Flour is many years expired but still looks good

Flour is many years expired but still looks good - From above of baked croissants in tin tray prepared for dessert and placed on white table

I have a bag of flour in my pantry that expired 3 years ago, but it looks and smells perfectly fine. Is it still safe to eat?

EDIT: To clarify, today is July 3rd, 2018, and the flour best before date is "2015 SE 04"

Question is different from other existing questions on the topic because the duration of time passed is more extreme (other questions describe a few months).

food-safetyflourspoilage


Best Answer

I am using flour that expired in 2018. I had to use some of my emergency flour due to the corona virus shortages. Its pretty good but not as good as fresh. Id say 90% as good tasting. Yeast on the other hand is different. Ive had a one pound block of yeast in the freezer since 2014 and it still works. Not very well but it works. I have to double up the amount and wait twice as long so the bread tastes very yeasty but it is good to know it can last this long.



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Flour is many years expired but still looks good - Wooden table with rolling pin and whisk and eggs near chopping board covered with flour in kitchen


Quick Answer about "Flour is many years expired but still looks good"

Most packaged flours have expiration dates — also called best-by dates — printed on the bag to indicate how long they'll stay fresh. However, these labels aren't mandatory and don't denote safety. Thus, your flour may still be safe to eat even after the best-by date (9).

Can I use flour that expired 2 years ago?

Eating expired flour generally doesn't have significant consequences. \u201cMost of the time, nothing happens other than that your baked goods don't taste good,\u201d Knauer says. However, there is a small chance that eating expired flour might make you sick.

Is it OK to use expired flour?

So go by smell: whole grain flour with a strong, unpleasant aroma won't taste good and shouldn't be used for baking. Usage past the best-by date: Really, don't do it. We've done a lot of testing and for whole grain flours, that best-by date is an accurate indication of the flour's quality.

How long can you keep flour after expiration date?

All purpose flour has a general shelf life of 1 year when stored in a pantry or up to two years when kept in the refrigerator. Once the germ and bran are left on the wheat, the shelf life decreases tremendously.

Can flour last 10 years?

Shelf Life: 10+ years By sealing flour in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, the flour is completely safe from light, moisture and oxygen. Even insect eggs can't hatch because there isn't oxygen in the packaging. When stored this way, white flour can last 10-15 years.


Is Flour Still Good To Use - Does Flour Expire



More answers regarding flour is many years expired but still looks good

Answer 2

I would advise against the use of that. However, it's still okay to a certain extent as it is only a best before date - not use by.

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