So I finally go to open a can of something and I notice that on the bottom it says ‘exp. Jan. 2009’. Um, excuse me, but I thought that if something was in a can, it was good for yonks. I strongly suspect this is bullshit designed to get us to buy more stuff. Anyone know what the story is with this?
Well, canned goods last a long time, but not forever. Food agencies require expiry dates for this very reason.
Where did you get this idea?
Depending on the food, enzymes, acids and such can render the food unpalatable/inedible. Won’t make you sick as in rotten or spoiled but well past it’s best.
I don’t know…it’s just what I always thought. 
According to Wikipedia…
“Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product can last as long as 30 years in an edible state.”
A long time for sure… but not forever.
I’m trying to remember the last time I opened a can of something to eat. All I can come up with is soup.
I eat canned fish all the time. Yummy and healthy, good for fish stocks.
They are required to put a date on it. They are required to prove it is still good then. They are not required to do the extensive testing needed to determine the maximum time it would be good for. Use with caution.