How important is the date on canned goods?

I depends on the wording:

Best if used by and use by dates are mostly for taste. You're going to be pretty safe if it's just a few months over the best or use by date. that's what most cans have on them.

If the expiration date has passed, toss it out.

Sell by or pull by dates are usually for stores to stop selling a product at that date, although it's still ok to eat for a bit afterward.

Whatever it says on there, if you open it up and it looks, smells, or tastes funny, it's best to throw it out.

The 2008 ones are probably fine, but I wouldn't use the 2005 one.

look at it this way, spam has a freshness date, but it has a shelf life that is almost indefinite as long as the can is intact.

I think most canned foods are like that, although alot can get mushy after a while. I think a year past date is my limit... lol.

If they were properly canned and the cans have not been damaged, then there should be no problem. Here's the catch. Were they properly canned? Is there a small amount of damage that might be normally unnoticed? Usually the canning process wasn't completely without error.

Why take chances? Also if you cook anything well enough, you'll kill anything you need to. Not that you would enjoy eating it, but it would be dead and safe.

Expiration dates on canned goods, meat, milk, they should be adhered to, you can get sick from expired food...so be careful.

the expiration dates are put on foods for a reason..and your grocer should be pulling expired dates or on the day it expires....

I don't know, I never had an expired can. You should worry when they're dented cuz that can damage the seal and that could spoil the contents!!

I don't know what angel said, cuz whatever that was, it wasn't english!!! LOL

i would assume not very important because they are sealed and have salt to preserve the freshness...then again they have the dates on there for a purpose..maybe don't serve it to your guests to be safe

they are importand becouse some canned foods can usaully be expired so careful!