Is my self canned tomato sauce safe to eat?

[DelcoMama82]

I had plans last night to try some of our canned tomato sauce last night. However when we tasted it, there were some strange flavors like beef bouillon or Worcester sauce.
It didn’t taste sour or bitter, however it is likely to be 2 or 3 years old.
Any advice?
Thanks!!!!!!

 

[Britesea]

Here ya go. I remember coming across this article, and decided never to worry about how old my canned goods were. Fruit can get kinda weird in texture, but otherwise...

Scientists Found Canned Food from 1865, Discovered It Was Still Safe To Eat

In 1974, canned food from a boat that sank in 1865 was tested by chemists and was found to be still safe to eat.

funfactz.com

 

[Beekissed]

I had plans last night to try some of our canned tomato sauce last night. However when we tasted it, there were some strange flavors like beef bouillon or Worcester sauce.
It didn’t taste sour or bitter, however it is likely to be 2 or 3 years old.
Any advice?
Thanks!!!!!!

Lids tight and not bulged at the top? Nothing growing on top of the sauce? Smell? Smell like sauce? I've found if I use certain spices in my canning of tomato sauce that it can give it a weird flavor, sometimes bitter, sometimes just an odd sweetness that shouldn't be there.

If mine smells right, looks right and tastes right, I eat it....if it has an off flavor that shouldn't be there, I dump it. Haven't had to do that very many times in all my canning life, but if you've canned long enough and know what to expect out of the jars, you pretty much know when things are not right by the smell, appearance or flavor. When in doubt, throw it out is always a good motto when it comes to canning.

 

[BarredBuff]

I had plans last night to try some of our canned tomato sauce last night. However when we tasted it, there were some strange flavors like beef bouillon or Worcester sauce.
It didn’t taste sour or bitter, however it is likely to be 2 or 3 years old.
Any advice?
Thanks!!!!!!

If looks right, smell right, and tastes it is probably alright.

I have things in my pantry that are 10+ years old that are still wonderful. Usually, fruit and pickles don't hold up the best, but they are still usable. We ate some vegetable soup from 2009 the other day and it was fantastic. Tasted fresh made...

 

[Hinotori]

BWB tomatoes....we never PC tomatoes. We've also consumed 30 yr old raw honey...best honey I've ever eaten.

I have 2 quart jars of honey from the 80s left. Its from my great grandpa's hives. Honey doesn't go bad.

This is just alfalfa honey. I scrape out a spoon of the crystallized stuff for my tea. I don't like to liquify the honey as it's basically cooking it and it recrystallizes pretty quick anyway. The jar of local blackberry honey I have melted but that is because I use it when cooking or baking. Half a gallon just takes me time to get through.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I always took that as the suggestion anyway. Ball has on its packaging 18 months strong now.

i think they're fine for years once sealed and not abused. i think it's just a marketing thing really. like the constant changes in amounts and packaging and then claiming "Now X% more!", etc. uh, who me cynical? heh...

I would take those statements with a 50# salt lick. Why wouldn't a manufacturer want you to pitch a box of lids that you bought a few years ago? If they can convince you that those lids aren't safe, because they are OLD, then... they'll have you running out to buy some new ones... just in case. I re-use my lids, and will on rare occasion have a seal fail in the processing. But, I have NEVER had a seal fail after it's gone into the pantry. My Walmart lids seal just as well as name brand lids, and there is not expiration date on them.

I often see folks recommend all sorts of practices that are not best practice. Such as: turn the jar upside down when it comes out of the canner. Tighten down the ring after it comes out of the canner. Leave the ring on the jar, after it comes out of the canner.

When I remove a jar, it sets on a towel till cool. Then... I remove the ring, and wash the top of the jar. Then, it goes into storage, and is stored out of sunlight. Best practice is to not stack them.

BTW, I suggest that all of you home canners: be sure you have all the lids AND CANNING SUPPLIES you will need this season... purchased and ready to go long before canning season actually arrives.

 

[Beekissed]

8 year old tomatoes????
Was that using pressure canning or regular canning?
I’m new to canning and so this was a project to preserve ample tomatoes from the garden in a new way. I typically make tons of “sun” dried tomatoes in a very low oven, but then freeze them in ziplock bags.

BWB tomatoes....we never PC tomatoes. We've also consumed 30 yr old raw honey...best honey I've ever eaten.

 

[tortoise]

water bath canning for tomatoes has such a long processing time that I pressure can. I don't can with spices because they can give off flavors. I don't know which can do it, I just don't use any. Easier that way.

 

[BarredBuff]

2009????
Oh my god! I’m freaked out about trying things just a couple of years old. I’m amazed canned items hold up that well for that long!

If home canned foods are preserved right and stored in a cool, dry place they will keep for years. If not, when you open it you will know it!! My biggest problem is moisture in the pantry.

 

[Britesea]

I believe the oldest honey they've ever found was in one of the pyramids in Egypt. It was still perfectly good.