A 35-year-old can of sweetcorn has been donated to a food bank in Wales, leaving curious managers in disbelief when they decided to open the tin and reveal its contents.
The can of Green Giant Niblets sweetcorn, donated to Cardiff food bank, was too old to give to people to eat.
But video shows one food bank worker, named Helen Bull, opening the can to determine whether that was true.
Opening the tin, which cost a total of 8p at the time of its sale, the corn niblets remain a surprising yellow. But their typical sweet smell has been replaced with a ‘metallic smell’, according to Ms Bull.
Canned food items like vegetables can typically last one of two years past their expiry date, but food banks typically accept canned food items only six months past expiration.
Cardiff food bank says it’s not the first time they’ve received ageing items.
In the video, Ms Bull said: ‘Sometimes we do get out-of-date items donated. It could be because a family member has died and cupboards have been cleared, or it’s harvest and people empty the back of the cupboards without checking the dates.’
Using a can opener, Ms Bull reveals what looks like a perfectly edible tin of sweet corn and she tips the contents into a pot to find out.
Helen Bull, pictured, of the Cardiff Food Bank decides to open the 35-year-old donated can of sweetcorn
A hissing sound comes out of the can of sweetcorn when Helen Bull of the Cardiff Food Bank opens it, pictured
Opening the tin, which cost a total of 8p at the time of its sale, the corn niblets remain a surprising yellow, pictured
But upon taking a strong whiff of the pot, Ms Bull soon discovers that the corn has gone bad.
‘That is not something that I would recommend anybody ate,’ she said.
The can of Green Giant Niblets sweetcorn cost a total of 8p in 1982 when it was sold. Cardiff Food Bank says they get donations of expired items all the time
Someone even donated this 50-year-old Heinz kidney soup, pictured, to the Cardiff Food Bank, which cost 10p at the time of its sale
This 50-year-old can of kidney soup, pictured, costing 10p at the time of its sale, has now been discontinued
She added: ‘People are kind in donating food to us, but perhaps not the out-of-date ones.’
The food bank once had a donation of a tin of kidney soup that was at least 46-years-old.
Heinz, the makers of the then 10p soup product, tweeted: ‘Wow! That soup was discontinued over 35 years ago. Should be in a museum rather than a food bank!’