The Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative board just approved extending the community outreach program through Oct. 22. We will continue helping the food-insecure residents every two weeks. Unfortunately, we expect our food distribution household numbers to start rising again since some unemployment benefits expire the end of July.

Some small businesses will not reopen, and their employees will not be returning to their jobs. Some people may be evicted from their housing rentals in August and September after the governmental rental moratorium is lifted. Some people still have not received any unemployment checks.

WCHI’s next food distribution is July 30. This week’s food needs include graham crackers or saltine crackers, Hamburger Helper, individual cereal boxes/cups, individual macaroni and cheese, individual oatmeal packets, large boxes of cereal, jelly, pasta/rice sides, peanut butter and ramen chicken noodles (blocks).

Food safety is extremely important to WCHI. Several board members are ServSafe certified, and WCHI is a member of Second Harvest Food Bank. Every year, Second Harvest has a mandatory hunger action workshop on civil rights and food safety training with all their member agencies. This year’s meeting was postponed because of COVID-19. I took a “Food Safety for Donated Foods” webinar, offered by Penn State Extension, July 27 to refresh my knowledge.

This article focuses on canned food safety. We all have looked at the date stamped on cans. Once the date is passed, it is not time to throw out the can. This is only true for baby formula. The formula does not have the nutritional value it had before the date and should be thrown out.

Canned foods do not have expiration dates. They have best by or use by dates. A best by date is the recommended time to use the product for the best physical and/or sensory quality. A use by date refers to the final days the product will be at its peak of freshness, flavor and texture. After this date, the quality of the food deteriorates, but it is still edible. Both of these dates above are recommended by the food manufacturer.

According to Can Manufacturers Institute, “Unlike the high spoilage rate of fresh products, steel food cans are like a vault - protecting food from air and light, sealing in freshness and nutrition and preventing spoilage.”

It is best to practice the first-in, first-out rule. In your pantry, group cans by type: vegetables, soup, meat, fish, etc. When you purchase new cans, store them in the back of your shelving group, and move cans with closer expiration dates toward the front.

The following paragraphs are from a July 17, 2019, United States Department of Agriculture article: “Store commercially canned foods and other shelf-stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes. If cans are in good condition (no dents, swelling or rust) and have been stored in a cool, clean, dry place, they are safe indefinitely.

“While extremely rare, a toxin produced by clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods.

“Never use food from containers that show possible botulism warnings: leaking, bulging or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. Even a minuscule amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly. Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods, such as tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time.

“Shelf-stable canned ham (such as Spam) lasts two to five years on the shelf. Low-acid canned goods include items such as canned meat and poultry, stews, pasta products and soups (except for tomato soup), as well as vegetables such as potatoes, corn, carrots, spinach, beans, beets, peas and pumpkin. According to the USDA, these canned goods will last for two to five years on the shelf after they’ve been canned. High-acidic canned goods include juices, tomatoes and fruit products (such as grapefruit, pineapple, apples, peaches, pears, plums and all berries), as well as pickles, sauerkraut and all foods treated with vinegar-based sauces or dressings. These foods are good for 12 to 18 months on the shelf. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.”

When it doubt, throw it out if you are unsure about the safety of any food.