DATES
Best before, not use-by
GOV.UK lists tinned foods such as baked beans and canned tomatoes among foods with a best before date. After it, food is usually safe to eat but may not be the same quality.
Check a canStart
WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
Open a tin
with confidence.
A tin is built to last on the shelf.
The date on it is about quality, not safety. What matters more is the state of the can, how you store the leftovers once it is open, and where the empty tin goes next.
BEST BEFOREis about quality
Check a canKeep in mind
- Check the can, not just the date
- Decant the leftovers
- Rinse and recycle
- From cupboard to recycling bin
THE SHORT ANSWER
The date is a guide.
The can tells you more.
Tinned food lasts a long time in the cupboard.
The guidance focuses on damage, leftovers and recycling.
LEFTOVERS
Out of the tin, into the fridge
Zero Waste Scotland says to empty leftovers into a bowl or container and put it in the fridge, and eat them within 2 days.
How to store them
RECYCLING
Round and round again
Recycle Now says steel and aluminium can be recycled time and time again without losing quality, into new cans or other products.
See the numbersGeneral information only, not medical advice. For advice about your own health, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health professional.
A QUICK CAN CHECK
What does
the can look like?
Pick what you notice about a tin to see what the guidance suggests. The bar shows how much caution the guidance calls for.
Based on GOV.UK food labelling guidance, NDSU Extension and University of Illinois Extension. General food safety information only.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Cans come back.
Most of them, anyway.
One figure on how many drinks cans are recycled,
one on how much energy recycling saves.
81%
Aluminium drinks cans recycled in the UK in 2023
Every Can Counts reported that 81 percent of aluminium drinks cans were recycled in 2023, a record 10.7 billion cans, based on Alupro's analysis of Environment Agency figures.
DRINKS CANS · EVERY CAN COUNTS
≈ 5%
Energy and emissions of recycled aluminium, compared with new
Recycle Now says recycling aluminium uses around only 5 percent of the energy and emissions needed to make it from the raw material, bauxite.
ENERGY · RECYCLE NOW
Recycle Now says UK aluminium drinks cans usually go to a closed-loop plant in Warrington, where they can be made into new cans and be back on the shelf in about six weeks.
FOUR HABITS TO TRY
A tidy cupboard,
a lighter bin.
None of these needs special kit. They are about where tins live, what happens when one is half used, and where the empty goes.
Step 1
First in, first out
NDSU Extension suggests writing the purchase date on cans and arranging the cupboard so the oldest are used first.
Step 2
Keep them cool and dry
Store tins in a cool, dry place, not above the cooker, under the sink or anywhere with temperature extremes.
Step 3
Decant the leftovers
Spoon what is left into a covered container, keep some of the liquid, and put it towards the back of the fridge.
Step 4
Recycle the whole family
Recycle Now says aerosols, foil takeaway trays and tomato purée tubes can go in with food tins and drinks cans.
HOW LONG TINS KEEP
Acid makes
the difference.
Guidance from US university extension services splits tinned food by acidity. NDSU Extension gives up to 18 months for high-acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit, and two to five years for low-acid foods such as canned meat and vegetables.
These are quality guides rather than safety cut-offs. University of Illinois Extension says the main concern with shop-bought canned food is quality over time, provided the can is not bulging, rusted or deeply dented.
Questions
Questions on the way
Can I eat tinned food after the best before date?
GOV.UK lists tinned foods among those with best before dates. After the date, food is usually safe to eat but may not be the same quality, and you can use sight, taste or smell to decide.
Is it safe to keep an opened tin in the fridge?
Guidance suggests moving the food out of the tin into a covered container first. Zero Waste Scotland says tin can transfer to the food once it is exposed to air, and suggests eating leftovers within 2 days.
Should I use a dented can?
NDSU Extension advises against using cans with sharp dents, especially in the seam. University of Illinois Extension says deeply dented, rusted or bulging cans are best thrown away.
How long can I keep tins in the cupboard?
NDSU Extension gives up to 18 months for high-acid foods such as tomatoes and fruit, and two to five years for low-acid foods such as canned meat and vegetables, stored somewhere cool and dry.
Can food tins and drinks cans be recycled?
Yes. Recycle Now says both steel and aluminium can be recycled again and again without losing quality. Every Can Counts reported that 81 percent of UK aluminium drinks cans were recycled in 2023.
Destination
Where the facts come from
- GOV.UK: Understanding food labelling, best before and use-by dates
- Zero Waste Scotland: How to store tinned food (2023)
- NDSU Extension FN1468: Questions and answers about storing canned and packaged food
- University of Illinois Extension: Cracking open canned food myths (2020)
- Recycle Now: How are cans recycled?
- Every Can Counts: Record breaking recycling in 2023, the latest drink can recycling rate
Updated