Food Incredible Exploding Canned Peaches

Voortrekker

Veteran Member
I bought a case of canned peaches back in aught ten or eleven, maybe later, I don't remember. The brand is Del Monte.
A few of the cans had a hole burst in the side, like Alien. One had TWO holes burst in it. Some of the cans were just empty.

Same thing happened with some Del Monte canned pineapples, not the hole bursting but the emission of a black syrupy goo.

Left the not hollow cans where bums could find them and trashed the affected cans.

Canned fruit used to last years, now it doesn't last more than a year or two.
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I've found that it can also depend on how it's stored. I have a deep, cool basement, which tends to prolong the life of preps. In general, I rotate all of my cans within two years, but canned pineapple and tomatoes can be problematic. I haven't lost either since I've been here, but I'm careful to rotate them out before 12 months.

I'm in Central Iowa.
 

Voortrekker

Veteran Member
These were stored in optimal conditions, not perfect conditions. The lesson is dried dehydrated and freeze dried fruit has a better chance of "surviving."
 

coloradohermit

Veteran Member
When I volunteered at the local emergency food pantry we had USDA guidelines about what canned foods we could and couldn't give out based on best by dates and cans being totally intact. Low acid foods could be given out 5 years past the best by date. High acid foods could only be given out 1 year past the best by date.
 

Rabbit

Has No Life - Lives on TB
When I volunteered at the local emergency food pantry we had USDA guidelines about what canned foods we could and couldn't give out based on best by dates and cans being totally intact. Low acid foods could be given out 5 years past the best by date. High acid foods could only be given out 1 year past the best by date.
Do you have a copy of that list?
 

coloradohermit

Veteran Member
Sorry. There really was no list, just us knowing(guessing?) whether something was high or low acid. I wouldn't have guessed that peaches might be high acid, but even if low acid, the OP said the stuff was about 10 years past purchase and that's really pushing it either way.
 

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
Never had cans explode. Mom open kettle canned some tomatoes and they exploded. The broken glass was a mess to clean up. Some people swear by open kettle. I don't. Food is too dear and canning is way to much work not to water bath or pressure can and do it right.
 

EYW

Veteran Member
I had a can of pineapple go one time. I had been sitting at the kitchen table when it happened. I ducked for cover and when it appeared to be all clear, I was searching the walls for bullet holes before I found the culprit. ;)
 

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
When I volunteered at the local emergency food pantry we had USDA guidelines about what canned foods we could and couldn't give out based on best by dates and cans being totally intact. Low acid foods could be given out 5 years past the best by date. High acid foods could only be given out 1 year past the best by date.

they had a realistic attitude about taking in canned goods >>> anything past the "expiration date" gets junked in almost most of the charity food shelters ...

my local grocery chain donates - reduces the $$$$ing and tries to sell off the stock first >>> donates the remainder days before the expiration to get it thru the doors in time ....

local food drives have garbage cans of "trashed" expired donations ....

most even have rules on locally grown produce - verboten - no guarantee on how it was grown has problems ....
 

john70

Veteran Member
Never had cans explode. Mom open kettle canned some tomatoes and they exploded. The broken glass was a mess to clean up. Some people swear by open kettle. I don't. Food is too dear and canning is way to much work not to water bath or pressure can and do it right.
if JARS OR CANS are placed in boiling water.....
...............................AND THE WATER DOES NOT COVER THEM....................AT ALL TIMES
......................THEY WILL BLOW UP...AT ALL TIMES
 

Josie

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Tomatos past expiration usually taste metalic to me. So I usually either try to use those up before or get rid of them. Canned fruit can be funny. The only commercial can failure I've had was a can of tropical fruit blend in light syrup. I'm guessing the pineapple in it was too acidic and it ate through the seals of the can and leaked all over my cabinet.
 
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