Best before dates

As long as we're not hatching penicillin, dried or preserved goods keep going for years here.

Mind you, I did have a clear out of some of my herbs recently as I may as well have putting sawdust in my cooking. Not being able to tell whether something was tarragon or oregano or marjoram via the sniffing process meant it was time to ditch them

www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18644

It’s perfectly OK according Still Tasty

The acidity of vinegar makes it resistant to bacteria growth, after a best before date it may not taste so strong.

Consumables with a best before date are safe to eat but the taste may be different.

petra

My partner ( who does all the cooking) would consider those dates new 😂

As would I.

I use brown vinegar most days - doesn't last long here. I can appreciate others may not love Italian food and use less, but it's vinegar, fit for consumption.

My partner ( who does all the cooking) would consider those dates new 😂

Best by dates means that there might be changes in flavour or consistency after that date. IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SAFETY OF THE PRODUCT.

Vinegar is a preservative. Your basalmic vinegar could have a used by date of June 2000. It would still be completely safe to use. I have a bottle in my larder labelled 03 24. It will stay in my larder and I will eventually use it when the current bottle runs out, may be later this year. By the time I finish the spare bottle it will probably be 2027. It will be as safe to consume then as now - and I doubt there will be much change in flavour or texture.

Just checked….

Tesco Balsamic Vinegar, June 2018. Half used. Had a job getting the top off, but smells ok, ‘vinegary’.

Tesco Toasted Sesame Oil, July 2018. Also half used. Will taste it, and most probably use it.

Janal1

On the same theme ,i've got an unopened packet inside a tight lidded tin of Ahmad Earl Grey loose tea dated 2019,again advised by Ahmad to get rid.
Any thoughts?

Old tea won't do you any harm but it probably won't taste as good as when it was fresh. Try it and see!

ferry23

Allira

😂😂😂

You're older than I thought ferry23!

When I moved a year ago Allira, I finally got rid of a little pot of ground ginger which apparently cost 10d.

Yes that is "d" and not "p".

😀

I had a clear out recently but some things seemed to have crept back into the cupboards.

d what is this d of which you speak?

Thanks all.

On the same theme ,i've got an unopened packet inside a tight lidded tin of Ahmad Earl Grey loose tea dated 2019,again advised by Ahmad to get rid.
Any thoughts?

Allira

😂😂😂

You're older than I thought ferry23!

When I moved a year ago Allira, I finally got rid of a little pot of ground ginger which apparently cost 10d.

Yes that is "d" and not "p".

Jana I started using two tins of loose tea recently, which were bought in India in 2019. One is rose tea and the other white tea. I can still smell the roses 🌹

Um, I have a packet of loose Yorkshire tea dated 2016.
Now, does anyone remember the days when tea came in sacks and the grocer weighed it out into packets?
How old was some of thet?

If you don't fancy drinking it, tea is very good for cleaning mirrors and windows. (Without milk of course 😃)

On the same theme,i've got an unopened packet inside a tight lidded tin of Ahmad Earl Grey loose tea dated 2019,again was advised by Ahmad to get rid.
Any thoughts?

😂😂😂

You're older than I thought ferry23!

I won't even tell you the "best by" date on the bottle of eye wateringly expensive balsamic we infrequently use for salad dressings.

I reckon Mussolini was still in power when we bought it in Italy.

NotSpaghetti

I would use them. I'd taste them first if they weren't already "aged".
They are vinegar after all.

Don't forget everything has to have a "Best Before" date - even honey!

The honey found in the ancient Egyptian tombs was still edible. Not able to be sold because it had no use by date! 🍯

Thanks all.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, and I'd continue to use both!

Must check the dates on ours.

Tesco Organic Balsamic Vinegar - June 2023!

I would use them. I'd taste them first if they weren't already "aged".
They are vinegar after all.

Don't forget everything has to have a "Best Before" date - even honey!

Vinegar is a preservative, or so I thought.

Sainsbury's will tell you to dispose of it to be on the safe side but personally I'd use it, especially if neither has been opened.

I remember when I was a child, the vinegar often used to develop a 'mother' but we carried on using it.

Unless you use loads, I'd maybe dump the Sainsbury's one and use the Filippo Berio one.

Well each to their own but I would use them I don’t think I ve ever looked at dates on vinegar mines probably years old