Foods usually have an expiry date and go bad after that. Their consumption causes many problems like food poisoning and other gastric issues. Though, some foods have a best before date, even though they can be kept forever if properly stored. We bring you 10 foods that don’t go bad.
Unfortunately, tons of food end up in the trash every year even though it might still be edible. The reason for this is the printed best before date, which suggests that the food should not be consumed after this date. However, this is a misconception, because in reality almost all foods can be eaten much longer. Of course, there are exceptions like milk products that usually go foul just after the best before date. There are even foods that can be kept forever if properly stored – but these foods are also absurdly provided with the best before date.
10 Foods That Don’t Go Bad
Regardless of the best-before date, some foods are not only consumable much longer than the stated best-before date but can also be kept forever if stored correctly. Here are the 10 foods that never go bad on their own.
1. Honey – Foods That Don’t Spoil
Can honey get bad? No. Stored in a cool, dry, and closed place, honey can be kept forever. Honey can crystallize over time, but by heating it several times it regains its original state. However, if foreign objects such as bread crumbs or butter get into the honey jar, honey can get spoilt. Honey is also very susceptible to liquids because these make the honey acidic.
2. Salt
Salt is one of the foods that do not spoil. However, it should be stored dry and in a closed box, otherwise, it tends to clump. But clumping also does not influence its taste or the effect. It is just that, it just can no longer be portioned so well.
3. Rice – 10 Foods That Don’t Expire
Can rice get bad? No, rice also can be stored forever, except for brown and elongated brown rice. They have higher fat content and can, therefore, become bad. But basmati rice, wild rice, jasmine rice, etc., stored dry and airtight, will last forever.
4. Sugar
Pure Sugar is also not perishable. This is because bacteria cannot feed on pure sugar. If the sugar is stored in a cool and dry place in a closed container, it will never go bad.
5. Schnapps
Even if schnapps is not exactly defined as food, it is still one of the liquids that never spoil. Even with an open bottle of schnapps, the aroma alone often takes several decades to evaporate.
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6. Maple Syrup
It completely depends upon the storage conditions whether maple syrup can get bad. Stored in the refrigerator, the shelf life becomes many times longer, but if maple syrup is frozen, it becomes perishable.
7. Distilled White Wine Vinegar
White wine vinegar, or more precisely distilled white wine vinegar, is a versatile ingredient for sauces, marinades, and dressings. Stored in a cool and dark place in a tightly closed container, distilled white wine vinegar is also forever.
8. Cornstarch – 10 Foods That Don’t Go Bad
Corn starch is used to thicken all types of foods or liquids. But can cornstarch go bad? No, corn starch will not spoil if stored in a tightly closed box.
9. Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract has about 40 percent alcohol content and as we already know, alcohol is a great preservative. But it has to be pure vanilla extract and not the flavored one because flavored vanilla extracts have other ingredients that reduce its shelf life.
10. Water
The best before date on plastic water bottles do not refer to the water, but the plastic bottle. The bottle releases plasticizers into the water over time and is therefore no longer suitable to be drunk after the expiration date. However, water in glass bottles, stored in a cool and dark place can also be kept forever.
Can The Canned Food Go Bad?
No, even if a best-before date is printed on canned goods, they can theoretically be kept indefinitely. However, the consistency, color, and taste can change but they are not bad. Depending on the content of some canned foods, caution is nevertheless advised. If the can is somehow damaged and the air gets inside the can, the bacteria will start the fermentation processes inside the can and the food inside will become inedible.
Best-before Date and The Expiry Date
There is a big difference between the best before the date and the expiry date. With the best before date, the manufacturer guarantees that the food is stable at least until this date, i.e. not spoiled and unchanged in color, taste, and texture. Almost all foods can be enjoyed for much longer and some even forever.
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However, you should stick to the date of expiry, because this is often a food that can cause serious illnesses. The expiry date is stated by the manufacturer to ensure that you do not consume the food after that date because the food will go bad.