When Hans Feldmeier received a tub of lard in 1948 as part of the the United State's post-war aid program, the German student knew he'd probably never crack the lid. Nevertheless, his instincts told him not to throw it away and he kept the tub in his emergency food stash for the next 64 years.
Now Feldmeier, an 87-year-old retired pharmacist from Rostock, Germany, has discovered his intuition was correct: He recently took the lard to food safety experts, who deemed it safe to eat, Agence France-Presse reports.
"There is of course a slight lack of smell and taste," food safety agent Frerk Feldhusen told the AFP, adding that, "all in all, given its level of freshness and its material composition, the product is assessed as satisfactory."
According to the BBC, Feldmeier took the can to be tested in order to settle a debate about food safety and expiration dates. Interestingly, Feldmeier's can did not have an expiration date printed anywhere on the packaging.
Officials said the lard survived in satisfactory condition in part because of its air-tight can and preservatives, according to German newspaper The Local.
According to the paper, millions of cans of "Swift's Brand Lard" were distributed across Germany after World War II as part of relief packages which included powdered milk, cheese and sugar, among other items.
Feldmeier said he couldn't imagine parting with the "beautiful" can after all these years and demanded that officials return it immediately after testing.
Officials granted the request, returning the can to Felmeier, but without the lard inside.