Is My Arrowroot Starch Still Good?

[WinterSong]

Hi all,

 

I have a bag of Bob's Red Mill arrowroot starch that says "Sell by 7/13". Weird because I could have sworn that it came in a box with other bags that have a much later sell by date. Oh well.

 

Do you think this is still safe to use? It was unopened in my fridge and is now in my freezer.

 

Thanks!

[IrishHeart]

Personally, I'd get some new stuff. ( but I have a thing about flours and starches and use-by  dates)

 

I saw a health report recently on TV where they investigated the "sell by" date issue and they found that food was actually still quite good

 past the "sell by" date. Like a few weeks even...!....but I am not sure if 6 months qualifies. If it were a canned good, say..that would be different.

 

 I will frequently check food by doing the smell test. I have a super nose. If I smell anything "off", I turn to the hubs and shove it under his nose (which makes him pretend mad) and say "Is this still okay? Smell it!" and he says "You smell it!" and we go back and forth.....like two children...and I end up  tossing anything I think may not be quite right.

 

He likes to say this:" If you are worried about it, don't use it."

 

This is what I say, too. 

[LauraTX]

I like to go by the motto: "When in doubt, throw it out."  Getting sick is no fun.

[IrishHeart]

I like to go by the motto: "When in doubt, throw it out."  

 

lmao.....that's our rule number 2 

[JNBunnie1]

I'm a slacker, if it had been fridged and then freezed I'd totally use it. The sell by date is for

quality with an item like that, usually, not for safety necessarily. It's also a starch, rather than

a flour, so in the case of flours the concern would be rancidity from the oil turning, which this

one doesn't have that concern, or little buggers burrowing through the bag and infesting it (ew)

which you had it in the fridge so no worries.

[larry mac]

I've used starches that are years past the expiry date. And weren't even refrigerated. No big deal. 

 

best regards, larry mac

[WinterSong]

Thanks for all of the replies! It seemed okay, but I decided to just throw it away. I'm routinely checking my flours and cabinets now to see what food needs to be used sooner rather than later. Extra excuses to bake more cookies! 

[IrishHeart]

Just thinking out loud here, but

I would think that  most starches, flours, baking soda, baking powder, (like dried herbs and spices)

can all lose their effectiveness, flavor and texture after a few years, if not refrigerated.

I lived in the countryside for 16 years and I can tell you, bugs love all that stuff. Tiny bugs barely visible, until you shake it out into a measuring cup when making muffins. blech.

Learned my lesson early on and then,

I kept things in glass jars and plastic containers--and when I had to go gluten-free, the number of containers doubled! LOL

I recently moved to Florida and down here, these people keep EVERYTHING in the fridge, even crackers and bread. I'm sure like most Floridians, I'll see the need for an extra fridge in the garage in my future.

 

(But if works for you guys to use them all after expiration dates, that's great!)

 

and yes, any excuse to make cookies is a good one. Enjoy!