		This section of our website was designed to answer those frequently asked questions. If you still can't find the solution to your question, contact our Consumer Affairs Department. What is the shelf life of canned vegetables? Our products, except sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad and pickled red cabbage are best if used within 24 to 36 months from date of manufacture depending on storage conditions. Sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad and pickled red cabbage are best if used within 18 to 24 months depending on storage conditions. We recommend that all canned vegetables be stored in a cool, dry place. What is the shelf life of canned vegetables after opening? After opening, canned foods should be refrigerated in a sealed container. They should retain their quality for at least 3 days. This depends on how long the product is exposed to air and the temperature at which it is stored. How can I read the manufacturing code? The manufacturing code is a series of letters and numbers that has been stamped onto either the lid or the bottom of the can. With glass packed vegetables, it is on the lid. The first position is a letter and is the month in which it was manufactured: A=January, B=February, C=March, etc. The second position is the last digit of the year in which it was manufactured: 9=1999, 0-2000, 1=2001, etc. My local supermarket has stopped carrying one of your products. How can I get it? Some of our specialty items are available on this website for purchase by the case. Click on "Buy Online" for further details. We recommend talking to the store manager or customer service desk at your supermarket and requesting the product. Consumer demand speaks volumes! If the above has not worked, please e-mail our Consumer Affairs Department with your complete address so that we can search for a store in your area. Are your products gluten free/allergen free? All allergenic ingredients in the major categories, regardless of the amount or function in the food, are listed in the ingredient statement on the label. The major allergen categories are: peanuts, tree nuts, dairy eggs, fish, crustaceans/shellfish/molluscs, soy, and wheat/gluten. We also recognize sulfites and Yellow #5 as possible sensitizing agents which are always declared on the ingredient listing. Is canned food as nutritious as fresh and frozen food? The three-part study conducted by the University of Massachusetts (UMass) found that recipes using canned ingredients are similar in nutritional and taste value to those made with fresh or frozen items. Canned and frozen vegetables are packed shortly after being harvested, which helps preserve nutrients. Are canned foods safe? Yes. Research shows that the commercial canning process not only destroys bacteria that can cause food spoilage, but also can eliminate as much as 99% of the pesticide residues occasionally found in fresh produce. This is accomplished through the normal washing, peeling, blanching and heat processing of canned fruits and vegetables. Can canned foods be heated in their containers? Yes. If it is necessary to heat canned foods in the container, the top must be removed to prevent pressure build-up. The opened container may be covered loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Then place the can in hot water and simmer. Do not put metal in the microwave. Does damage to the outside of the can indicate damage to the food? Not necessarily, but some good judgment should be used. Rust or dents do not affect the contents of the can as long as the can does not leak. If the can is leaking, however, or if the ends are bulged, the food should not be used. These containers should be returned unopened to the place of purchase. Are there pesticide residues in canned foods? Pesticide residues are virtually never present in packaged foods, including canned foods. The washing, peeling and other food preparation steps of the canning process significantly reduce any pesticide residues present on raw crops. Should cans "hiss" when they're opened? Some cans may hiss because they are vacuum-packed and the noise is a result of air pressure, which is perfectly normal. However, if a can hisses loudly or spurts when opened, it may be an indication that the food is spoiled.

This section of our website was designed to answer those frequently asked questions. If you still can't find the solution to your question, contact our Consumer Affairs Department.

What is the shelf life of canned vegetables?

Our products, except sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad and pickled red cabbage are best if used within 24 to 36 months from date of manufacture depending on storage conditions. Sauerkraut, pickled beets, three bean salad and pickled red cabbage are best if used within 18 to 24 months depending on storage conditions. We recommend that all canned vegetables be stored in a cool, dry place.

What is the shelf life of canned vegetables after opening?

After opening, canned foods should be refrigerated in a sealed container. They should retain their quality for at least 3 days. This depends on how long the product is exposed to air and the temperature at which it is stored.

How can I read the manufacturing code?

The manufacturing code is a series of letters and numbers that has been stamped onto either the lid or the bottom of the can. With glass packed vegetables, it is on the lid. The first position is a letter and is the month in which it was manufactured: A=January, B=February, C=March, etc. The second position is the last digit of the year in which it was manufactured: 9=1999, 0-2000, 1=2001, etc.

My local supermarket has stopped carrying one of your products. How can I get it?

Some of our specialty items are available on this website for purchase by the case. Click on "Buy Online" for further details. We recommend talking to the store manager or customer service desk at your supermarket and requesting the product. Consumer demand speaks volumes! If the above has not worked, please e-mail our Consumer Affairs Department with your complete address so that we can search for a store in your area.

Are your products gluten free/allergen free?

All allergenic ingredients in the major categories, regardless of the amount or function in the food, are listed in the ingredient statement on the label. The major allergen categories are: peanuts, tree nuts, dairy eggs, fish, crustaceans/shellfish/molluscs, soy, and wheat/gluten. We also recognize sulfites and Yellow #5 as possible sensitizing agents which are always declared on the ingredient listing.

Is canned food as nutritious as fresh and frozen food?

The three-part study conducted by the University of Massachusetts (UMass) found that recipes using canned ingredients are similar in nutritional and taste value to those made with fresh or frozen items. Canned and frozen vegetables are packed shortly after being harvested, which helps preserve nutrients.

Are canned foods safe?

Yes. Research shows that the commercial canning process not only destroys bacteria that can cause food spoilage, but also can eliminate as much as 99% of the pesticide residues occasionally found in fresh produce. This is accomplished through the normal washing, peeling, blanching and heat processing of canned fruits and vegetables.

Can canned foods be heated in their containers?

Yes. If it is necessary to heat canned foods in the container, the top must be removed to prevent pressure build-up. The opened container may be covered loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Then place the can in hot water and simmer. Do not put metal in the microwave.

Does damage to the outside of the can indicate damage to the food?

Not necessarily, but some good judgment should be used. Rust or dents do not affect the contents of the can as long as the can does not leak. If the can is leaking, however, or if the ends are bulged, the food should not be used. These containers should be returned unopened to the place of purchase.

Are there pesticide residues in canned foods?

Pesticide residues are virtually never present in packaged foods, including canned foods. The washing, peeling and other food preparation steps of the canning process significantly reduce any pesticide residues present on raw crops.

Should cans "hiss" when they're opened?

Some cans may hiss because they are vacuum-packed and the noise is a result of air pressure, which is perfectly normal. However, if a can hisses loudly or spurts when opened, it may be an indication that the food is spoiled.

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