# Extreme (possibly dangerous) test of my preps



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I'm making jambalaya today and found worms in my peppers, so I headed for the pantry. I found a very old jar of roasted red peppers that had escaped rotation. OOOPS:















As you can see, the best-used-by date is Feb 2011. Well, they passed the sniff test, no rust on the lid, so I chopped 'em up and in they went. It's simmering now. What do you guys think? Am I tempting the fates eating it?

I'll have my next of kin notify you if I die.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

As I said to my buddy once who asked if he should snatch his girlfriends guppy out of the fish tank and swallow it. GO for it.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

I wouldn't eat it.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

Operator6 said:


> I wouldn't eat it.


Agree. Why take the risk? Odds are they are fine & a long simmer in jambalaya is much better than eating raw, but I'd throw them out.

Didn't know they made jambalaya in PA.  Made a big ole gumbo pot full of shrimp and andouille gumbo last weekend.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Sounds ok to me. If your not sure give a little to that neighbor you can not stand and see what happens.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

We have dried hot red peppers that the wife did two years ago. Still as good today as then

By the way we're splitting up your stuff if you croak


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I would eat them no worries. Waste not want not. Best by has NOTHING to do with it being GOOD to eat.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

Maine-Marine said:


> I would eat them no worries. Waste not want not. Best by has NOTHING to do with it being GOOD to eat.


Looks like these are 5 1/2 years past their use date. Is there a point you would worry? Maybe 10 years past? Ever?

The use of very old food is a conundrum in both daily lives and after the SHTF. In normal daily life, most folks should be able to afford, both financially & calorie wise, to toss possibly suspect food. The one bright spot for eating now is, if you get sick, you have access to healthcare. After the SHTF, we probably need the calories but do you risk getting sick with little or possibly no healthcare? Like I said... a conundrum.

The question one has to ask, is the risk worth the gain?


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

I wouldn’t! Why risk your health for a $2 jar of peppers? If the SHTF and your starving go for it, but the SHHTF and you’re not starving.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

******* said:


> ...Didn't know they made jambalaya in PA.  Made a big ole gumbo pot full of shrimp and andouille gumbo last weekend.


Sounds delicious. We have two restaurants here in downtown that specialize in NOLA dishes. I love it.


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## stowlin (Apr 25, 2016)

I would if it was SHTF time and there was nothing else, but otherwise I'd probably toss.


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## jchavasu (Aug 13, 2016)

Any update? Or do you not have cell service in the emergency room? 

I wouldn't worry about eating them. If the packaging was intact, they look fine and smell fine then I would eat them. Those "best used by" dates are a racket when it comes to properly stored food.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I don't go by best if used by dates. Pictures can be deceiving, looks like the lid is bulged out. Not a good thing. I had some purple colored rice, and the manager never got back to me, when in doubt, throw it out! shtf, no medical facilities, don't eat it. jmho. Maybe save for barter.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

sideKahr said:


> I'm making jambalaya today and found worms in my peppers, so I headed for the pantry. I found a very old jar of roasted red peppers that had escaped rotation. OOOPS:
> 
> View attachment 27089
> View attachment 27097
> ...


SideKahr my good friend,

If nothing else this little conundrum has revealed a very large gap in your Preps.

In order for one to be truly prepared to test the infamous "Best Used By Dates" one must have a person on retainer to act as Taster to the King. One can usually find an Illegal to fill this role.

So, while the peppers roast, you still have time to go out and procure an Illegal. Once the Illegal is procured, feed the jambalaya to said Illegal and wait a few hours. Bon Appeteet...


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

jchavasu said:


> Any update? Or do you not have cell service in the emergency room?


It has been 4 hours since the experiment began. The patient, as yet, shows no signs of the change. Continued observation of the lower regions is indicated. Large amounts of bourbon have been prescribed as a prophylactic treatment.

P.S. Slippy, I tried to find an illegal food taster on Amazon, but they cancelled my account and told me the FBI was impounding my computer. C'est la vie.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

******* said:


> The question one has to ask, is the risk worth the gain?


I reject your "RISK" premise.

If the food does n not smell bad it is not a risk. canned food, especially canned by modern canning methods in a factory will produce food is good for a loooooong time...

if the can has not been harmed and the food has not frozen and thawed ect - it should be good for a long long time... hormel says "WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF A HORMEL® *PRODUCT IN AN UNOPENED CAN?*
The product is always safe to consume as long as the seal has remained intact, unbroken and securely attached. However, the flavor and freshness of the product gradually begin to decline after three years from the manufacturing date.

and they are talking HAM (or ham like substance)

when you drive you take precautions to limit risks, same goes with food...

if you are not trusting to do it know.. you will not do it after shtf...

seriously, canned food, unless it leaks will last forever....its taste and texture might change but it will not poison you!!!

smell should let you know...


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

Maine-Marine said:


> smell should let you know...


Its the should that concerns me. 

Botulism, for example often has no smell, but from what I understand should exhibit other traits. I would hope people that decide to try food that is many years past their use date would familiarize themselves with those characteristics. For example, even a tiny rust spot on the metal lid would be a sign to watch out for.

I do agree with you that properly canned goods should last much longer than stated. I do quite a bit of canning myself... both water bath & pressure.


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

We're dealing with peppers here. Don't think much can survive being in that jar. Being from NOLA it's hard to find a restaurant that doesn't serve gumbo or jambalaya!


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

For the nay sayers, I say "Pansy Asses", LOL. Our old house had very little room for our preps. Once we moved to our new house this summer and having a dedicated prepper room it is a lot easier. We have been going thru the food and removing the expired food, not that there was a lot. It was just hard to rotate the food in the old house. Any ways I have been dedicating my breakfast and lunch meals to one to three year old expired cans of food. So far so good. No noticeable anything.


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## Phil74501 (Oct 11, 2016)

If the jar was sealed, how did worms get in? Unless they were in there from the get go.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

Phil74501 said:


> If the jar was sealed, how did worms get in? Unless they were in there from the get go.


I think he has worms in his fresh peppers. That is why he went to the ones in the old jar.

Seems to me, any prepper worth their salt, willing to eat stuff over 5 years past its use date, would just add the worms to the jambalaya.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

******* said:


> Seems to me, any prepper worth their salt, willing to eat stuff over 5 years past its use date, would just add the worms to the jambalaya.


Hell Ya.... ya dang *******.. thats what I am talking about.. toss them worms in there


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

******* said:


> I think he has worms in his fresh peppers. That is why he went to the ones in the old jar.
> 
> Seems to me, any prepper worth their salt, willing to eat stuff over 5 years past its use date, would just add the worms to the jambalaya.


Free protein.


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## Phil74501 (Oct 11, 2016)

******* said:


> I think he has worms in his fresh peppers. That is why he went to the ones in the old jar.
> 
> Seems to me, any prepper worth their salt, willing to eat stuff over 5 years past its use date, would just add the worms to the jambalaya.


Maybe I missed something. I thought he was talking about worms in a jar that had never been opened. I agree though, put them in the jambalaya and you'll never know their there. Just mix them up really good.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

"I'm making jambalaya today and found worms in my peppers, so I headed for the pantry."

 Worms? They are protein aren't they? And, it is jambalaya, they will fit right in with the crawdads, uh, shrimp.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

******* said:


> I think he has worms in his fresh peppers. That is why he went to the ones in the old jar.
> 
> Seems to me, any prepper worth their salt, willing to eat stuff over 5 years past its use date, would just add the worms to the jambalaya.


Good point. Would have to say from a previous incarnation as a wannabe outlaw caterer and pusdo roach coach operator mighty glad hear the happy ending to the story that nobody passed from the out of dater peppers. Chances of anything living through the boiling process other than Salmenella spores is unlikely. If it had those you have to cook it in a pressure cooker or an autoclave. Needs to get higher than boiling on the scale to ensure the health of the eater. The fact that the victim is still alive is a good sign. Us Texas boys are all Cajuns at heart mainly specializing in Gumbo and Boudan...and Generally leaving the Jambalaya dish to yankees. Way too much Uncle Bens Rice in that for our taste buds...but yes it is cheap to make..and can be eaten if its free. Speaking of Cajuns... who knows what separates ********* from dumbasses?


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

bigwheel said:


> Speaking of Cajuns... who knows what separates ********* from dumbasses?


My daddy was born on the coast of Mississippi, but spent much of his early life in Louisiana, so we were raised on Cajun food. We almost never had jambalaya but lots of crab, shrimp, oysters, gumbo, red beans & speckled trout. A real treat for us was stuffed artichokes. I think you are talking about the Sabine River.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Hell Ya.... ya dang *******.. thats what I am talking about.. toss them worms in there 

This made me laugh so hard, thank you, I still chuckle about it the next day!! 

gosh, gosh, gosh, we got some really funny folks here!!

I read the post a few days ago, still laughing!!


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I guess it made me laugh, because I am one! Got to be able to laugh at yourself. Like, "hey honey, you look prettier than a new set of snow tires".


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I'm alive! I'm alive! Despite eating that damn yankee ******* jambalaya with the worms in it, I am still kicking. Quite delicious, actually.


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## walking (Nov 19, 2015)

Five years is really a lot. Even if there is no bacterial overgrowth, the taste is probably off. Food can get spoiled without being affected by bacteria.


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## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

******* said:


> Its the should that concerns me.
> 
> Botulism, for example often has no smell, but from what I understand should exhibit other traits. I would hope people that decide to try food that is many years past their use date would familiarize themselves with those characteristics. For example, even a tiny rust spot on the metal lid would be a sign to watch out for.
> 
> I do agree with you that properly canned goods should last much longer than stated. I do quite a bit of canning myself... both water bath & pressure.


Botulism toxins can be destroyed by boiling for 10 minutes (actually 185 degrees for 10 minutes). If nervous about a suspicious can (that isn't actually bloated or rusting) just boil it for a little while to be extra safe. I suppose one could still get sick from some other bug, but botulism is a particularly awful way to die.


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## Bigfoot63 (Aug 11, 2016)

I remember eating C-rats back in the seventies and never had any problems except the damned crackers...always tasted wrong... Found out later they tasted that way from day one!


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