Sue: I agree with you 100%. Your email is very well written and I would like to see the reply when/if you get one. I always have to wonder in cases like this what they're trying to hide from the consumer.

Shirley

I was looking at packages orf flavored rice mixes yesterday. no dates they were still in the box on the shelf and on the box they all came in was the use by date!!

It doesn't bother me.....I can remember when cans and even medicines didn't have an expiration date.....
I know not many will agree with my attitude but growing up really dirt poor impacted my life.

I agree completely. Especially since I wanted to make tuna salad one night after the stores were closed. Couldn't call the stupid company because it was a Saturday and it was night time. So much for tuna that night. When I spoke with them the following Monday, the lady explained tuna lasts a long, long time. That did me no good when I had the can for a long, long time. Based on those numbers, she was able to tell me it was still good, but how on earth was I to know? I'd had that can for 2 years or more.

What I really do not understand is that if they have the capability of printing numbers and letters on the can, why is it in code? Why does it need to be deciphered?
Do they think we the consumers just do not care how old a product is when we buy it...or go to use it?
Do they think we are basically just stupid then?

I could easily have something for 2 years...considering how I stock things up.
No reply from them yet. Maybe they are busy deciphering codes so they know how to reply...think?

Now store this in your memory bank, and don't lose it...so you will have it if needed...Remember now...this is for Stokley's only. Other manufacturers likely have a different coding system for you to memorize.

Here it is from their FAQ
How can I read the manufacturing code?
The manufacturing code is a series of letters and numbers that has been stamped onto either the lid or the bottom of the can. With glass packed vegetables, it is on the lid. The first position is a letter and is the month in which it was manufactured: A=January, B=February, C=March, etc. The second position is the last digit of the year in which it was manufactured: 9=1999, 0-2000, 1=2001, etc.

Got that? Now remember too that different things have different shelf life...so be sure and remember how many months to calculate it will still be good.

What is the shelf life of canned vegetables?
Our products, except sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad and pickled red cabbage are best if used within 24 to 36 months from date of manufacture depending on storage conditions. Sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad and pickled red cabbage are best if used within 18 to 24 months depending on storage conditions. We recommend that all canned vegetables be stored in a cool, dry place.

Got that? Now don't forget it.

I agree with Carol. I remember back when nothing had expiration dates. I'm pretty sure I ate some stuff that was very outdated, but it didn't kill me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mayo Clinic on canned foods

Sue - My family thinks I'm too cautious because I write the purchase date on the food that isn't already dated. But after a visit to my parents house a few years ago they realized that it just might be a good idea. One of the kids picked up the Heinz ketchup and noticed that it looked a little dark. He looked for a date and didn't find one. However he did find a sweepstakes entry on the label and the expiration date to enter was 10 months earlier.

They decided that their Mom isn't nuts after all.

I even cut the date off the egg carton and put that on the egg tray. Although that date isn't the 'use by' date, it's the packing date and eggs are good for quite a few weeks after that.

Caroline,
You and i must have grown up around the same time,and i also grew up dirt poor,or as Oprah says i've been poor,and i've been poh.LOL
Kathi

I don't think they even read the inquiry I sent them

Here is their useless reply...something I already 'knew' and had stated to 'them'.

Thank you for inquiring about our code.
> > The first position in our code is a letter which indicates the month
> that the product was packed. A=January, B=February, C=March, etc.
> > The second position in our code is a number which indicates the year
> that the product was produced. 5=2005, 6=2006, etc.
> > Most canned vegetables have a 3 year shelf life from the year produced.
> Products such as sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad, German
> potato salad in cans or glass have a 2 year shelf life.
> > Thank you
> > Seneca Foods Corporation

Sheesh...I told them I had read their FAQ.
Do you suppose they misunderstood me when I said, "I went and read the FAQ and found there is a CODE TO DECIPHER the string of numbers that meant nothing to me."

Did anyone take that to mean that I still could not decipher the code, or did you think that I went and read the FAQ and found there is a CODE TO DECIPHER the string of numbers that 'had meant nothing to me.

I replied to the email, and asked if they had read my inquiry. I clarified myself on the above. I told them I would await a reply before escalating my question in search of a good and logical answer.

Sheesh...do you suppose a robot, without a brain, answered me? That was my first thought.

Sue

I don't worry about it. If the can isn't bulging, it's still good, as far as I know. If I open it, and it looks or smells funny, I just don't eat it. Canned goods are good for years.