spaghetti sauce and jellys

[S.K.]

A friend of me me gave me 2 jars of spaghetti sauce one dated 2012 And the other 2013 are they still save to use

 

Also the jelly's are strawberry and blackberry dates2013 are they still good I now nothing of can goods

[Mt_Rider]

I replied in SHOUT before seeing this. Here's some things to consider:

 

--Did you see your friend's sanitation practices while canning? Or are you comfortable with knowing that from reputation? Is friend careful when food processing?

 

---Did friend use a SAFE recipe for canning spaghetti sauce? ....correct ph (acidity) etc? That can drastically alter the safety of a product - no matter the age.

 

--the age of product.....people differ on how long they feel comfortable eating their own home canned product. Someone else's product?

 

 

And I think most people would be more inclined to think the jelly would be safe....but you still have the sanitation issue and correct canning recipe/procedures issue.

 

 

I'm sure others will post their answers too.

 

MtRider

Edited April 11, 2015 by Mt_Rider

[Jeepers]

The age of the canned goods wouldn't bother me as much as eating home canned food from someone else's kitchen. Guess I'm kinda in Mt. Rider's camp on this one.

 

If I was going to eat them, I'd do it now and not save them any longer. After thinking about it...for only 2 jars of sauce, I'd pitch it and save the jars. Jellies should still be good but if I was going to eat them I'd do it now and now save it any longer.

 

For me (and only me) I'm real particular about home canned food. Either I have to do it myself or be right there when it's being done to supervise cleanliness and procedure. Wash hands repeatedly and put up your hair! Hair around food is a real issue with me.

[dogmom4]

Welcome back S.K! Haven't seen you for a long time.

[Andrea]

Yes, unless you are familiar with her canning process, I probably wouldn't eat them. I'm a bit of a safety freak though. Welcome Back!

[Mt_Rider]

"Safety Freaks" .... LOL Violet has trained us well!

 

 

[course...if we saw behind the scenes at restaurants and other food processing places, we might all get out our canners and avoid unknown foods!]

 

MtRider ...miss her!

Edited April 12, 2015 by Mt_Rider

[CrabGrassAcres]

I don't even like to give my home canned goods to others because I don't want the liability. I am careful and we have never got sick, but you can't control what happens outside of your own kitchen and just the fact that it came from your kitchen makes you liable if they get sick.

[Suncat]

From the Ball canning site

 

 

Foods canned following tested recipes, correct processing methods and processing time can be safely stored for one year. After one year, natural chemical changes may occur within canned foods and could lessen the quality.

 

Notice that it's QUALITY that has the 1 yr time limit.. I actually only find comments about a decline in quality after that time frame, the "safely" here is for the food itself.. the food is safe from deterioration for that 1 yr is stored properly. It's not really about food safety (as in eating it makes you sick). If I trusted the quality of the canning.. I would consider it safe to try but knowing the quality may be less I'd taste it before I planned to serve it.