[Vigilanteman]

Canning was invented in the early 1800's. The technology was an essential ingredient in the success of the long campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. The Brits actually found a can of tinned beef from that era in one of their museums back in the 1930's, so roughly 120 years old.

Nobody dared eat it even though the seal was intact, so they fed it to one of the museum cats, who promptly chowed down and suffered no ill effects.

Shelf life on canned food is for flavor viability, not "safe to eat" purposes.

[suthener]

I buy a few cans of soup or stew every time I grocery shop (I don’t normally eat them), and I have what I estimate to be several months worth in an emergency situation. I believe that cans kept in a climate controlled area (my house) will last pretty much forever. Does anybody disagree with this?