There is no expiration date on some of them
2007-03-31 12:41:26 · 5 answers · asked by POOKIE 4 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
6 mo - 1 year replace them
2007-03-31 12:54:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How long to keep whole spices
I thought the rule for ground spices is dump them after 6 months. Correct me if I am wrong. What is the rule for whole spices like allspice berries, etc?
I have found that my whole spices (from the spice house of course) keep just fine as long as they are in an air tight container away from sunlight and heat. Don't keep you spices in the cabinet over the stove. I keep mine in a drawer in the kithcen. When I open the jar I still get the same aroma that makes me smile. Eat to Live but Dine to Feed your Soul
From what I understand, whole spices can keep a year or longer, since you are not grinding them and the essential oils are not lost. Mel. "You can't have everything... where would you put it?"
The study we read most recently was from Johns Hopkins which concluded that six months was the optimal time for spice storage.
For what it's worth, Alton Brown says ground spices will keep 6 months, whole spices 2 years, if stored in an airtight container away from light and heat.
I've kept my nutmegs, both whole and ground in my freezer. The whole nuts keep for years (in an airtight container) that way with with no noticible loss of flavor or aroma. For that matter, I keep my nuts, especially pine and walnuts frozen for
as long as a year w/o deterioration. The colder the better and the longer they all keep!
2007-04-05 17:29:45 · answer #2 · answered by Teddy Bear 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on the spice and how its kept. Keep them as air tight as possible. Use the taste and smell test to see if they are still good. They are not going to spoil unless they get damp. They will just weaken with time, so you may have to use more than a recipe calls for.
2007-03-31 17:09:33 · answer #3 · answered by michael c 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most cooks recommend that you throw out spices that are over a year old. But they will keep far longer, as long as no moisture has gotten into them.
2007-03-31 12:46:37 · answer #4 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they say 6 months, i say if they still smell like the spice, they're okay. toast them up in a pan to make them better.
2007-03-31 12:45:27 · answer #5 · answered by Poet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋