Expiration Dates Are Meaningless

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Pop, soda, etc., starts tasting pretty bad after the expiration date.

Yogurt, I ignore the date. Canned goods, kind of annoying that some people throw them out after they "expire." My kids are guilty of that. I told every one of our kids that canned goods don't expire and dates are new on those cans. It's just a weird thing, throwing out good food because it's supposedly expired.

With any perishable good, the main thing is breaking the seal on the product. Once you do that, spoilage inevitably follows.

Within that category, there are differences. Dairy products, particularly, have a finite life even if not opened. Other items, especially canned goods, will last far beyond expiration dates.

Dehydrated foods will last almost almost indefinitely if the package isn't opened, and will still keep for a long time after the package isn't opened as long as the food is kept dry. The residual moisture content of foods like ramen, potato flakes, mango slices, etc., is below the level needed for microbes. ("The food industry calls these "shelf stable" products..) The primary spoilage hazard for these foods are pests such as insects and vermin that don't spoil the product, but eat it.

Heck - I've used eggs that were three months "out of date". Egg shells are hermetic. As long as the egg doesn't smell rotten, it's probably OK to eat. Of course, there's a notable decline in quality from a fresh egg, but I don't toss edible food just because it isn't prime.

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I grew up in a family where, on occasion, the main course for dinner was ketchup sandwiches or pancakes because there wasn't any other food in the house. So for me, tossing out food that is edible, just because it is past the expiration date, is anathema. To talk about throwing out edible food just because it is not fresh and tasty is a very different concept from the world where I grew up and where I choose to live.

 

[ScoopKona]

As long as the egg doesn't smell rotten, it's probably OK to eat. Of course, there's a notable decline in quality from a fresh egg

Unless you're making hard boiled eggs or deviled eggs, and want easy-peel eggs. Then, older the better.

Anthony Bourdain's "How to Boil a Freakin' Egg" on page 69 of the Les Halles Cookbook (I'm pretty sure about the page, but cannot check) gives you the rest of "how to boil a freakin' egg" info.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Unless you're making hard boiled eggs or deviled eggs, and want easy-peel eggs. Then, older the better.

Anthony Bourdain's "How to Boil a Freakin' Egg" on page 69 of the Les Halles Cookbook (I'm pretty sure about the page, but cannot check) gives you the rest of "how to boil a freakin' egg" info.

My breakfast soft spot is two eggs, over very easy, served on top crisp grilled hashbrowns, with Tapatio or Cholula hot sauce. I find that with older eggs the yolk is more fragile, so I can't always make them over easy. But that's not enough of a problem to make me toss a carton of otherwise edible eggs.

 

[ScoopKona]

My breakfast soft spot is two eggs, over very easy, served on top crisp grilled hashbrowns, with Tapatio or Cholula hot sauce. I find that with older eggs the yolk is more fragile, so I can't always make them over easy. But that's not enough of a problem to make me toss a carton of otherwise edible eggs.

If I have older eggs around, I devil them. Nobody ever seems to mind. And they last about 11 seconds.

"Wanna eat six hard boiled eggs? Right now?"

[Censored] NO! What the [censored] are you thinking!?!?!?

"How about if I mix the yokes with mayo, mustard and pickles, squirt it back into the egg with a piping bag, and then top them with bacon bits?"

Oh! I can eat a dozen of those!

 

[JudyH]

After we lost the freezer contents in the hurricane because of 3 days without power, I bought some fresh steaks. Kept them in the fridge a few days. On the sell-by date I figured I better use them that night. The surface felt slick. They didn’t smell bad, they just didn’t small brand new. They were a bit gray in places. Dilemma there. I washed them off, seasoned them and grilled them. They tasted ok and better, we didn’t get sick.
But I won’t do that again. Not worth the worry.

 

[silentg]

I can remember when products didn’t have expiration dates on them. In the case of eggs, no one eats deviled eggs in my house but me. I also enjoy egg salad sandwiches. I have some yogurt in my fridge that has probably expired. If it smells funny, I’ll throw it away. Twinkies never go bad!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

If I have older eggs around, I devil them. Nobody ever seems to mind. And they last about 11 seconds.

"Wanna eat six hard boiled eggs? Right now?"

[Censored] NO! What the [censored] are you thinking!?!?!?

"How about if I mix the yokes with mayo, mustard and pickles, squirt it back into the egg with a piping bag, and then top them with bacon bits?"

Oh! I can eat a dozen of those!

Too much work. I'd just mix all of the ingredients to make an egg salad. Don't get me wrong - I love deviled eggs, as long as I don't have to make them!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Twinkies never go bad!

Bur for some of us, they never go good, either.

I still appreciate the time when I was able to separate myself from those types of goods - Twinkies, doughnuts, bear claws, apple fritters, HoHos, Bismarcks (those are jelly filled rolls for anyone not from Minnesota), churros, etc.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

In the case of milk in Hawaii, sometimes it's spoiled in the refrigerator at the store. That's what happens when food is shipped on barges and then hauled on trucks.

When we are in Hawai'i the only milk and eggs we purchase are island produced. They're fresher, and it supports island businesses.

 

[AnnaS]

I can remember when products didn’t have expiration dates on them. In the case of eggs, no one eats deviled eggs in my house but me. I also enjoy egg salad sandwiches. I have some yogurt in my fridge that has probably expired. If it smells funny, I’ll throw it away. Twinkies never go bad!

I always have yogurt home. Yogurt like many other items is fine past it's expiration date (within reason and do what you do/smell/taste a drop).

I did read in an article that if the yogurt has fruit on the bottom (you need to mix it before eating it), it does not lasts as long as the one that has the fruit in it/blended type of yogurts. I don't have that many in my refrigerator where the date goes past a week or two.

 

[rapmarks]

I left to go north July 24, forgetting to dump the milk out. I returned Nov 11, and when I poured the milk down the drain, it smelled and looked fine.

 

[rickandcindy23]

My sister has a small farm and a large chicken coop and sells eggs to various people. She sometimes has an overabundance of eggs and freezes them for use later on. I am sure she cracks them and seals them in airtight containers. I have never asked her method.

 

[ScoopKona]

Don't get me wrong - I love deviled eggs, as long as I don't have to make them!

This is where page 69 of the Les Halles cookbook and knowing to use old eggs makes all the difference.

I think they're basically effortless. The hardest part is scooping the yoke mixture out of the Robot Coupe and filling the piping bag. After that, it takes about 30 seconds.

Here's when deviled eggs are impossible: "I need deviled eggs for 40 people. I'll run to the store and buy eggs today."

Have fun with that. Those shells are never coming off. No matter what Internet trick this person in dire need of deviled eggs has read about making shells easier to peel. (Hint, they're all urban/internet myths. None of them make that much of a difference compared to time.)

 

[AwayWeGo]

I told every one of our kids that canned goods don't expire and dates are new on those cans.

I was of the opinion that canned goods were good indefinitely, unless the contents went bad & caused the top & bottom of a can to bulge, or rupture.

Then I encountered some over-age canned food that may still have been wholesome & non-dangerous, but it was definitely unpalatable. Yuck!

Still later, when we were cleaning out a kitchen, we discovered a few cans whose contents had completely dried, rattling around inside as in a gourd. The can sprang a leak. All the fluid leaked out. Then the green beans (or whatever) lost their moisture, leaving only some forlorn & long dried former beans inside.

My current opinion is that canned goods are most likely OK indefinitely, & certainly well past the expiration date, but not necessarily forever.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I was of the opinion that canned goods were good indefinitely, unless the contents went bad & caused the top & bottom of a can to bulge, or rupture.

Then I encountered some over-age canned food that may still have been wholesome & non-dangerous, but it was definitely unpalatable. Yuck!

Still later, when we were cleaning out a kitchen, we discovered a few cans whose contents had completely dried, rattling around inside as in a gourd. The can sprang a leak. All the fluid leaked out. Then the green beans (or whatever) lost their moisture, leaving only some forlorn & long dried former beans inside.

My current opinion is that canned goods are most likely good indefinitely, & certainly well past the expiration date, but not necessarily forever.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

One time I was investigating a leak in our pantry. At the far back of one of the shelves I came across a can of pineapple juice, 10 years past the use by date. The top and bottom of the can were bulged out by at least one-half inch each. The can had also sprung a leak at one point where the bottom of the can and the sidewall are joined.

It was apparent that contents had started fermenting and the CO2 build up inside was bursting the can.

 

[dago]

One time I was investigating a leak in our pantry. At the far back of one of the shelves I came across a can of pineapple juice, 10 years past the use by date. The top and bottom of the can were bulged out by at least one-half inch each. The can had also sprung a leak at one point where the bottom of the can and the sidewall are joined.

It was apparent that contents had started fermenting and the CO2 build up inside was bursting the can.

After only 10 years????

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

After only 10 years????

For me, the most interesting question is why did it start fermenting after so many years? Fermentation requires microbes, but if the microbes were there when the can was filled and sealed, why didn't it start fermenting sooner? Conversely, how after ten years, did microbes get into a sealed can?

 

[Patri]

In the prep for Y2K, I put a couple gallons of water in the pantry. Yes, they may have kept the family alive for a few whole days. Then I forgot about them. Eventually at least one leaked. It was slow, because the shelf absorbed the water and there was no puddle. Wish I could remember how long they sat there.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I have found that milk is tricky. Once the jug gets down to less than about 1/5 left, it often starts to smell "off" and so I pitch it. Milk is one thing that I just won't risk drinking and getting sick from.

At the beginning of Covid, I started doing the shopping. That means that I might buy something that my wife would not. One thing I found was Fairlife milk. Previously, we had milk that would go bad (smell, chunks, etc.). But Fairlife is ultra filtered (whatever that means) and typically has an expiration date of about 2 months in the future. Wow!! We buy fat free and find that Fairlife milk does NOT have a blue tinge, does not seem watery and it tastes great. When I compare the vitamins and health details on the label it seems better in a bunch of ways. If you've never tried it, I encourage you to try some.

 

[Rolltydr]

We’ve been drinking Fairlife for several years now. It’s the only brand we’ve ever used that doesn’t go bad. We love it.

 

[Timeshare Von]

At the beginning of Covid, I started doing the shopping. That means that I might buy something that my wife would not. One thing I found was Fairlife milk. Previously, we had milk that would go bad (smell, chunks, etc.). But Fairlife is ultra filtered (whatever that means) and typically has an expiration date of about 2 months in the future. Wow!! We buy fat free and find that Fairlife milk does NOT have a blue tinge, does not seem watery and it tastes great. When I compare the vitamins and health details on the label it seems better in a bunch of ways. If you've never tried it, I encourage you to try some.

Regarding Fairlife . . . I did stumble upon a similar product in Idaho back in September (see photos below). The thought of milk with a shelf life of over 3 months, sorta freaked me out when I realized it. I did drink it and it tasted alright . . . I just was concerned about "HOW" they could do that . . . especially not finding any preservatives on the bottle's ingredients list.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Regarding Fairlife . . . I did stumble upon a similar product in Idaho back in September (see photos below). The thought of milk with a shelf life of over 3 months, sorta freaked me out when I realized it. I did drink it and it tasted alright . . . I just was concerned about "HOW" they could do that . . . especially not finding any preservatives on the bottle's ingredients list.
View attachment 69910View attachment 69909

Most likely is packaged aseptically.

Aseptic processing - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rickandcindy23]

For whatever reason, those boxes of chocolate milk in cases at Costco scare me. I don't think milk should be boxed and stored on a shelf.

 

[clifffaith]

We tend to stand and marvel at the milk shelf in British grocery stores. Why is all this milk here instead of in a refrigerated case?! We had Russian students who couldn’t fathom that the carton of orange juice needed to go back in the refrigerator so it didn’t get that “old” taste.

 

[PigsDad]

In most places we have been in Mexico, all of the milk is in the box packaging (like big drink boxes) and NOT in the refrigerated section. Tasted just fine to us.

Kurt