No matter how much you know about cooking, having a well-stocked spice cabinet is the best way to make your food taste better. Spices do have expiration dates on their containers, but people still use them after the date has passed. So, are spices still good after their expiration date? If so, how long do spices last after the date they were made?
Dried herbs and spices don’t really “go bad” or “expire” in the usual way. When spices go bad, it just means that they have lost most of their taste, strength, and colour. Taking old spices isn’t likely to make you sick, though.
Let’s learn more about the spices and what to do with them after they’ve gone bad.
How long do spices last after the expiration date?
On the packaging of many spices, there are “best-by” dates that show how long it takes for them to lose their best smell and taste. Dried herbs and spices don’t really “go bad” or “expire” in the usual way.
Spice can change in taste, strength, and colour, and when it does, you can tell. Good news: a bad spice is not enough to make you sick.
Dry herbs and spices that are past their prime can still be used safely, but they won’t have the same flavour impact as fresh ones.
If you don’t know how long you’ve had your spices, you can tell if they need to be thrown out by how they taste and smell. Get some and crush it in the palm of your hand. If the smell and taste aren’t very good, throw them away and get new ones.
How long do different spices stay good after their expiration dates?
Each type of spice has a different shelf life that depends on how it is stored and if it is ground or left whole. Here are some general rules about the shelf life of spices:
- Ground spices are best in the first three months after they are bottled.
- Whole spices taste best in the first ten months after they are bottled.
- Spices that have been ground keep most of their flavour for two to three years.
- Three to four years is enough time for whole spices to keep most of their taste.
- Mixtures of spices keep most of their taste for about two years.
- Dried herbs with leaves keep most of their flavour for one to three years.
- Seeds keep most of their flavour for about four years.
- Fresh spices keep most of their taste for about a week.
- Salt is the only seasoning that will always taste the best.
Can Old Spices Still Be Used?
A lot of spices don’t go bad like other foods do. So the date on most spices and herbs is more of a suggestion than a rule, except for fresh spices and herbs that can get mouldy.
Spices and herbs don’t go bad, but after their “best by” date, they may lose some of their taste and colour. Once you reach that level, they are safe to use, but they may not give your food the taste you want.
Can spices that have gone bad make you sick?
No, your bad spices that don’t taste good won’t make you sick. Even though your spices may not be good, they have not gone bad. The date on the bottle helps you keep track of freshness (remember, freshness = flavour), but you can technically still use a spice after the expiration date has passed.
Because they are dried, spices don’t keep any water, so they never go bad. They can’t grow mould or bacteria, so they won’t make you sick.