How hot can a can of food get and still be good?

This is a strange question and I think I already know the answer but I wanted to check and see what you all thought. I was getting a few things down from the attic and discovered I had somehow accidentally put the stash of a/d food I had up in the attic. I must have done it on accident when I was putting extra cat stuff up there. I looked for it when Delilah was sick and could not find it so I bought more then. But there was 12 cans up there. It has been up there for months and it gets really hot up there during the day. My guess is that the getting hot and then cooling down everyday it is now bad.

Being that canned food is cooked in the can/processed at high heat, the heat in itself shouldn't be a big problem. Everything I can find said that storing canned food at temps above 75 isn't ideal, but the worst it said was that "it reduces shelf life considerably", and that "as little as several months in high temps can spoil canned food". How long do you think it's been up there? What's the use by date on the cans? If the cans aren't bulgy or popped, and the food looks and smells "good" (does cat food ever smell good? :lol3, it's probably fine.

I would say it has been up there for at least 5-6 months. But it has only been getting HOT for the last month or two. The use by date is march of next year. The cans look completely normal. I opened one and as far as I can tell it smells like it usually does, it looks normal too.

I keep canned food in my trunk; I feed a feral/stray cat colony.  The food is often warm, and the cats don't seem to mind.  But I do go through six cans a day, so the food doesn't stay in the trunk long.

Willowy said:

Being that canned food is cooked in the can/processed at high heat, the heat in itself shouldn't be a big problem. Everything I can find said that storing canned food at temps above 75 isn't ideal, but the worst it said was that "it reduces shelf life considerably", and that "as little as several months in high temps can spoil canned food". How long do you think it's been up there? What's the use by date on the cans? If the cans aren't bulgy or popped, and the food looks and smells "good" (does cat food ever smell good?

), it's probably fine.

Click to expand...

yes, room temperature is ideal, but medications usually say store between 59 and 86. basically, drs foster and smith says store between 50 and 90 in a dry place.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2243+2244&aid=2804

I'm with Willowy on this one. As long as it looks and smells normal and the can isn't deformed in any way, I probably wouldn't be afraid to feed it as long as it's still in date.

Ooooo and A/D is good stuff when you need to syringe feed babies .... I honestly do not know, have not a clue as to whether I would feel safe using it or not. I wonder..... if you could call the vet and see what they say OR even ask if they could replace it!!!! You never know :dk: It doesn't hurt to ask. I don't know if I would be comfortable using canned food that was sitting in an attic for months in this heat that we have had this summer.

I would imagine it would be okay to use.  Naturally if it  looks or smells "off" you won't want tot use it.  Tinned food for animal AND human consumption can withstand high amounts of heat.  How prolonged they can withstand is unknown to me but an educated guess would be a long time.  Tinned foods are stored in warehouses and transported on trucks and trains in all kinds of weather.  I doubt many, if any, are air conditioned.  If you still feel it's risky, call the vet or call the 800 number and ask the company.