How long beyond the date on the tin can I eat chicken soup?

[Rozendantz]

I have a tendency to think things last forever. Is 4 years beyond the date too long?

Yes. The lining on the tin can deteriorate and let in bacteria

That's a shame, thanks.

(it'll be DH who is eating it, if that makes a difference ?)

If it looks and smells ok I'd let DH eat it!

I'd eat it. I'd swerve higher acid foods like pineapple or tomato after a year or two. As long as the tin isn't damaged or rusty.

Oooh... This is more along the lines of what I was hoping for.

Equally, I don't actually want to poison him.

Let him sniff it. 😀

I am not too afraid of a use by date, and will eat things that seem fine when past the bbd.

But cans that have a dent/bash or a bit of rust have to go.

So if any of those are present, I would give it a wide berth.

I would open it and if it looks and smells ok, I’d use it. I opened a tin once where the food had gone off (the tin was bashed) and there was absolutely no mistaking it. It was absolutely rancid.

Right, I'm going to open it and give him the choice. The tin looks perfectly fine.
Thanks all!

if it looks and smells fine I'd eat it, like PP's have said, if its off you'll know!

How do these bacteria travel through a solid metal can?

When my grandmother died we found some tins that were 25 years old and ate them. Tinned food is completely sealed from the environment and wil last for decades unless opened.

Is it use by or best before?

Does it say best before or use by? If it’s best before then years afterwards is probably fine!

Didn't specify what the date was, but it was 4 years ago so I don't suppose it's that relevant!

Anyhow - update:
It looked fine, smell was fine, but the consistency was quite erm, firm. After a couple of minutes in the microwave it was still standing up in the shape of a tin (despite having been decanted into a bowl) and was pretty solid, so we've (reluctantly) disposed of it...

When clearing DM’s house I found a tin of tomato soup at the back of the cupboard where the bottom had fallen off and the contents had turned to a dark red jelly.

That wasn’t the worst thing I found.

Open the tin, see what state it’s in. I found an over twenty year old ton of mushroom soup and it’s would have been exactly what I wanted to eat in the moment. Sadly one sniff and I was totally put off it.

… Firm 😄

When it gets a bash, it can damage the inner lining of the can. And then the food safe layer is compromised.

I had a snigger at this. So like a chicken soup jelly.

What did he have for lunch instead though, this is now the important question.

Yeah, it was an 'unusual' texture....

He had eggs - they were purchased this year

Pretty much forever. Tins in France no longer have dates on.

Well, some conservators investigating Scott of the Antarctic found a 106 year old fruitcake in a tin - “Although the tin was rusted, the team said the cake was in "excellent condition" and smelled edible.” So there you go.

When I Googled this question, the AI reply was..

Indefinitely

This may not apply to chicken soup though it seems.

Yeah, I'd probably also risk it with fruit cake. (Caveat - I didn't know that fruit cake came in a tin... Perhaps it no longer does?)

I suspect the soup wouldn't have harmed DH, but the consistency may have done so!