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I just cooked a canned ham for my family. It was fully cooked, and I reheated it well. The problem is that we ate it and then I realized it was supposed to be refrigerated. I had kept it on the shelf. I thought the label meant it should be refrigerated after opening. What is the likelihood that we will all get sick from this? I didn't see or smell anything unusual about the canned ham, and I keep my home pretty cold. I think I have had the ham on the shelf in the pantry for approximately 1-2 months, give or take. Help?

Johnson
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    What tells you that it was supposed to be refrigerated prior to being opened? Please tell us the brand name, any "sell by" or "best by" dates on the label and anything on the label that says it's supposed to be refrigerated prior to opening. – Jolenealaska Jun 20 '14 at 01:46
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    Also, what country are you in? Are the words "Keep Refrigerated" on the label? – Jolenealaska Jun 20 '14 at 01:54
  • If it didn't smell bad or look "off" then you might be ok...More information about the product would be useful. – David Wilkins Jun 20 '14 at 18:46
  • @DavidWilkins The key word there is "might". – Jolenealaska Jun 20 '14 at 18:51
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    Bit worrying the OP hasn't been seen since asking this question. Hopefully they are not being violently ill as a consequence. – Martin Smith Jun 20 '14 at 20:23
  • @DavidWilkins See also: http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/45054/is-smell-a-bad-way-of-determining-whether-meat-is-still-good/45055#45055 – Jolenealaska Jun 22 '14 at 16:09
  • @jolenealaska while i stand educated about rancidity, the fact remains that the particular food in question here was already cooked. We can assume that those bacteria were eliminated and toxins created by them were minimal before the OP purchased it. Otherwise all canned ham would be suspect refrigerated or not. The fact also remains that if bacteria was able to enter after canning, so too could oxygen which would cause rancidity, funny smell, and off taste. I made no guarentee of safety, but advised that we would need more information to answer properly. – David Wilkins Jun 23 '14 at 01:04
  • @DavidWilkins The difference between ham labeled "keep refrigerated" and shelf stable ham is pasteurization vs sterilization. I agree that he *may* be OK, but if he's in the US and the label says "Keep Refrigerated", there is no other information that he could give us that would would allow us to say, "Oh, in that case you're alright." – Jolenealaska Jun 23 '14 at 01:13
  • @jolenealaska i think it safe to say that the OP knows by now better than any of us if it was ok. Hopefully the outcome is positive and at least someone has learned to heed the label – David Wilkins Jun 23 '14 at 03:32
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    @DavidWilkins Can't argue with that. I hope he comes back some day and tells us the end of the story. – Jolenealaska Jun 23 '14 at 03:36

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If the words "Keep Refrigerated" are on the label, and the ham was kept on the shelf for weeks or months, the only answer I can responsibly give is that you should call poison control: 1-800-222-1222 in the USA. If you're not in the USA, Google "Poison Control (your location)" or call a medical professional. Since you've already eaten it and we can't assure you that it was safe, it has become a medical issue - not a culinary one. We are not qualified to answer medical questions.

Canned hams labeled “keep refrigerated” require refrigeration and, unopened, will keep 6 to 9 months in the refrigerator. Processed at a time and temperature sufficient to kill infectious organisms (including Trichinae); however the ham is not sterilized so spoilage bacteria may grow. - USDA

Jolenealaska
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