Others discard after 5–7 years to avoid any risk at all.
Most agree: Your health is worth more than the contents of an old jar.
🧑🍳 If You Were to Use Them (Hypothetically):
If you were to risk it (again, not recommended), a common approach includes:
Inspect the jar carefully.
Smell check after opening.
Bring contents to a rolling boil for at least 10 minutes.
Use in fully cooked recipes: soups, stews, casseroles.
👩⚕️ Bottom Line:
After 17 years, the risk of botulism outweighs the benefit — especially since you can’t detect it by smell or sight. As tough as it is to waste food, in this case, safety comes first.
Would you like advice on re-canning or long-term food storage for the future? Or a safe way to dispose of them?
