Is Tinned Fish Still Good Past The Expiration Date?

Tinned fish is a blanket term for a number of different fish types sold in shelf-stable cans. Tuna, salmon, anchovies, and sardines are just a few examples in this category, and any of this canned fish is great to have in your pantry. While tinned fish has a long shelf life, it isn't one of those foods that never expire. But what does it really mean when a can of tuna passes its expiration date? The truth is a little muddy, but Chowhound spoke with Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Mendocino Food Consulting, to get the scoop on tinned fish and its expiration date.

"More often than not, the date on tinned fish is about quality," Quoc Le says. "It's the time in which the sensory qualities, like taste and texture, of the fish is unacceptable by most standards in the food industry." He clarifies that the expiration date is rarely about food safety when it comes to tinned fish, though he stresses that while foodborne illness isn't impossible, it is highly unlikely, at least within the first couple years beyond that date. "The only issue that can arise over time is that the tin may begin to pit and corrode, creating microscopic pores that allow in bacteria like Clostridium botulinum, which can produce the botulinum toxin," he says. Botulinum toxin can attack your body's nervous system, causing a serious and sometimes fatal illness. "But that can take three to five years from the date of production, which is usually well beyond the expiration date."

Think of Quoc Le's words as a guideline — if you accidentally eat expired sardines, his advice suggests there's hardly any reason to panic. However, if you can avoid eating expired tinned fish, you should. He advises "going by the expiration date" as the safest way to ensure that tinned fish is good to eat. Make a visual inspection of the can, too, even if the date is still good. "If there are any dents or corrosion, I would recommend passing," he adds, saying that this can allow oxygen to get in and substantially damage the fish's quality.

If you do intend to eat tinned fish past its expiration date, consider how it was stored first — you're looking for tins stored at room temperature or below. "Temperature is a major factor in the storage of tinned fish," Quoc Le says. "Higher temperatures accelerate the chemical reactions that can cause deterioration of the taste, especially in canned fish that is submerged in oil ... Moisture and the presence of salt in the air are also another factor, as high humidity or salty environments like near the coast can accelerate the speed of corrosion and pitting on the exterior of the can." Ultimately, for safety, it's best to eat tinned fish before its expiration date. But if you do consume it after, first look for any red flags that canned food is inedible, especially if it wasn't stored in a cool place.