|
Canned Good Shelf Life
And Stamped Code Decoder
by Gail Fialkow
The following grid will help you decipher those confusing codes on the tops and sides of canned,
boxed, bottled goods. Hint: set your page setup to print landscape.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brand/Item
|
Stamped Code
|
Decode Pattern
|
Canned Date
|
Approx Shelf Life
|
|
American Fare Canola Oil
|
139C8
|
JJJxY
|
05/19/98
|
12 months plus
|
|
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
|
|
|
|
indefinite
|
|
Bluebird OJ canned
|
ECCHO (see note 1)
|
MMDDY
|
01/12/98
|
24 months
|
|
Bush Bro. Beans
|
61071
|
MDDYx
|
06/10/97
|
36 months
|
|
Bush Bro. Chili
|
61071
|
MDDYx
|
06/10/97
|
24 months max
|
|
Campbell Soups
|
best used by date
|
|
|
18 - 24 months
|
|
Campbell V-8 Juice
|
best used by date
|
|
|
18 months
|
|
Capri Sun Juice pouches
|
8123
|
YJJJ
|
05/03/98
|
18 months
|
|
Carnation Breakfast Bars/Drink
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
9 months
|
|
Carnation Evaporated Milk
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
9 - 15 months
|
|
Carnation Instant Bkfst Powder
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
15 months
|
|
Carnation NonFat Dry Milk
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
12 months
|
|
Coffee - instant or brick
|
best used by date
|
|
|
12 months
|
|
Comstock Apples
|
2nd line 31238 time
|
xJJJY
|
05/03/98
|
36 months
|
|
Contadina Spaghetti Sauce
|
7268AC9G16C:52
|
YJJJxxxxxxx:xx
|
09/25/97
|
24 months plus
|
|
Contadina Tomato Products
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
24 months
|
|
Contandina Pizza Squeeze
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/67
|
18 months
|
|
Crisco
|
8068A
|
YJJJx
|
03/09/98
|
indefinite unopened
|
|
Crisco Butter Flavor
|
8068A
|
YJJJx
|
03/09/98
|
18 mo. unopened
|
|
Del Monte Fruits
|
6270V
|
YJJJx
|
09/26/96
|
30 months
|
|
Del Monte Vegetable
|
8179L
|
YJJJx
|
06/28/98
|
24 months
|
|
Dinty Moore Stew or Chili
|
108118
|
xMMDDY
|
08/11/98
|
60 - 96 months
|
|
Dole Canned Juices
|
best used by date
|
|
|
36 months
|
|
Fleischmans Yeast
|
best used by date
|
|
|
|
|
General Mills Wheat Flour
|
A715W1
|
QYDDxx
|
06/15/97
|
6 months
|
|
General Mills White Flour
|
B723W1
|
QYDDxx
|
07/23/97
|
15 months
|
|
Green Giant Corn or Peas
|
H7C21
|
QYxDD
|
08/21/97
|
36 months
|
|
Green Giant Green Beans
|
H7C21
|
QYxDD
|
08/21/97
|
24 months
|
|
Green Giant Mushrooms
|
H7C21
|
LYxDD
|
08/21/97
|
48 months
|
|
Hanover Canned Vegetables
|
76294
|
xYJJJ
|
10/20/96
|
24 months plus
|
|
Hormel Corned Beef
|
0802 05U3
|
XYMM DDxx
|
02/05/98
|
indefinite
|
|
Hormel Spam
|
108118
|
xMMDDY
|
08/11/98
|
60 - 96 months
|
|
Kellogg Cereals
|
best used by date
|
|
|
12 mo. past date
|
|
Kellogg Pop Tarts
|
x08117
|
xMMDDY
|
08/11/97
|
6 - 9 months
|
|
Libby Pumpkin or Pumpie mix
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
24 months
|
|
Libby Sauer Kraut
|
18M317
|
xYMxDD
|
18M317
|
18 months
|
|
Libby Vegetables
|
18M317
|
18M317
|
18M317
|
24 months
|
|
Libby's Canned Salmon
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
24 months
|
|
Mariani Prunes (@BJ's)
|
8157
|
YJJJ
|
06/06/98
|
12 months
|
|
Motts Apple Juice
|
WA80725
|
xxYMMDD
|
07/25/98
|
12 months
|
|
Motts Apple Sauce jar
|
WA80725
|
xxYMMDD
|
07/25/98
|
12 months
|
|
Nestle Juicy Juice
|
8214
|
YJJJ
|
08/02/98
|
most 14 months
|
|
Nestle Products - Candy
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
8 - 15 months
|
|
Ortega Salsas and Sauces
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
36 months
|
|
Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
18 months
|
|
Progresso Black Beans
|
L7N26
|
LYxDD
|
12/26/97
|
24 months
|
|
Progresso Soups
|
L7N26
|
LYxDD
|
12/26/97
|
36 months
|
|
Quaker Instant Oatmeal
|
8N08E3
|
YMDDxx
|
05/08/98
|
18 months
|
|
Ragu Pasta Sauces - jar
|
1st line last 4#'s
|
JJJY
|
1st line last 4#'s
|
24 months
|
|
Rumford Baking Powder
|
best used by date
|
|
|
18 months plus
|
|
Skippy Peanut Butter
|
1115M8
|
MMDDxY
|
11/15/98
|
24 months
|
|
Snackwell Granola Bars
|
8213
|
YJJJ
|
08/01/98
|
6 - 8 months
|
|
Star Kist Tuna
|
X177F (bottom line)
|
xJJJR
|
06/26/97
|
60 months
|
|
Sweet Success Powder
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
36 months
|
|
Sweet Sue ChknDump/Noodles
|
1st line last #=y
|
1st line last #=y
|
1st line last #=y
|
24 months
|
|
Toll House Morsels/bars/coco
|
7029WW1827
|
YJJJxxxxxx
|
01/29/97
|
24 months
|
|
Welches Grape Juice Plastic
|
8M24A
|
YxDDL
|
01/24/98
|
12 months
|
|
Welches Grape Jelly
|
8N04H21J
|
YxDDLxxx
|
08/04/98
|
12 months
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. Bluebird: c=1,h=2,a=3,I=4,n=5,s=6,t=7,o=8,r=9,e=0
Julian day Month Codes Year Codes
JJJ Month MM L Q Year Y R
001-031 Jan 1 A H 1996 6 E
032-059 Feb 2 B J 1997 7 F
060-090 Mar 3 C K 1998 8 G
091-120 Apr 4 D L 1999 9 H
121-151 May 5 E M
152-181 Jun 6 F A
182-212 Jul 7 G B
213-243 Aug 8 H C
244-273 Sep 9 I,J D
274-304 Oct 10 J,K E
305-334 Nov 11 K,L F
335-365 Dec 12 L,M G
Copyright notice: used with permission of Gail Fialkow.
This document may be printed and distributed freely so long as the author's name remains and no charge is made.
Get more! Buy Y2K Kitchen - The Book (703)262-0300 voice/fax
Connection Experts, PO Box 710540, Herndon, VA 20171
|
