Expiration Dating

[marvholly]

Ran into this article on the shelf life of common household items: shopping.aol.com/articles/2011/01/12/shelf-life/?ncid=AOLCOMMshopDYNLprim0001&icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl6|sec1_lnk3|197744. Considering most of us are stockpilers I found it interesting. Appears they forgot things like deodorant, shampoo, TP & tissues. Also, I know from studies at my former work that bleach is actually good 6-12 months, I have shave cream that is >7 y/o and experience tells me soy sauce & pasta are good MUCH longer. I do agree about the nail polish.

I know both my daughters do not understand that the date on milk is the sell by date-ie the difference between sell by and use by dates. They toss any left by the marked date.

[Deleted]

Off topic - when I first read the title to this thread, I was expecting advice as to know when to cut and run on a new relationship. I think I've been single too long.

On topic: Other than milk - where, I am like marvholly's kids and tend to ditch it on the sell by date - I'm much more concerned about how long something has been open rather than how old it is. For most stuff, I don't think the clock starts ticking until I break the original seal.

The "if you haven't eaten it in 18 years" remark hit a little close to home - I was eyeing some jello in the back of my cupboard that I'm pretty sure I had when I moved into my condo. I'm sure it is still safe to eat, but it may be time to face the reality that I don't really like jello.

[Deleted]

"I was eyeing some jello in the back of my cupboard that I'm pretty sure I had when I moved into my condo. I'm sure it is still safe to eat, but it may be time to face the reality that I don't really like jello."

LMAO Karma for you ;D

I don't worry about dry goods at all, I don't go past a year canned goods or frozen foods and I check fresh meat and produce carefully.

[Gardening Grandma]

We periodically review and toss things pass the expiration date. Even if it won't kill you, it does lose flavor. And it reminds me of my (sweet, loveable) late MIL who kept stuff in her refrigerator well past expiration dates. She was always complaining about "digestive" issues. Well, duh!

[kimber45]

The "if you haven't eaten it in 18 years" remark hit a little close to home

Read more: www.notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=smartspending&action=display&thread=2464#ixzz1CLgTjFp4

me too. I cleaned out my pantry one day and I still had baby food in it (DS was about 16 at the time).

DH is a date watcher. Me not so much. I will periodically go through and toss expired stuff. When I buy, I do look at the date. If my milk is past the date, I do the "sniff" test before I throw it

[gawgagranny]

Okay, my Smart Spending sisters (and brothers)---a friendly public service announcement from your neighborhood pharmacist:

Please do NOT ignore the expiration dates on any medications, including over the counter items like aspirin, cough meds, etc.....those dates are there for a reason, and some medications become dangerous as they start to "decompose". The expiration date on the label is when it is guaranteed to still be safe and to still be the labeled strength.

[The J]

Off topic - when I first read the title to this thread, I was expecting advice as to know when to cut and run on a new relationship. I think I've been single too long.

I had the same thought....I spend too much time on EE

For dried and canned goods, I generally don't worry about it. However, if something's been there for 10 years, I would worry -- something that lasts that long can't be good for you from the getgo.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I have a seriously compromised immune system, so I don't eat most things past the Best By or Sell By date, actually ~ but I realize that's a quirk that I have since I just don't want to risk getting super sick super easily. The only exception for me? I buy a lot of overpriced "bagged" fresh veggies once they are near/at their so-called "sell by" date because I can see that they are just fine ... and so I pay about 25 cents on the dollar for these fresh veggies from my favorite independent grocery store. (It's shocking that they sell a small bag of haricot verts for $4, but I have no qualms buying it for $1 and using it within 24-48 hours. I do this with romaine hearts, broccoli florets, etc..... it's a great way to stretch my fresh veggies budget!)

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 28, 2011 15:37:19 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

I have a seriously compromised immune system, so I don't eat most things past the Best By or Sell By date, actually ~ but I realize that's a quirk that I have since I just don't want to risk getting super sick super easily. The only exception for me? I buy a lot of overpriced "bagged" fresh veggies once they are near/at their so-called "sell by" date because I can see that they are just fine ... and so I pay about 25 cents on the dollar for these fresh veggies from my favorite independent grocery store. (It's shocking that they sell a small bag of haricot verts for $4, but I have no qualms buying it for $1 and using it within 24-48 hours. I do this with romaine hearts, broccoli florets, etc..... it's a great way to stretch my fresh veggies budget!)

I buy the discount veggies too! I only buy what I can reasonably use in the next 3-4 days, then store it in green bags when I get home. Sometimes the produce will stretch another week or so in those bags. I was skeptical about those green produce bags at first, but they really do work! I love them!

[oreo]

I have some shampoo and conditioner that I'm using that I think I bought in the 80s (found a box of it recently) and it seems to work just fine. What would go "bad" with it? Maybe it is "bad" and I just don't know it?

[cronewitch]

I bought gallons of my favorite shampoo and conditioner from Costco once they stopped having it in all the stores. I had to go to about 6 Costcos to find it. The last couple of gallons was going bad, it got clumpy but I shook it up and used it.

[kadee]

But something that expired in 1993 -- that needs to be thrown out!

Do you mean I'm going to have throw out that Dream Whip I noticed in my pantry the other day? I've been hauling that around when I moved for at least 20 yrs.!

[motherto2]

I'm mostly cautious with meats, because it's totally not worth getting sick over. Seems like salad dressing will stay good forever, because I always seem to have some that is at least 6 months past it's date, and it hasn't hurt me yet Yeast for bread baking is another thing that won't work once it gets old. I will periodically go through the cabinets and pitch stuff, mostly because if I haven't eaten it yet, I probably won't eat it, and it's taking up valuable real estate.

[donnafreedman]

When I interviewed a chemist for a sunscreen manufacturer, she told me that "expired" sunscreen still works. After a longish period of time its appearance may change, she says, but the ingredients still work.
I'd be inclined to believe her because, um, it's in her company's best interest to get us to throw it out each year and buy new bottles!
But I would listen to our friendly neighborhood pharmacist about meds, though.

[kadee]

When I interviewed a chemist for a sunscreen manufacturer, she told me that "expired" sunscreen still works. After a longish period of time its appearance may change, she says, but the ingredients still work.
I'd be inclined to believe her because, um, it's in her company's best interest to get us to throw it out each year and buy new bottles!

And when I used to manage a drug store, I inquired from the manufactuer rep. I was told, yes, it will still work but the effectiveness will diminish.....either it won't protect as well or you will need to apply more often.
Since I am VERY light skinned & burn in 10-15 min. of exposure, I would rather be safe than sorry!

I was also asking about product that was over 1 yr. out of date!

[haapai]

I clicked on this thread thinking that some perverse permutation of speed dating was loose in the world.

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 29, 2011 7:24:12 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

The idea of something going "bad", you have to ask yourself what that means. Going "bad" doesn't mean it turns into rat poison and you are going to die. Medications might lose some potency over time. So what? I am not going to die if I take an outdated Tylenol. I am not going to die if i use shampoo past the "expiration" or anything else. The only real issue is ingesting food that is rancid or has botulism.
As for "expired" sunscreen, that is just silly is it not?

You might not die from taking outdated Tylenol, but a person with a serious, life-threatening medical emergency could die from outdated meds. If you're in anaphylactic shock, you certainly don't want someone using and outdated epi-pen on you. And I would think long and hard about taking any outdated blood pressure meds. Sometimes the risk isn't worth the frugality.

[Frugal Nurse]

It seems like things such as pasta and dry goods probably won't hurt you, but they would lose some texture or taste after a few years. I've never kept anything for very long beyond its expiration date. This week I bought 16 bags of Garden of Eatin' Organic Tortilla Chips because they are on Kroger's mega sale for $.49/bag after Qs. They expire in April, so i have a feeling i will be testing the limits of tortilla chip expiration dates this spting...

[Jake 48]

Check the expiration dates before buying OTC meds, they have kids restocking the shelves and the product does not get rotated, ran into this several times

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 29, 2011 9:37:14 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

And I would think long and hard about taking any outdated blood pressure meds. Sometimes the risk isn't worth the frugality.

Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=smartspending&thread=2464&page=1#ixzz1CR2NnwRy

First, if you are on BP meds, they are prescription drugs and you aren't going to be given outdated meds at a pharmacy anyway so I don't see how that applies. And, again, extreme examples. But, if people want to think they are going to die from outdated shampoo, then so be it.

Not everybody takes meds every day. Some people have emergency BP meds they take just in case, like if their BP goes too high or too low. They might have them in their cupboard for months, maybe years before they use them. Yes, prescription drugs can go bad. Other prescription drugs people may keep for a long time: Anti-nausea meds, pain meds, emergency asthma inhalers, etc. So yes, it is important to note that taking expired meds is dangerous. Will out-dated Tylenol kill you? probably not, but why risk it, especially when you can get it so cheap.

As to outdated shampoo, I didn't even realize it had an expiration date. And sunblock, well, I use so much sunblock that I guess I don't have to worry about it expiring. And I will take my sper pale skin and my SPF 50 and skip the skin cancer, thanks.

[Deleted]

Here ya go!

stilltasty.com/articles

[Agatha]

Jan 29, 2011 17:35:46 GMT -5 @missrigby said:

Here ya go!

stilltasty.com/articles

Thanks for the link, missrigby!

[chiver78]

Jan 29, 2011 12:26:23 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Jan 29, 2011 9:37:14 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

And I would think long and hard about taking any outdated blood pressure meds. Sometimes the risk isn't worth the frugality.

Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=smartspending&thread=2464&page=1#ixzz1CR2NnwRy

First, if you are on BP meds, they are prescription drugs and you aren't going to be given outdated meds at a pharmacy anyway so I don't see how that applies. And, again, extreme examples. But, if people want to think they are going to die from outdated shampoo, then so be it.

Not everybody takes meds every day. Some people have emergency BP meds they take just in case, like if their BP goes too high or too low. They might have them in their cupboard for months, maybe years before they use them. Yes, prescription drugs can go bad. Other prescription drugs people may keep for a long time: Anti-nausea meds, pain meds, emergency asthma inhalers, etc. So yes, it is important to note that taking expired meds is dangerous. Will out-dated Tylenol kill you? probably not, but why risk it, especially when you can get it so cheap.

As to outdated shampoo, I didn't even realize it had an expiration date. And sunblock, well, I use so much sunblock that I guess I don't have to worry about it expiring. And I will take my sper pale skin and my SPF 50 and skip the skin cancer, thanks.

the benadryl "quick dissolve" doses I keep in case of an allergic reaction come to mind. my reaction isn't quick enough to warrant an epi pen (which is very expensive!) but I don't use this med for anything else so that it will work when I need it to. I just tossed a full, unopened package that had expired.

[Deleted]

Re those canned goods, if the can is bulging and/or has stains that indicate a leak, pitch it!

[gawgagranny]

Good morning, all!! This is your friendly neighborhood pharmacist checking in....I have been off the boards a couple of days, and I would like to thank frugalnurse for her valuable information--frugalnurse, I just karma'd you for your efforts!

There are actually 2 main potential problems with medications (prescription and over-the-counter) that are past their "expiration date":

1) they generally become less effective. No, there is not exactly a "magic date" when all of a sudden something won't work at all, but the danger comes when one takes more of something to get the same effect--the higher dose may still be causing the same level of side/adverse effects that it might if it was full strength. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is a good example--old tablets are still just as toxic to the liver as "fresh" ones, if not more so. Frugalnurse's example of an asthma inhaler or an EpiPen is another good example: do you really want to take that risk that your emergency medicine might not work 100% just to save some money?

That brings up problem 2) some drugs become more toxic as they start to degrade. An excellent example of this is the common antibiotic, tetracycline: at some point, it starts to degrade to a compound that is actually more toxic than the original drug. Note: this takes some time (like months to years, generally, based on storage conditions), but it can happen.

Disclaimer for those who think I am just trying to get people to spend more money on drugs: I work in an institutional pharmacy, not retail, and I have asthma myself--so I have to keep watch on my own inhaler's dates!

[Deleted]

I think it comes down to calculated risks.

If I ever get a hankering for jello, the stuff in my cupboard is probably just fine. An epi-pen? There I think the goal really is to never need them, but if I ever did, I'd want it to be a fresh one.

I don't need an epi-pen though. I do keep a $0.99 bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the house in case my dog ever got into something and the vet said I needed to induce vomiting. If I scraped up my knee, I'd be willing to pour an expired bottle on my wound. But if I ever needed it for my dog, it better still be good, so I tend to replace that on the smoke detector battery schedule. To me, that buys me far more than $0.99 worth of peace of mind.

[Apple]

To eliminate every risk in life would be to wrap oneself in bubblewrap and strap oneself to the Barcalounger.

Nope, you'll get bedsores, diabetes from lack of activity, etc.

I had stocked up on peanut butter and some of it was past the expiration date. Most of it was fine but one jar that had been opened went rancid--not good All that PB has been used up though.
I've read that some things, like old pancake mix or bread mixes can develope toxic spores from yeast (or something) if it is expired, but again, I don't think the date on the box is "magic" and it goes bad the day after it "expires".