How long does tinned food last?

How it works

Find a food in the table, or open its page for storage advice and warning signs. The times come from FoodKeeper, the food storage database of the US Department of Agriculture. We've checked all 50 rows against USDA's data file, version 128.

No UK shelf-life dataset exists, so these are US figures, and they're about quality, not safety. On a UK pack, the date printed there comes first. Tins, dried food and frozen food usually carry a best before date, and the food is usually safe after it but may not be as good. A use-by date means something else: don't eat food after it, even if it looks and smells fine.

USDA FoodKeeper says tinned items will be safe to eat well past the ‘use-by’ or ‘best by’ date as long as the tin shows no dents, rust or swelling. In the UK, tins usually carry a best before date, which fits that advice. A UK use-by date is different: it's a safety limit, so never eat food after one. USDA's general rule is 12 to 18 months for high-acid tins such as tomatoes and fruit, and 2 to 5 years for low-acid tins such as meat and vegetables, for best quality.

Reading the table: times start from the date of purchase, except for the few foods whose pages say otherwise. Opened times start when you open the pack. Where FoodKeeper gives no figure, we say so instead of guessing. Be Ready suggests setting a reminder every six months to check dates.

Example: an unopened tin of tuna has a 3-year guide from FoodKeeper. If the tin has a best before date on it, go by that. If it's dented on the seam, swollen or badly rusted, the dates don't matter: throw it out.