Canned food that contains some amount of water, how well would it stand up to freezing tempatures?

Didn't know the answer so I pulled all of ours that might be exposed into heated areas.

Quote from: Possumpoint on December 31, 2011, 12:14:38 PM
Canned food that contains some amount of water, how well would it stand up to freezing tempatures?

Didn't know the answer so I pulled all of ours that might be exposed into heated areas.

Good question PP, it can definitely effect the integrity of the seal on the can, allowing contamination to enter, mold to grow, etc.
Better kept in a cool dry area, even dig down and place them in a sealed container in the ground, the constant cool prolongs the life.

Also look for any raised or slightly bubbled lids, throw them out, don't even give them to the dogs.
If you can push down on the lid, then growth is occurring inside and it is probably bad, they should always be under a vacuum, even a little, but never any pressure inside the can.

But I digress, freezing isn't an end all, it needs to be a solid freeze, a little freezing usually does no damage, but if you suspect anything, use it up immediately.

If you wonder how I know, its all from trial and error and severe stomach cramps.
Makes for a great learning tool.( ;

One other thing, never buy dented cans and store them, the inner coating can rupture and ruin the food inside, especially acidic foods like tomatoes.

Thanks Solar for all the good advice.

Don't let them freeze!
Cool and dry places. Root cellars and deep ground caches where the temperature does not get below freezing are good. If you are going to sink a food cache in a pond or stream, don't forget that water can get below freezing but does not turn solid because it is moving. Cans in a submerged cache might freeze.

Thanks Eyesabide.

Quote from: Eyesabide on December 31, 2011, 02:56:00 PM
Don't let them freeze!
Cool and dry places. Root cellars and deep ground caches where the temperature does not get below freezing are good. If you are going to sink a food cache in a pond or stream, don't forget that water can get below freezing but does not turn solid because it is moving. Cans in a submerged cache might freeze.

Your looking at 3' 6" in the North East to get below the freezing point in the ground on a bad winter around Elfie area.  The more North you go the deeper you need to go. 

Quote from: Eyesabide on December 31, 2011, 02:56:00 PM
Don't let them freeze!
Cool and dry places. Root cellars and deep ground caches where the temperature does not get below freezing are good. If you are going to sink a food cache in a pond or stream, don't forget that water can get below freezing but does not turn solid because it is moving. Cans in a submerged cache might freeze.

In a sense yes, the cans can freeze in moving water, but thats only because there is ice present.
The only time water does not freeze below 32 deg. is when its under extreme pressure, like beneath a glacier, otherwise all water freezes at 32, unless it contains a high mineral content.

But your advice is still sound, its always better to keep them out of the water in the Winter, I found out that the water may increase rapidly, in turn, washing away your food supply.

Using a mixture of ice and water, Gabriel Fahrenheit  found that a constant temperature of 32 deg. could be established while the mixture was being stirred.
This became the standard for all thermometers that followed.

The boiling point is another story, since water boils at lower temps the higher you go above sea level.

I did a little research. Of course water freezes at 32 degrees, but it is posssible to get below freezing temperatures and stay liquid for a short period of time. There are a lot of factors contributing to this, and it is a little much for this thread. However, I stand corrected as far as practicality is concerned, and as long as your Cache is in deep enough water it should be fine. Checking with the people I got the information from, the freezing can in the water problem is not too much of a worry, unless you bury your cache at the level where the ice is forming any way. And by the way, I was asked if I was asking because my stuff froze...again.
Thanks, Solar!.

Thanks for all the information Guys. Had never considered storing cans in moving water. Interesting idea if we had any here not contaminated by PCB's and I had running water on my property. The tidal creek on the other side of the road is so posted. Only time there is running water on my property is in an excessive rain event anyway. The cans were being stored in a RV as a get and go. Don't want to heat the RV all winter so I pulled the cans back into the house. That would make it more difficult in a short notice emergency. All decisions have ramifications.

My frost line here in N VA is about 24". A storage pit lower then that is entirely possible but has its own problems in a get and go event.

A fast access below frostline stash can be made by digging a hole with a post hole digger and then dropping a length of PVC tube in it, and capping it with a screw on top or vent to make it look like part of a leach field or other plumbing accessory.  fill the top of the tube with some insulating material and cap that with a false section filled with debris or some crud. I know of one instance where the guy left the false top "open" and ran the lawn mower over it so it looked unused and neglected. When what is under is needed in a grab and go, just unscrew the top , and pull the stash out with a chain already attached to it. I know of pistols stored this way, and of medical supplies. There are lots of variations, and these can be planted just about anywhere near civilization.

Quote from: Eyesabide on January 09, 2012, 09:19:26 AM
A fast access below frostline stash can be made by digging a hole with a post hole digger and then dropping a length of PVC tube in it, and capping it with a screw on top or vent to make it look like part of a leach field or other plumbing accessory.  fill the top of the tube with some insulating material and cap that with a false section filled with debris or some crud. I know of one instance where the guy left the false top "open" and ran the lawn mower over it so it looked unused and neglected. When what is under is needed in a grab and go, just unscrew the top , and pull the stash out with a chain already attached to it. I know of pistols stored this way, and of medical supplies. There are lots of variations, and these can be planted just about anywhere near civilization.

That's an excellent idea, I think I will drop a few on my land. ( :