64-Year-Old Can of Lard Still Edible Today
Do you have canned food that's been sitting in your pantry for ages? Well, it probably hasn't been sitting around as long as a can of lard that Hans Feldmeier, an 87-year-old man from Germany, has kept for the past 64 years.
According to BBC News, the German man received the can of lard in 1948 when the U.S. was in the middle of an aid program to help rebuild Germany after World War II. A student at the time, Feldmeier decided to save the lard tin for emergencies and he has held onto it ever since.
Feldmeier decided to get the lard tested because of debates about expiration dates and food safety. He took it to food safety experts in Germany, who ultimately deemed the 64-year-old can edible for human consumption. Food safety expert Frerk Feldusen explained that while the lard was gritty, tasteless, and difficult to dissolve, it was still edible.
The Huffington Post reported that while the lard was ultimately found to be edible and the food safety inspectors, along with Feldmeier, did take a small taste, the food safety team did not return the lard to Feldmeier. They did return the red, white, and blue can.
Feldmeier's can of lard, which was still edible after more than half a century, sparks an interesting debate about food safety. Although there are some foods that are still viable well past their expiration dates, other items become quite dangerous for human consumption when kept for too long. Feldmeier's can of lard seems to prove that some foods loaded with preservatives can last nearly a lifetime, but it is still difficult to know the "right" time to throw away certain foods.
ccording to Still Tasty, a website that estimates the shelf life of different foods, unopened commercially packaged lard lasts for 1 year. Clearly Feldmeier's lard surpassed this expectation, although it's possible that canned lard from 1948 contains more preservatives than canned lard today.
What other foods are safe to eat for years after purchase? Since honey never expires, you may be able to hold onto it for years or even decades. Twinkies have been rumored to last a lifetime in their packaging, and let's not forget about the school teacher who kept a McDonald’s burger for 12 years or the 180 Happy Meal Project.
If you plan to do any food expiration experiments at home, we recommend you follow Feldmeier's path and consult a food safety expert before consuming anything that could be dangerous.
Would you taste the contents of a 64-year-old can of lard?
Do you have canned food that's been sitting in your pantry for ages? Well, it probably hasn't been sitting around as long as a can of lard that Hans Feldmeier, an 87-year-old man from Germany, has kept for the past 64 years.
According to BBC News, the German man received the can of lard in 1948 when the U.S. was in the middle of an aid program to help rebuild Germany after World War II. A student at the time, Feldmeier decided to save the lard tin for emergencies and he has held onto it ever since.
Feldmeier decided to get the lard tested because of debates about expiration dates and food safety. He took it to food safety experts in Germany, who ultimately deemed the 64-year-old can edible for human consumption. Food safety expert Frerk Feldusen explained that while the lard was gritty, tasteless, and difficult to dissolve, it was still edible.
The Huffington Post reported that while the lard was ultimately found to be edible and the food safety inspectors, along with Feldmeier, did take a small taste, the food safety team did not return the lard to Feldmeier. They did return the red, white, and blue can.
Feldmeier's can of lard, which was still edible after more than half a century, sparks an interesting debate about food safety. Although there are some foods that are still viable well past their expiration dates, other items become quite dangerous for human consumption when kept for too long. Feldmeier's can of lard seems to prove that some foods loaded with preservatives can last nearly a lifetime, but it is still difficult to know the "right" time to throw away certain foods.
ccording to Still Tasty, a website that estimates the shelf life of different foods, unopened commercially packaged lard lasts for 1 year. Clearly Feldmeier's lard surpassed this expectation, although it's possible that canned lard from 1948 contains more preservatives than canned lard today.
What other foods are safe to eat for years after purchase? Since honey never expires, you may be able to hold onto it for years or even decades. Twinkies have been rumored to last a lifetime in their packaging, and let's not forget about the school teacher who kept a McDonald’s burger for 12 years or the 180 Happy Meal Project.
If you plan to do any food expiration experiments at home, we recommend you follow Feldmeier's path and consult a food safety expert before consuming anything that could be dangerous.
Would you taste the contents of a 64-year-old can of lard?
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