D.M. Procida wrote:
An elderly neighbour has kindly given us a couple of cans.

One contains 4 Goblin "Hamburgers With Onions and Gravy", with a 49p
price sticker still on it.

Their other is a Heinz treacle sponge pudding (28 pence from Tesco).
It's old enough not even to have a barcode.

We're not planning on consuming either of them, but I wonder whether
they'd be safe to eat.

If the cans aren't pressurised or weeping, the food will not have been
comtaminated by bacteria. Probably....

There's a packaging museum in Notting Hill which may be interested if
the labels are perfect, or at least in excellent condition.

http://www.robertopiecollection.com/.../museum2GB.asp

I've eaten Fray Bentos tinned Steak & Kidney puddings a few years past
their use-by date.

Allegedly, food in Scott of the Antarctic's stash was edible after a
century or so, but that *had* also been deep frozen.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.