ironpony Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) I got some as a gift but haven't used them all yet, and it's been a few years. The ones I haven't used have never been opened, but how long do they last? Edited March 26, 2020 by ironpony Link to post Share on other sites
preraph Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Pretty sure not that long. Everything should have an expiration date written on it somewhere. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
The Outlaw Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Depends on what it is. Hot sauce has a few years but I'm not sure about everything else. Link to post Share on other sites
basil67 Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 If it's unopened, the colour looks good and it still has flavour then it's fine. If it's opened but not mouldy and tastes OK, then eat it. The only exception being sauces which are organic or preservative free. I did recently discover that ancient Hot English Mustard loses it's heat after years in the pantry. Link to post Share on other sites
alphamale Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 throw it all out ironpony...we wouldn't want you to get food poisoning on top of coronavirus Link to post Share on other sites
major_merrick Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 If it is unopened, it can be good for many years past the printed date. The higher the pepper content or the more sour the sauce is, the less likely it is to spoil. Hot sauce and mustard last forever. Dairy, mayo, and ranch not so much. Check the bottle first. If packaging is intact, open it. If the color and the smell are good, then taste test - one small drop on your tongue. If it tastes good, then swallow and wait 24 hours for results. I grew up doing this method, as food was sometimes scarce and my husband's family stored things long past their "best by" dates. I hate wasting things. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author ironpony Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 (edited) Oh okay thanks. No date on it. I have torn that part off, when I opened the box back then a few years ago. However, does bottled stuff last as good as cans? My friend opened a can of soup that his great Aunt had in her house, after she died a few years ago, and the can was from 1962, and he ate it and he was fine. So is bottled stuff as good as cans therefore? Edited March 27, 2020 by ironpony Link to post Share on other sites
Ellener Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 22 hours ago, ironpony said: the can was from 1962, and he ate it and he was fine. why would you even? Link to post Share on other sites
Ellener Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 I really got into this topic, this is from the BBC: 'Perhaps the most famous single example of a long-lasting processed food is the last McDonald’s Big Mac in Iceland. The last Big Mac ever sold, before the fast food chain closed its only restaurant in the country in 2009, is still on display. While wilted and pale, mould has not set in. The owners of the Big Mac are hardly following Sulu’s food-preservation advice to a tee. The burger is kept in a glass box, limiting the amount of air that it is exposed to, but other than that it would appear the only preservatives keeping it mould-free are the ones it was made with.' 🍔 Link to post Share on other sites
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