Home Canned Tomatos, How Long Do They Last?

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I have used them up to 3 years old, that's my cutoff. So far I haven't had any problems but I'm wondering what youall think.

Jon

[Reddog]

1 year and they are gone waiting for the next years

[beenthere]

Used to hear that tomatoes canned (in glass) would last longer than other canned goods. Something about the acid.
I know longer than a year if kept in dark place.

But be safe and ya's take yer chances.

[Roxie]

Using canned tomato's within a year is not so much a safety issue as a quality issue.  The freshness and texture begin to break down.  I would never use three year old tomato's.  Why risk it for taste or safety?

[northwoods1]

Using canned tomato's within a year is not so much a safety issue as a quality issue.  The freshness and texture begin to break down.  I would never use three year old tomato's.  Why risk it for taste or safety?

I would think it would be all a quality issue... ??? What could happen to it that it would become unsafe assuming it had been canned properly following proper canning procedures?
??? Just wondering... I'm trying to learn all I can about canning myself.

[Reddog]

Northwoods1 here are some of the issues.

The most common reasons for spoilage in home-canned tomato products are underprocessing and incomplete seals. Tomatoes that have not been processed long enough to destroy molds and heat-resistant bacteria may spoil during storage. One of the common spoilage organisms, Bacillus coagulans, is very heat resistant and causes flat-sour spoilage. The jar lid may still be sealed and the product may appear normal, but the tomatoes will smell sour because of lactic acid produced by the growth of B. coagulans in the product. Never use tomatoes or tomato juices with off-odors.

Molds can grow on the surface of improperly processed tomato products and may eventually reduce the acidity to a point where botulism-producing spores can grow and produce a deadly toxin. Because even minute amounts of botulism toxin can cause fatal illness, discard without tasting any canned products that show mold growth on the surface. Discard them where they cannot be eaten by other people or animals.

[Bandmill Bandit]

canned tomatoes wouldnt last long enough around here to be able to make a meaningful contribution to this thread but i do know that my mom has used em up to 3 years old in mason jars with the glass lids. don't know if that makes a difference but she don't like the tin lids.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I dumped my 07' tomatos last night. Almost brought a tear to my eye.
You see that was the last thing in the pantry that Celest and I put up together.
Ah well ya get up, get goin, get on with it.

Jon

[Roxie]

Would it make you feel better if you kick my tires?   

[northwoods1]

So... with tomatoes as long as they are processed correctly and you have the correct ph or acidity you have nothing to worry about? That is what I thought and also what I take the info reddog posted to mean.
I never knew there was so much to know about canning , that botulism stuff is scary the way I understand it , it is one of the most toxic things known to man just an incredibly small amount like 1,000,000 of a gram is enough to kill a person even if it just touches your skin your dead.

[ely]

my mom knows alot about canning, but her tomatoes never last past march .... once i find where she hides them. ;D

[Weekend_Sawyer]

@ Roxy, you keep blowin them kisses and CBB better look out 
                                         8)

[Raider Bill]

@ Roxy, you keep blowin them kisses and CBB better look out 
                                         8)

smiley_gorgeous smiley_gorgeous

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Sorry Bill, It's just not the same when you do it.  :

[Raider Bill]

must be the mustache and beard

[Weekend_Sawyer]

  tip of the iceberg bill, tip o de iceberg!

[36 coupe]

Just finished 2 hot peppers that were canned in 07 went looking for another jar,If the seals good use them.

[isawlogs]

I aint too sure on that " if seal is good " I was at a friend and he gave me some really old preserve jars .. guess I could try and get a pic  :  Anyways , these are some of the jars that are of first generation glass with glass tops, they where done by his great grandma  .. The seal is still good    

[Reddog]

What don't kill ya will only make you stronger.        ;D

[isawlogs]

You go first  ;D   :D

[Troublermaker]

How long they will stay seal I don't know. I got some corn and sweet pickles that my Mom can a couple of years before she die and she pass away Dec. 23, 1993. I look at the jars a few days ago and they still look good but I would eat any of it.

[OlJarhead]

Canned goods last much longer then most think.  The only real issue is loss of texture and flavor as well as a deterioration of Vit A and D.

In reality canned goods have been tested as far out as 100 years (yes ONE HUNDRED) and were fine.  What most don't realize is that as long as there is no damage to the jars, lids etc and no obvious signs of contamination then the food is likely to be fine no matter how long it's been sitting there.

Also, if in doubt just boil the food for 20 minutes and if there was any botulism it will have been killed off.

You can check the CDC for this information as it is readily available for searches.  That's where I got the 20 minutes boiling time from actually.

So, as long as you are using the tomatoes for sauce (so texture etc doesn't matter since you will be boiling them anyway) then don't even worry   Just dump them in, boil them and move on.

[isawlogs]

Well thats good to know , but I still dumped them and moved on  ;D :D

[WH_Conley]

MARCEL!!!! Preserves, and you dumped them? As OLJarhead said, the texture is what suffers. Preserves on the other hand, I don't think they can go bad , without rotting. But, my whole family swears I can eat stuff that would kill a normal person. I think they are just soft. ;D

[Jasperfield]

I have eaten, and continue to regularly eat, properly canned, tomatoes, kraut, greasy-back beans, cornfield beans, cut-short beans, beets, tomatoes, soups (of all kinds), pork tenderloin & sausage, apple sauce, peaches, ramps, corn, pickled beans, pickled corn, pickled beans & corn, cucumber pickles, fish, gravy, ham, beef, etc., etc., and ad infinitum, that were canned as far back as the 1970's. Yes, even, gravy!

Last year I opened a can of groundhog (hams) that one of my first surveying clients gave to me when I delivered his plats. It was canned in 06/84.

All were canned in glass Ball, Mason, or Kerr jars with rubber seals, "tin" lids, and screw-on tops.

Use care during preparation, canning, and storing. Store cans on shelves and maintain temperature within reason.

For long term storage do not re-use mayonnaise jars, or the like. Albeit, they will work well for about three to four years

It seems like I'm always reading posts about "How long will my stuff last?".

Well, I'm here to tell you, if you're careful about your canning materials, processing, and storage conditions, your properly stored foods can last at least a generation.

In example: During this month, I can open a can (jar) of blue plum preserves that were put-up back in 1968 by my mother, and know that they are yet good. Two years ago, I polished off a jar of wild strawberry freezer-jam that was made in 1970.

You don't need to use wax or parafin to "seal" contents within a jar.