In this case though, there would be an argument for it being abandoned property (since the original owner has declared distinterest).
I’ve since sold the farmhouse and barn, as being a landlord for that property since 1976 was a huge PITA. I doubt any treasures will be forthcoming; all the varied occupants of the farmhouse over the past 150 years were not the types to have such valuable goods, much less hoard them.
Or, they seemed to have no wealth because it was all hidden away. 
Instead of gold bullion, I bet on silver coins being squirreled away. There are still a few silver dimes and quarters in the coinage in use, and acquiring silver one or two coins at a time is cheaper than buying gold.
It’s a shame that the foodstuffs couldn’t be donated to a food bank or soup kitchen. Most of those ingredients would make a wonderful soup!
~VOW
Pretty much the same thing, no?
When I read this, for a second I had a cartoon movie in my head of a hard boiled egg being dried out like a piece of beef jerky. Dump it in some water and poof! hard boiled egg springs back to it’s original form. And it’s not like I haven’t ate dehydrated eggs before.
I don’t know about the legalities, but to declare that the original owner has waived rights to a cache of precious metals based on lack of interest in a cache of old foodstuffs would be a colossally dickish move. A fresh inquiry, at least, would be in order.