Entertaining

Q&A: What canned goods can survive winter?

Canned vegetables and beans Photo by YARUNIV Studio/Shutterstock

What canned goods can survive at the cottage over winter without splitting or spoiling? Does it depend on the amount of salt or sugar inside?

Sorry to break this to you: You can’t be sure any canned goods are safe to consume after freezing, so the best thing to do is lug the tins home every fall, or eat the contents before the end of the summer. Freezing a can will cause the food to expand, which can result in an imperceptible split in the seam. The split allows air inside and the contents to spoil. The amount of sugar or salt in the food makes no difference to whether it will spoil. Canned foods should also be stored in a dry atmosphere so that they don’t rust. Avoid eating food from a can that is dented, split, leaking, or bulging. Any damage may cause a pinhole break that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

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