Quote:
Originally Posted by Henryk
Hubby and I are having a ... uh, a discussion. He's cleaning out the refrig and wants to toss stuff with a past date. I say it isn't necessary for things like:
A-1 Sauce
Chicken soup base
Hot sauces
Ketchup
I say that even thought the label says "best by 2016" there are so many preservatives (read: salt) that they won't spoil. What do you think?
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That’s a good question. In my experience, many foods are good long after the arbitrary expiration date, especially condiments, but four years after? Maybe you don’t need it in your refrigerator. Why not toss it, safe or not? Make some room in there. Ground spices gradually lose their intensity of flavor. I’ve often used spices that are years old, but sometimes I have to use a lot more. Things like A-1, Hot Sauce, and Ketchup are often good several years after the expiration date. Smell them. However, ketchup (Catsup?) left on a shelf unopened, especially in light, may oxidize, turning a darker color. Sometimes that color is just on the surface, and a good shake hides it.
Canned goods are safe years after the expiration date, as long as the cans aren’t bulging, but the cells may eventually fall apart, so the texture becomes mushier. Mostly, expiration dates are more like “sell-by” dates—you don’t need to pay much attention to them. I buy a lot of food at what I call “bang and dent stores,” sometimes in dented cans, but usually simply with “sell-by” dates coming up soon or recently past. I may save 75%, and it tastes just fine. I buy pints of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for a dollar!
Oil can definitely go rancid. A few weeks ago a friend made me chicken picatta using olive oil she had kept in a lovely decorative bottle for years. I could smell it from the living room, and the taste was, um, unforgettable. We ended up tossing it all. If you are about to use some oil you rarely use, smell it first. If it doesn’t smell sweet and delicious and delicate, toss it. Don’t buy more until you need it, and don’t buy a big bottle.
Things like breakfast cereals, crackers, cookies often get rancid. I’ve often opened something like that and found that it smelled off. This may be long after it’s expiration date, though. I’ve also found tiny spiders in flour I’ve had for several years in a sealed container.
Most drugs are good for at least 15 years after the expiration date.
Here’s an article on the topic from Wikipedia. The final paragraph deals with drugs.
Expiration date - Wikipedia
Here is what Consumer Reports says. Lots of good info here!
How to Extend Food Expiration Dates - Consumer Reports