Is there a common spice for cooking, that if kept too long, becomes toxic? Does anyone know which one(s)?

Question

I have a lot of old, half-used spices in my kitchen cupboard. Some are over 20 years old!

Answer 1

You sound like my sister, she got a spice rack with all kinds of spices from Shilling when she got married in 1985.

Last year she got rid of the rack and the spices, actually the spices could not be removed from the rack, the varnish had stuck to them in a even a screwdriver could not loosen them.

I was a trained chef in canada for 20 yrs and believe it or not spices in some restaurants are the same, depending on the types, I found some nutmeg one place that had spider webs in side it, they do loose there flavour over time, if they are sealed and kept in the cool dark place, somethings like oregano and rosemary stay longer, cayenne and chili powder are dead after 1 year.

Answer 2

kept to long . some get bugs inside containers
loose the smell
are not powdery such as baking powder , it gets flat
20 year old spices need to be thrown out
check the dates on all the containers
any old spices will not bake properly
old baking soda. powder will not make breads cookies rise.they
will be flat..and the taste will be gone

Answer 3

Never heard of that before. If anything they lose their potency and hence their flavor but they do keep for very long periods of time. Open each up and take a sniff. That should give you an idea if they will still be flavorful enough.

Answer 4

Not as such BUT never store vinegar in copper or aluminium containers (not that most people would but....)

Doing so makes the vinegar dangerously toxic.

Answer 5

i would throw them out but the private eyes going through your garbage might take them!