Submitted Photo Just like the rest of the house, kitchens need to stay tidy. (Pixabay photo)

The other day, my husband sent me a text with a link to a story about old food. Someone had found 25-year-old mayonnaise that looked like caramel. Not good.

Later, I was reaching deep into my cupboards to see if any food had eluded us. Our cupboards came with the house and are not as functional as roll-out shelves. Unfortunately, I found a couple of items that were beyond their prime.

It’s not easy peering into the back of my shelves. Sometimes I wish I could shrink down to really explore my kitchen cabinets.

Let’s go on an imaginary voyage through a cupboard to learn about product dates and what happens during prolonged food storage. I’ll be the inspector and “Bill” will be the homeowner as we magically shrink to doll-size.

“Are you ready to inspect the food in your cupboards, Bill?” I ask.

“Sure, Julie,” he responds. “I haven’t looked closely at my food in a while.”

Soon, we’re tiny people climbing over cans in the cupboard, teeny flashlights in hand.

“Oh, boy. I found a four-year-old can of green beans,” he says. “I know because I marked the date on the can when I bought it.”

“Marking your date of purchase, along with looking at the date imprinted on the can, are good ideas,” I note.

Sometimes, the “closed” or “coded” date on canned food items tells when and where the food was processed.

He flips the can of green beans on its side, stands on it and begins rolling around. I get a little worried for his safety.

“Wait a second, Bill,” I say. “Low-acid, commercially canned food is fine up to five years as long as the can is intact, so roll the can to the front to use soon, and don’t fall off!”

Arrange your cupboards with the oldest food in front – a practice called “first in, first out.”

Bill moves the can to the front of the cupboard and looks around.

“Here’s a can of tomatoes I bought on the same day as the green beans. If the beans are good, are the tomatoes OK?” Bill asks.

“Unfortunately, acidic foods such as tomatoes and canned fruit have an 18-month shelf life for the best quality, according to the USDA,” I say.

Food loses quality with time. When opening the can, check if the acid has eroded the can lining, and inspect for unusual color, smell or texture changes.

“Does ‘Best by’ mean that the food is expired?” Bill asked as he looks up at a bottle of oil.

“‘Best by’ is a quality date, and ‘Sell by’ is a date for the store,” I note. “Only a few foods, such as baby food and formula, have actual expiration dates. Those foods should not be used past the date on the package for nutrition and safety reasons.”

“I’ve had some of these oils a long time,” he says. “This one is within the date on the package, but it’s open.”

He unscrews the cover on an olive oil bottle.

“Oof, that smells bad!” Bill exclaims, pinching his nose.

“That’s definitely rancid,” I say after catching a whiff, “so toss it and consider buying a smaller bottle next time.”

Sometimes, warm storage conditions like in a cupboard can cause the food to become rancid, even if it is within the “Best by” date.

As Bill does the sniff test on several more bottles of oil, I regret not bringing a mask.

We climb over a bag of rice and beans closer to the front of the cupboard. We see the bags are about 18 months old.

“Those are both fine for two years, often longer,” I say. “Brown rice has a shorter shelf life of up to six months. Brown rice can become rancid because it is a whole grain.”

“This is a lot to remember, Julie,” Bill notes.

“With current food prices, no one likes to waste food,” I say. “Luckily, North Dakota State University Extension has some resources to help.”

A printable Food Storage Guide is available on the NDSU Extension website. You can also download the FoodKeeper app from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services or view it online at https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app.

“Look what I found!” Bill says as he rolls a can of black beans and a jar of salsa in my direction.

“I’ll pop over to the freezer and grab a bag of frozen corn to make us a snack,” he grins.

Three-ingredient Salsa

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 (16-ounce) jar chunky salsa (your choice)

Mix all ingredients and serve with chips.

Makes 12 snack-size servings (1/4 cup per serving). A serving of salsa has 60 calories, 0 grams (g) fat, 3 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber and 370 milligrams sodium.