause botulism...
There's a trait I noticed that's common with a lot of women, to a much higher degree than with men: when a man tells her to do something, even though he's her employer, if she doesn't personally agree that it's a good idea she won't do it.
“I had to sit her down and explain what studies have shown and the dates are arbitray government numbers that really have no meaning or value.”
Most of the ‘Use By’ dates are not even dictated by the government...they are arbitrarily decided by the manufacturers.
Vitamins and other supplements...the FDA has not established any parameters for ‘expiration dates’, and they are not required on these things. At least one large supplier of supplements does not put an expiration date on theirs...they do put a ‘Date Manufactured’ on, and this helps keep stock rotated, but in no way indicates that stuff ‘goes bad’.