Will they still work past their use by date?

boo81

Ive got some baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and they are past their use by dates. One is august 06 and the other is december 06, will they still actually work is I add them to my cooking?

Also isnt flour with these 2 added the same as self raising flour? I have some of that so im wondering whether to just substitute

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

plain flour with baking powder is used instead of sr flour...im not sure about them working well past their sell by date.. but if not you can always use them for cleaning:D ...bicarb in an egg cup in the fridge absorbs smells for a start:T

Witsend_2

I would give them a go. I guess that you dont use them all that often. I dont use them in cooking however, borrowed some out of date from my neighbour and still caused an irruption for my sons volcano!(a school project in case you were wondering)

absfabs

I've used them well past their date and haven't had any disappointments.

Not sure if you can just use self-raising flour, different recipes need different ratios of raising agents.

Chipps

Another vote for the fact that as long as it has been stored ok it should still work.
And bicarb is certainly fine for cleaning purposes (there are loads of posts somewhere or other on MSE OS about that!)
Don't forget, people have been keeping stuff in their cupboards & then using it long before anyone invented sell-by dates!

Witsend_2

I have to say I am sure manufactures put use by dates on products to keep sales on the move. My thoughts are if it looks ok then smell it, if it smells ok then taste it, if it tastes ok then serve it, and pray! I bet you are glad that you don't live with me but, hey no one died yet! Only time will tell.

grannybroon

Apart from fresh fridge stuff (or even slightly over fridge stuff like cheese, eggs etc) I find that stuff like this is usually OK as are jars of sauce, tinned stuff out of date. I think you get a feel for things that are well past it and shouldn't be used. Just like the mik at work which still had 4 days to go and was obviously off!

I finally put out a Costco huge Lazy Garlic tub the other day - a year+ out of date - which I really felt wasn't quite up to scratch. There wasn't much left but a huge saving when purchased so not shedding tears over it. I think I had good value. Have now reverted to the fresh garlic to be squeezed as well reduced in Lidl just now but think big veg and fruit reduction up here due to finish this weekend.
Have stocked upon vacuum packed beetroot as not out of date until November - only 16p a pack.
GB

boo81

I suppose im a little reluctant as I used slightly out of date yeast and my dough refused to rise. Things that have some kind of active element threaten to spoil the whole thing!

pariskate

Hi, the bicarb will certainly be fine if it's been kept dry and I imagine that the baking powder will be the same. Out of date yeast doesn't work so well because yeast is actually a living organism, a one celled beastie but still living. So it can survive being dehydrated but will eventually die after a period of time, sad!