Why does modern stew last only 2 years, while in Soviet times it lasted many times longer?

According to the head of the meat processing plant, the reduction in shelf life is in no way related to the quality of the product itself.

The meat has nothing to do with it at all. It's all about the materials from which the packaging was made. Previously, stew was sealed in much thicker metal, which ensured better preservation of the meat product.

Gheorghita clearly demonstrated how the weight of an old Soviet can differs from a modern one — 69 grams versus 34 grams. This means the weight of the packaging has been halved.

Moreover, military stew from strategic reserves (most often mentioned in comments as proof of quality) was stored in special conditions — in oiled paper or paraffin and in wooden boxes, without paper labels. These were affixed separately, only after opening the box. In such conditions, stew could indeed be stored for a decade, although factories, in accordance with the state standards then in force (GOST 8284-84), set a shelf life of only 6 years.

Now, of course, no one stores stew under such conditions. Moreover, according to Gheorghita, up to 90% of stew nowadays is produced not in tin cans, but in glass containers. According to the director of the meat processing plant, it is bought much more willingly because people "don't trust" manufacturers at their word and "want to see for themselves — is there meat there or not."

Such glass packaging has a "weak spot" — the metal lid. It is precisely because of it that the shelf life is limited to two-three years; beyond that, the lid can oxidize and metal corrosion can begin, leading to a breach of the jar's airtightness and the meat spoiling.

By the way, that is why when buying stew, you should carefully inspect the can — both glass and metal. In case of mechanical damage to the metal packaging — severe dents — or the appearance of rust, the special protective layer inside may be damaged, so consuming stew from damaged packaging can be dangerous to health.

However, according to Gheorghita, for modern manufacturers, there is no problem with such "time limits" of new technologies. The director explained that in the absence of a shortage of meat products, buyers do not need to make such long-term reserves, and therefore manufacturers have no sense in trying to extend the shelf life of stew, which, most likely, will be eaten immediately after purchase.

"The filling is high-quality — I vouch for that. There's simply no task to store it for a long time," explained Gheorghita.

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