For what it's worth.

Found a cardboard container of Campbell's Cream of Broccoli soup (do they still make them anymore?) with a "USE BY" date of August 2010, hiding in the back of the top shelf of one of my food stash cupboards, and decided to see if it was still good. No bulging of the container, opened it up and gave it the "SNIFF" test, heated it up, threw in a few saltine crackers, and enjoyed it. Not bad at all for being four years past the "USE BY" date. I'll buy some more if they still make them! If I remember correctly, they also made other flavors of this type of soup, my favorite was the squash soup.

For what it's worth.