Food waste is a significant problem in our society, with millions of tons of food ending up in landfills every year. Not only is this bad for the environment, but it’s also a waste of resources and money.
With a global food crisis always looming on the horizon and food access worldwide in a precarious state, we must be prepared. To avoid contributing to food waste and prepare for an emergency, it’s essential to know when food is no longer safe to eat.
In this article, we will explore some common signs that food has spoiled and how to tell it’s time to throw it away.
Common Signs Of Spoilage
There are many ways to tell a product is spoiled. However, it differs depending on the type of product in question.
Meat or fish, for example, will have different indicators than bread and grains. Knowing how to distinguish that a product has expired and is no longer consumable is vital to personal safety and helps you save money.
Visual Signs Of Spoilage
One of the most apparent signs that food has gone bad is a change in its appearance. Mold is one of the most common visual indicators of spoilage, especially in bread, fruits, and vegetables.
Related: Should You Throw It Out? These Moldy Foods Are Still Edible
Mold can spread quickly and, if left unchecked, can contaminate other foods in your pantry or refrigerator. If you see mold on your food, it’s best to discard it immediately and sanitize the area where the mold is present to prevent it from spreading.
Other visual signs of spoilage include discoloration in meat, fish, or dairy products, sliminess in lettuce or other leafy greens, and a pungent odor. For example, raw meat that has turned a shade of brown or green is no longer safe to eat and should be discarded immediately.
Similarly, meat that emits a foul smell is not safe to consume. If the odor of a food item is off or has changed, this is a sign that it is spoiled and should be discarded, as it can be dangerous to eat.
Texture Changes
Food that has gone bad often has a different texture than when it was fresh. For example, when raw meat or fish has gone bad, it may feel slimy, while bread or crackers may feel sticky or dry.
Similarly, canned goods with bulges or leaks indicate that the food inside may be unsafe for consumption.
When it comes to canned goods, bulges or leaks suggest that the can is compromised, and the food inside could be contaminated with bacteria.
Changes In Smell
As pointed out previously, a noticeable change in odor is a sign that food has gone bad, especially for perishable items like meat and dairy products.
Raw meat that has a rancid or sour odor, milk that has a sour or rotten smell, and fish that has a strong, fishy scent are all signs that the product is no longer safe to eat.
⇒ What Happens If You Soak Your Meat In Vinegar Overnight
Food odor can be a reliable indicator of spoilage, as bacteria that cause food to spoil often release foul-smelling gases as they grow.
Being aware of spoilage signs can help reduce food waste and ensure that you and your family are eating safe and healthy food.
If in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and discard the product in question. However, there are a few ways to ensure your food lasts longer and is safely stored.
How To Make Food Last Longer
In addition to knowing when food is expired and unsafe to consume, you probably want to extend the shelf life of the foods in your home.
Extending the shelf life of food is important for reducing waste and saving money. Here are some effective ways to do so:
Proper Storage
Store food in airtight containers or resealable bags to prevent exposure to air and moisture, which can cause spoilage.
Keep perishable items like fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator to ensure they are stored at a temperature below 40°F.
On the other hand, flour or rice should be placed in the freezer for 48 hours and then sealed in an airtight container to kill any potential pests.
Use Vacuum Sealing
Vacuum sealing removes the air from food packaging, slowing the spoilage rate. This is particularly effective for perishable items such as meats and dairy products.
Freeze Food
Freezing is a great way to extend the shelf life of food, especially for items that are about to expire or that you won’t use immediately. Make sure to label and date items before freezing and defrost appropriately before cooking.
Relying on electricity to keep your food frozen can have its downsides, especially during power outages. If you find yourself in this situation, here is what you should do with all the frozen food during a blackout.
Pickle And Preserve
Pickling is a traditional method of preserving food, which can extend the shelf life of many items, including vegetables, fruits, and meats.
Canning is another preservation method that can help extend the shelf life of food by sealing it in jars and heating it to destroy bacteria and enzymes.
Rotate Stock
Frequently rotating the food you have stored in your home or your emergency storage is vital to safety.
Regularly check the dates on cans or other products and rotate your pantry to shift older products to the front, where they will be consumed sooner.
Use Proper Food Handling Techniques
Proper food handling techniques, such as washing your hands and avoiding cross-contamination, can help reduce the risk of foodborne illness and extend the shelf life of food.
Related: 7 Deadly Canning Mistakes Even Smart People Make
With rising food costs and global access concerns, extending the shelf life of food is essential for reducing waste and saving money. By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your food lasts longer and stays fresh.
Freshness Checklist
When the validity of a product is in question, look for:
- Visual signs: spoilage often results in noticeable changes to the appearance of the food, such as mold, discoloration, sliminess, or an off odor.
- Texture changes: food that has gone bad often has a different texture and may feel slimy, sticky, or dry.
- Change in smell: A noticeable change in odor is a sign that the food may have gone bad, especially for perishable items like meat and dairy products.
- Expired date: Food items will often have an expiration date which can give an idea of the product’s shelf life.
Regarding food safety, it is better to be safe than sorry. If you question whether a food is good or bad, assume it is spoiled and avoid consuming it to keep yourself and your family safe.
This list is not comprehensive, and there are many other ways to tell if food is spoiled and to make it last longer. I would love to hear how you extend the shelf life of food or how you can tell a product is not safe to consume. Share your thoughts and advice in the comments.
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You know what’s funny with all the survival 20 year plus food is. We consumers are taking the facts of the survival food producers at their word as fact. We shell out premium amount of money that the food will be potentially not spoiled when the time comes.
The C-rats from WWII used in Korea & Viet Nam also has a real expiration date. The Long Range Patrol Ration LRPs & MRE food packs. Also have their limitation of getting spoiled. We see in previous articles and elsewhere of guys trying past expired survival food to consume.
We can wade through all the pros & cons of the monetary cost and how long the survival food will last. We can take some of that advice with a grain of salt.
The long term survival food is a good investment in our preps. These should be part of the whole food source we have on hand. Not totally be reliant on one major source in case those products fail before their time.
As said before in different posts, we need to re-evaluate what we are prepping for. And sometimes change our concept for our long range prep purposes.
I have some of those famous commercial long-term survival foods coming up close to the 20 year mark. At the time these foods were expensive even with a discount.
The problem now is to slowly replaced the existing food with new replacements is the costs are going up too much to make it possible.
The question is whether to replace the stored survival food with a new source. Or re-evaluate what is in the best use for my current situation. Many preppers did buy food to store for a rainy day when they worked, had some extra income to spare.
Now some preppers are now on fixed incomes for how long it depends. Now that these food products have sky rocketed in price what is the alternate to this issue? As preppers are thinking of to what they can do in place of the more expensive survival food brands.
Not all of us tend to do canning anymore as we age and the physical energy that goes into making canned foods and preserves. It is good when your young but getting up in age. What do those older preppers consider for future preps?
Something to think of as we age, we can’t stay 20 years old, being bullet proof.
What do other preppers consider as our supply chains get disrupted more often. And not to for get our pet’s food and the farm animals we must also prep for. The feed may not always be there with there food sources.
I bought some bags from Amazon, that store food same safety bags as survival food is in and inexpensive so that I can buy from the store most items are put stuff in them myself, things I actually will eat and that I like you could look around Amazon and find them and store more food yourself
Last year I bought a freeze dryer. Like many of you, my older stock is getting up there and replacing is very costly now compared to then. I freeze dry 8 to 10 pounds at a time and have a great variety of foods I actually enjoy and since I am making it, no preserves or added “stuff”. Takes 24 hours per batch and then sealed up in the mylar. Looking at the price of the dryer compared to a 3 or 6 moth supply from the commercial guys I am dollars ahead and again, food that I want to eat without added stuff. Have the garden and will freeze dry veggies again this year. Have maxed out the wife’s sense of humor, so the freeze dryer was an agreeable addition
When I first went into the USAF, 1977, and went through tech school/combat training we were fed C-rations dated 1942 when out in the field. Some of them were questionable but nobody got sick from eating them. The contents ranged from eggs to spaghetti. You got crackers/cookies, cake or chocolate bar for desert. The chocolate bars were often discolored and hard as rocks. In the box you got a p38 can opener, napkins and sometimes a couple of cigarettes and a book of matches. Canned food can last a long time but just because it is technically edible doesn’t mean it is going to taste good. What is packaged and canned today does not last as long as the C-rations. My brother opened a package of cottage cheese that had been in his fridge for three weeks unopened and when he peeled the factory seal open the container was full of mold. That just says that what you are getting in the grocery stores is contaminated at the factory even before it is sent to your store. Just because it looks good etc doesn’t mean it isn’t contaminated already.
Doubt the USA govt will make the C-Rat food like that again as compared to what survival food is available today. We got too many politicians and un-elected figures cozy with our adversaries, one in particular. It’s time to take back our American Farmlands from foreign entities. Fire or vote-out those who are giving America away.
Yeah, that’s what happens in our modern world, standards have gone down.
For about a year now the salad packs of vegetables, mostly lettuce come with bits of spoilage. Even with the expire dates weeks off. Seems like there is a lag period from crops to warehouse to the grocery shelves.
Also the people processing the fresh veggies and meat, are they washing their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom? That adds to the food storage process. Have heard of people complaining more about the grocery store items spoiling more before the expiration date.
Growing a garden is fantastic, last year we battled mice and rats taking their share of the food. This year we found stuff from the local country feed store that is helping.
There are Blue States environmentalist that try to keep certain items to eliminate the rat population from eating our fresh food. Big issue for those gardeners.
Most activist and environmentalist are city dweller do-good-er types. Since the dawn of mankind it has been a battle of the cities versus the farmers. Most liberals reside in the city, please stay there, don’t come and ruin the rural lifestyle. The city slickers complain about the hicks that provide the food to the grocery stores.
Interesting who really controls the food and who controls the politics. Rather be dirt poor than be city complainer.
The airforce in the field
Great article
as I was raised on food that should have been thrown out , Depression parents
always found ways of keeping the expired food usable
Salt, Sugar, Spices
Dried , drying out food to save and eat later
But there is always that pt where your cast iron stomach wont get over the poising effect of food
Stay on top of it , check it monthly
Establish a routine where you check , verify , change food out using the oldest
and eating food that is stayle tasting
All food was designed to fail so we alway s have to trust , look to , and hold on to the Maker of our food , God almighty who created heaven and earth so we would worship him only and trust him only
God thoughts, I have stocked up on activated charcoal tablets and some pepto.
Yes trust in GOD helps, he also wants us to make the best decisions in life too.
Don’t remember if it was the History Channel, a short TV series of two guys eating expired food. A couple times they got sick from the food on the TV series.
Got me thinking what food sources last the best. Until it’s time to resupply.
The survival long term food companies have around for awhile now. They have tested and improved certain aspects of the food.
But still can we still rely that food will be viable nutritious when needed. Mountain House was a good reliable product for camping. But darn the costs are expensive.
Canning food is definitely proven way to preserve food but the food is canned for about a year or two.
So believe all methods should be employed for our preps. The Wild West people did canning and grew gardens to eat during the Winter time and saved their Heirloom seeds.
All in all since the caveman days tribes also relied on community food storage. But in these modern times we can’t rely on a village to raise our kids anymore. We are being divided into haves and not haves. Society has changed in America from independent to dependent freeloaders of today.
GOD is good. He will help those who help themselves. Even the Old West Mountain Man had to rely on trade for things they could not make themselves.
Will we have the same attitudes of trade, many people have gotten soft. With dependence on the smartphone, social media and the internet.
The food sources such as the wealthy elite and China are hoarding our American Farmlands for what?
These add into our decisions of what we need to do in survival food preps.
Dehydrating has worked the best for me then canning or freezing. On the topic of “it takes a village”, I remember growing up in a small community where if you were doing something you shouldn’t be doing someone’s mom or dad would intervene and put a stop to it. It did not matter whether you were their kid or not. That village mentality has taken a dark socialist turn where we have a breed of people who are self appointed cops or informants. They are either in your face trying to run your life or calling the authorities because in their opinion you are doing something they don’t like. I have had my share of run ins with the type. Most of the time a simple reply of “Whatever” will suffice but sometimes they want to get physical with you. Since I’m 69 and not in top fighting/running condition I walk with a cane, not to help me walk but to give me an option short of 9mm. Sometimes the threat of caning is enough, other times a rap to the shin or side of the head is needed to get through to their sense of flight. I find it disturbing that people think they have a right to put their hands on me for whatever offends them. I guess my being old makes them feel in control. I reserve the right to disabuse them of that belief.
It’s a law that certain foods have to have expiration dates put on them, but many foods (especially canned foods) are good many years beyond the expiration date. Canned foods found in a sunken ship that were over 30 years old were opened and still completely fine to eat after being tested in a lab. And for chocolate lovers…chocolate is good for two years as long as it doesn’t have nuts in it.
The steamboat Arabia in Kansas City, MO is a good example of the sunken ship preservation method. If you get to KC you should go take the tour. It is very informative. On canned goods once they reach the expiration date or about 6 months past it is a good idea to check a can or two. I opened a can of pears a couple of days ago that were about 8 months past expire date and they were discolored and had a less than fresh taste. If you find that they are OK but don’t want to use them right away then drain, rinse, and dehydrate the contents for longer storage.
The cane idea is a good alternative backup to using a gun for minor skirmishes.
A temporary use replacing a good set of brass knuckles are coin roles. Being 20 yrs old your bullet proof until you realize hey I’m a little older now.
Some of these survival type blogs are geared towards active younger people. Not a lot of the survival website cater to what senior citizens can do. They probably figure those older than age 40, are too set in their ways to bugout, sort of.
Lib’s, lawyers, idiots and older age kind of got in the way of protecting our selves. The fist is good when young, the gun helps when we just don’t have strength to physically defend. Especially when the numb-nuts have defund the police to protect. But also now we got weaponized depending where we live. Weaponized military, police, activist judges against the honest citizen.
Along those lines believe it was in TX, an illegal shot and killed Americans. The shooter is still loose at this time. We kind of wonder who is really behind these mass shootings, for what, to disarm the people?
Now back to the original article of food.
Who are the best priced American survival food producers that are good quality and reasonable priced?
Sadly, the removal of the BPA laden can linings has not found a replacement yet. Had several un-dented cans of green beans, stored continually in a temperature controlled, dry, dark place, go bad. Corroded through from the inside out. And they were big name brands too! 10+ years is a long time though, lol. My can guidelines are as follows:Puffed can ends=chuck. Leaking the slightest amount=chuck. After opening if there looks like a black stain coming from the roll seam area of the can=chuck. Lastly, if it smells bad, molded or just plain doesn’t look like what it’s supposed to be=chuck. Sometimes i get cans with no labels. Surprise, Surprise, lol. Those guidelines have served me well for years as i frequently buy scratch and dent food stuffs.
Those are good examples of special finds, but that does not happen for all of the canned, manufactured products. Eventually we have to resupply, that is the challenge. Expiration dates are a guideline, a symptom of previous lawsuits by rich ‘ambulance chasers’.
Relating to the article;
Pre-placed-FOOD caches probably was a good idea for some in certain locations years ago. Now we have an influx of illegals, terrorist and whatever’s. Are those food supplies now compromised or too dangerous to get to?
Will the food stuff still be edible when stored in those environments. Home stores is one thing what about food stored in varying temperature swings, day and night. And animals trashing the provisions too?
Something to think about in what we do with our food supplies preps, bug-in or out.
The article is pretty good but one thing is not mentioned. Do not store foods in plastic for the long haul. Use glass or metal sealed good. Plastic allows moisture through which of course can carry bacteria.. Drying food is the best for any food that is expected to last a long time 20+ years. Almost any food, meat, fish, grain,vegetable even meals can be dried and store. They won’t have the same physical properties as fresh but are safe to eat and still retain most of the nutrients as the fresh product.
It also is much easier to carry since much lighter. You should do a few items to learn how to do it properly because when the SHTF it will come in handy since electricity may not be available. You can build an effective air drier that just uses sunlight to dry your food .
I didn’t see anyone talking about getting their own freeze dryer. Yes, the start up price is rather high, depending on the size you choose. We have family members and neighbors who pooled their resources and then share the machine. If grandparents or parents will take responsibility of having the machine at their house, the kids can take turns using it and sharing with the parents/grandparents. Plus, they get more visits! I found that by being able to buy in bulk when there is a good sale has made it worth the price over a year or two. I recently got a dozen large eggs for $.99. I was able to freeze dry 12 dozen eggs at a time with a total of 24 dozen in less than a week. They are currrently selling at $2.49 a dozen in our area. I also scored bananas at $.35 a pound. They’re great not only for snacking, but all fruit can be put on cereals of all types as sweeteners and amp the flavor of oatmeal….
Plus you can freeze dry leftovers that would normally be thrown out as not enough for a meal for the whole family. But freezing those small portions then doing a large batch when you have some saved up gives you a variety of meals for ‘later’. I’m 68 and have had no problems drying several batches a week.
For those looking for long term storage food to replace their old stock, Utah has several great companies. Just Google ‘Utah long term food storage.’
Slightly off topic, and likely not the best way to start a conversation, and no disrespect intended, I just really want to know: I’m 53 and have been a prepper for several years. Like, 10 or 15. I see a lot of commenters mention their age, that being the age of my parents, late 60’s – early/mid 70’s. My parents know I’m a “prepper”. Years ago they used to roll their eyes and say (I quote) “God will see fit”. I also see a lot of “God” references in these comments. I think after the pandemic my parents understand why I “prep”. So my question is, how do religious people/Christians reconcile prepping with God taking care of you? I went to church for many years and am familiar with the Holy Bible, so please refrain from quoting scripture (if possible) and give a “human” response. Thank you!
Ya know, it’s funny. From a religious standpoint, I was given the parable as a child about the sparrow. About how he shouldn’t worry and how things are provided for him. And if God looks out for ol Mr. Sparrow, why, he must have great wondermenents in store for me. O no longer feel that way. Nor do I think God favors this world much, considering Satan has full dominion over it.
Welp, All I know is, I see squirrels storing nuts. And if a rodent has the foresight to prep, then perhaps we all should.
God can make a seed grow, but He still expects us to plant, water, fertilize, prune, harvest . I’m willing to do my part and let Him do His part. He’s there for us every step of the way, but I think He still wants us to do all we can to prepare and take care of ourselves.
I personally believe in God and prepping. God had Noah stockpile food for his family and the animals before the SHTF rainstorm. He also had king Joshua (?) stockpile wheat in anticipation of a famine. There are other instances mentioned in the old testament.
We all plan for the worse and hope for the best. However, in a SHTF event, we should ask ourselves what would Jesus do? Would we share with our neighbors or keep everything to ourselves? The current mindset seems to be everyone for themselves, but I think a small community working together would be better to ensure survival.
I seriously need to get a compost bin. I do throw food away at times but only because it spoiled or lost some desirability. I buy manure and soil, both aren’t cheap. Would like to just make my own soil.. Any recommendations for a small to medium size bin i can buy online? Lot of good reviews on Amazon but hard to tell which are incentavized. Thanks!
Hi, Thank you for all the great posts you do on this subject.
Just a quick question, what is the best container to store flour in? I have quite a lot of regular bags of flour that I have been storing and now after reading this I’m concerned that the flour will go off before I need to use it.
Thank you,
Elaine
You can make a compost bin out of concrete blocks. Whatever size you want.
I prefer storing in hard containers, not mylar. Steel cans I feel are the best. If it’s flexible, it’s porous. If it’s porous, the more porous it is the more likely it won’t last. Just my experience.
How about instead of saying “throw it out” let them know to compost it or feed it to the dogs or pigs. The only stuff that goes in my trash is plastic stuff I can’t use anywhere else.
Ok, I need to know what “meat” you are “pickling” to preserve long term?!?!