Is an unopened can of COKE in a cache food?

July 9, 2002

First let me say that I have never put a can of Coke or Pepsi in a cache and do not intend to, BUT, this question has come up from time to time.

Is an unopened can of Coke considered a food and need to be removed from a cache?

Please feel free to comment... Thanks

July 9, 2002

I would be afraid that if it got too hot in the cache, the coke would explode, leaving a sticky, gooey mess!

Bowsprite

PS...See Spot was a great cache...Thanks for a fun hunt!

July 9, 2002

Any liquid placed in a cache could freeze and potentially break the container that holds it. I would say "NO" to any liquid placed in a cache. Of course there are exceptions. A bottle of water could be placed in a popular cache during the warmer months, but the cache owner should check on it before it gets cold.

3.1k · July 9, 2002

Well an opened can is certainly food.

I've been shocked at how many caches have bottles of water in them and so far the ones that spent the winter were just fine. I really thought they would all freeze and split open. But I haven't seen any of them open up due to the cold.

So I don't know anything.

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

3.1k · July 9, 2002

Well an opened can is certainly food.

I've been shocked at how many caches have bottles of water in them and so far the ones that spent the winter were just fine. I really thought they would all freeze and split open. But I haven't seen any of them open up due to the cold.

So I don't know anything.

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

July 9, 2002

I like the poll results...not a single undecided among us!

ApK

July 9, 2002

I like the poll results...not a single undecided among us!

ApK

20.7k · July 9, 2002

I would say no to coke because heat or cold can make it leak.

However, I would say bottled water is fine. Most water bottles (with the exception of those made by the two soda giants) are made with accordian-like wrinkles that allow the bottle to expand slightly if the pressure increases due to freezing or heating (not melt-the-bottle hot).

I've often tossed bottles of water in the freezer before a trip. The water stays chilly longer, and will help keep other stuff in the cooler cold.

July 9, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:
I would say no to coke because...(snip)...

I've often tossed bottles of water in the freezer before a trip. The water stays chilly longer, and will help keep other stuff in the cooler cold.

SBell111,

Again, I am impressed by your knowledge! I never though of that (freezing the water bottle before starting.)

You're right, that would help the other contents stay cold longer and would make the water bottle much better!

I am going to add this to my little bag of geocaching tricks!!

Thanks for another excellent suggestion (I love these boards! About every couple hundred posts I read, something really helpful or interesting actually surfaces!)

--majicman

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

July 9, 2002

Frozen aluminum soda cans do not split or explode- stick one in your freezer and see (no, it's not a trick). A glass bottle with a metal crown or cap will blow its top and make a mess, however- stick a beer bottle in your freezer for too long and you'll have slush to clean up- (listen to the voice of experience []).

I don't think an aluminum can could get hot enough to explode in a cache. I've never heard of cans exploding in hot cars or in the Arizona sun or anything like that. If they did, someone would have already sued the pants off Coca-Cola and cans would be covered with warning labels []

July 9, 2002

Frozen aluminum soda cans do not split or explode- stick one in your freezer and see (no, it's not a trick). A glass bottle with a metal crown or cap will blow its top and make a mess, however- stick a beer bottle in your freezer for too long and you'll have slush to clean up- (listen to the voice of experience []).

I don't think an aluminum can could get hot enough to explode in a cache. I've never heard of cans exploding in hot cars or in the Arizona sun or anything like that. If they did, someone would have already sued the pants off Coca-Cola and cans would be covered with warning labels []

1.1k · July 9, 2002

Since it is mostly sugar, during the canning process some cola residue may end up on the outside of the can. Bears and other woodland creatures can smell that sweetness from far away.

And yes, the carbonation in coke in the heat will expand and explode when jarred (after being in the hot sun for some time. I have seen this). Freezing will warp a can and it may split, so in the spring you have a sugary confection for a logbook. After a long period of time the coke will even eat through the can and leak as well. A past geocacher created a time capsule once with a can of coke in it. The coke can split and destroyed the contents of the time capsule.

Not to mention eating or drinking something from a container in the woods isn't a wise idea.

So no, I don't think coke is a good idea.

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

July 9, 2002

Coca-Cola, prepare to get de-pantsed!

I agree it's not a good item for a cache, BTW.

38.2k · July 9, 2002

I've seen cans pop open when frozen and though I doubt it would get hot enough in a cache for one to do so, I've also seen cans pop open in extreme heat.

With all the possible items out there that can be placed in a cache, why even consider items that MIGHT cause a problem?

1.6k · July 9, 2002

I have placed a couple of factory-sealed water bottles in plastic bags in two of my caches as they are in areas where water is not readily available and I thought I would be kind to leave some. Is this not allowed?

20.7k · July 9, 2002

While water is technically food, I suppose, I think that it is appropriate for caches. It is unlikely to burst and it doesn't have the yummy smell that would attract cache-plundering wildlife.

July 9, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Team Screamapillar:
Frozen aluminum soda cans do not split or explode- stick one in your freezer and see (no, it's not a trick). A glass bottle with a metal crown or cap will blow its top and make a mess, however- stick a beer bottle in your freezer for too long and you'll have slush to clean up- (listen to the voice of experience []).

I don't think an aluminum can could get hot enough to explode in a cache. I've never heard of cans exploding in hot cars or in the Arizona sun or anything like that. If they did, someone would have already sued the pants off Coca-Cola and cans would be covered with warning labels []

An aluminum can will definitely burst open if frozen. About once a month, we have to clean up the office fridge because some dingleberry put a can in the freezer and forgot about it.Fortunately, can-popping is not as common as it once was because, like water bottles, the cans now have a built-in expansion factor. The bottoms of the can curve inwards and has room to expand outwards some when frozen. Still, if it freezes solid, it's gonna blow. I have seen aluminum beer cans explode from heat, but this was under extreme heat -a fire.

Ever notice everybody is willing to give THEIR 2 cents worth but only offer a penny for YOUR thoughts?

July 9, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Team Screamapillar:
Frozen aluminum soda cans do not split or explode- stick one in your freezer and see (no, it's not a trick). A glass bottle with a metal crown or cap will blow its top and make a mess, however- stick a beer bottle in your freezer for too long and you'll have slush to clean up- (listen to the voice of experience []).

I don't think an aluminum can could get hot enough to explode in a cache. I've never heard of cans exploding in hot cars or in the Arizona sun or anything like that. If they did, someone would have already sued the pants off Coca-Cola and cans would be covered with warning labels []

An aluminum can will definitely burst open if frozen. About once a month, we have to clean up the office fridge because some dingleberry put a can in the freezer and forgot about it.Fortunately, can-popping is not as common as it once was because, like water bottles, the cans now have a built-in expansion factor. The bottoms of the can curve inwards and has room to expand outwards some when frozen. Still, if it freezes solid, it's gonna blow. I have seen aluminum beer cans explode from heat, but this was under extreme heat -a fire.

Ever notice everybody is willing to give THEIR 2 cents worth but only offer a penny for YOUR thoughts?

1.4k · July 9, 2002

I've also seen a soda can explode in my car. Someone left it in the glove compartment and one day it blew. The car wasn't moving and it was pretty hot. I would think that an ammo can get pretty hot in the summer here in the northeast.

Also I don't think many people eat or drink things they find in a park or the woods.

====================================

As always, the above statements are just MHO.

====================================

5.2k · July 9, 2002

Check out Kingtriton's entry for this cache. It is in the Sacramento, California area where recent daytime temperatures have been hitting triple digits

Lil Devil

5.2k · July 9, 2002

Check out Kingtriton's entry for this cache. It is in the Sacramento, California area where recent daytime temperatures have been hitting triple digits

Lil Devil

7.4k · July 9, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Team Screamapillar:

Frozen aluminum soda cans do not split or explode- stick one in your freezer and see (no, it's not a trick).

I beg to differ! Here is a link to a photo taken of a Pepsi can left in the bed of my truck overnight on a Montana snowmobiling expedition.

Granted, it got to -41° F that night, but that is not unheard of in remote mountain locations.

Moun10Bike's Geocaching Pages

July 9, 2002

Maybe the lower freezing temp of alcohol is what prevents beer cans from rupturing in a freezer when soda cans might?? I have seen frozen soda cans bulging in freezers (and breaking their seals now that I think of it), while beer cans don't get distended so much.

I wonder what influence carbonation has on the frozen can phenomenon?

BTW, I also like to geocache when I'm not playing with my food..[]

July 9, 2002

Maybe the lower freezing temp of alcohol is what prevents beer cans from rupturing in a freezer when soda cans might?? I have seen frozen soda cans bulging in freezers (and breaking their seals now that I think of it), while beer cans don't get distended so much.

I wonder what influence carbonation has on the frozen can phenomenon?

BTW, I also like to geocache when I'm not playing with my food..[]

July 9, 2002

Hot soda cans are more succeptible to puncture as well. Just ask anyone who has filled a pop machine with warm cans. You touch the can to an edge somewhere that may be sharp and it will puncture and spray all over with very little effort.

M-D-M Explorations

MrSki and DogMa

40º 07.874'N

88º 11.647'W

July 9, 2002

When I frist started geocashing I thought it was kind of nice to leave a bottle of factory sealed water. I've since changed my mind. I would never drink or eat anything left in a cache. Not that I distrust geocachers. However the cache could have been found non-cacher, water or anything else could have been tampered with.

Byron

July 9, 2002

I don't think that anything that can get hot and spray the inside of the cache or anything that can freeze and then leak out of its container should be put into a cache. Either case can ruin everything in the cache. No soda, water, bubble liquid, shampoo, lotion, etc.

July 9, 2002

quote:
Team Screamapillar said: I've never heard of cans exploding in hot cars or in the Arizona sun or anything like that.

Others have mentioned the cold, I'll mention the heat.

NEVER leave a Coke in the car for an entire afternoon when it's 110+. Especially when it's your wife's car.

July 9, 2002

quote:
Team Screamapillar said: I've never heard of cans exploding in hot cars or in the Arizona sun or anything like that.

Others have mentioned the cold, I'll mention the heat.

NEVER leave a Coke in the car for an entire afternoon when it's 110+. Especially when it's your wife's car.

July 9, 2002

I have seen cokes explode from being too hot, course I have seen them explode from being too cold also. I left a coke in my truck one time during the winter and it got really cold that night. Needless to say it was a mess.....

I think I would pass on the coke, and stick to leaving bottled water as a beverage of choice.

Just my opinion though,

Rusty

RW Da Man!!!

20.7k · July 9, 2002

Coke is not food. However, it is a nasty sugary liquid that is inappropriate for a cache.

Was that a choice?

July 9, 2002

I think it was Diet Coke. It was super bloated, like a can that got overheated would be. We took it out and fed a sagebrush with it, it didn't explode but I wouldn't have drank any of it. Besides the possibility of exploding or leaking.. it is a heavy and LARGE cacheable. Can't fit much else in there, especially if it is a little tupperware container like that one was. I wouldn't eat or drink anything out of a cache.

Actually... wrong.. I did once.. a space food ice cream sandwich.. tasted pretty good, for a dried cake of foam! But it was sealed and vacuum packed (for the astronauts of course) and so I didn't worry. Not sure I would do the same thing twice. That was about 50 caches ago

July 9, 2002

I think it was Diet Coke. It was super bloated, like a can that got overheated would be. We took it out and fed a sagebrush with it, it didn't explode but I wouldn't have drank any of it. Besides the possibility of exploding or leaking.. it is a heavy and LARGE cacheable. Can't fit much else in there, especially if it is a little tupperware container like that one was. I wouldn't eat or drink anything out of a cache.

Actually... wrong.. I did once.. a space food ice cream sandwich.. tasted pretty good, for a dried cake of foam! But it was sealed and vacuum packed (for the astronauts of course) and so I didn't worry. Not sure I would do the same thing twice. That was about 50 caches ago

2k · October 5, 2004

I don't think diet Coke is food. The closest it comes to food is when it rolls by the farm in a semi. But it still shouldn't be in caches.

9.4k · October 5, 2004

You're about 2 years late for this discussion.

1.3k · October 5, 2004

You're about 2 years late for this discussion.

Not only this discussion but also the other long inactive threads concerning food in caches that you decided to bump up.... I count at least 5 others besides this thread.

Why not start a new thread with links to the old discussions?

You can prove a point without bringing up so many old threads....

sd

2k · October 5, 2004

...
Why not start a new thread with links to the old discussions?

...

sd

Some how your logic escapes me.

October 5, 2004

Yeah, what's with that? How aggravating.

1.3k · October 5, 2004

...
Why not start a new thread with links to the old discussions?

...

sd

Some how your logic escapes me.

You obviously have some issue with food and caches.

I cannot figure out the logic of bumping up threads that are months and even years old (and have been inactive for that long as well).

If you have an issue, start a thread and then post links so others can see what has already been seen about it - if you feel there's something worth pointing out...??

Like I said - I see little logic in what you did

sd

2k · October 5, 2004

...
Why not start a new thread with links to the old discussions?

...

sd

Some how your logic escapes me.

...

If you have an issue, start a thread and then post links so others can see what has already been seen about it ...

sd

But why would starting a new discussion be better than re-starting an old one?

if you feel there's something worth pointing out...??

I was pointing out how many threads there are about food in caches (two pages) and how long the discussion has been going on (years) and how little the arguments have changed in all that time. I'm sorry if it causes a problem.

Lets just let this topic drift off the page like it would have already if we weren't posting to it. Okay? <_<

October 5, 2004

But why would starting a new discussion be better than re-starting an old one?

Restarting a half dozen old ones all about the same topic? That's excessive.

2k · October 5, 2004

But why would starting a new discussion be better than re-starting an old one?

Restarting a half dozen old ones all about the same topic? That's excessive.

.....
Lets just let this topic drift off the page like it would have already if we weren't posting to it. Okay?

October 6, 2004

Haven't you ever heard of markwelling, dude?

5.3k · October 6, 2004

First let me say that I have never put a can of Coke or Pepsi in a cache and do not intend to, BUT, this question has come up from time to time.<BR><BR>Is an unopened can of Coke considered a food and need to be removed from a cache?<BR><BR>Please feel free to comment... Thanks

i do not think anyone would consider coke food , but just the same.

Coke should not be put into a cache.

3k · October 6, 2004

I used to work in the semiconductor industry and we used Phosporic acid to etch aluminum. Look at the ingredients on Coke. Yup. Phosphoric acid, in an aluminum can. Go figure.

BTW, this goes for Pepsi too.

I've also heard if you put a tooth in a glass of coke, it will be gone in the morning. But by the time I heard about that, all my baby teeth had long fallen out, and I'm not willing to give up one of my adult teeth to try it.

Edited October 6, 2004 by Planet

2.3k · October 6, 2004

I used to work in the semiconductor industry and we used Phosporic acid to etch aluminum. Look at the ingredients on Coke. Yup. Phosphoric acid, in an aluminum can. Go figure.

BTW, this goes for Pepsi too.

I've also heard if you put a tooth in a glass of coke, it will be gone in the morning. But by the time I heard about that, all my baby teeth had long fallen out, and I'm not willing to give up one of my adult teeth to try it.

Aww... come on you got plenty of other teeth left. Just take one of the front ones out so that it won't effect your chewing!

2.1k · October 6, 2004

while I don't think putting coke in a cache is a good idea in general - let me add this tidbit.

Coke is very acidic. Cans are soft aluminum - and VERY thin.

I have put cans in storage an forgetten about them. At about 6 months they start to get pin holes in the cans and leak all over. Have you ever had to clean up a sticky mess that has had time to dry, soak the wood of the cabinets, soak other items on and below the shelf, etc.?

It sucks let me tell you!

Do you want that in your cache?

thought not!

Edited October 6, 2004 by CompuCash

October 7, 2004

Is an unopened can of Coke considered a food and need to be removed from a cache?

Yes.

9.4k · October 7, 2004

Do as I say, not as I do, eh?

Since this is an old topic not worth repeating, I'm locking it, but first I leave you a link to a snopes piece about the acidity of Coke. Hopefully you are now informed.

Is an unopened can of COKE in a cache food?

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