Does Peanut butter and jelly go bad?

[Pengwuino]

Does anyone know if peanut butter or jelly has like... an expiration date. I found this jar of peanut butter and it said "Best by: May 14, 2004" and a jelly thing with roughly the same expiration date. Can i still eat it :D

 

[zoobyshoe]

Does anyone know if peanut butter or jelly has like... an expiration date. I found this jar of peanut butter and it said "Best by: May 14, 2004" and a jelly thing with roughly the same expiration date. Can i still eat it :D

I ate some peanut butter once that turned me into a feverish, shivering, vomiting, mass of anguish.

But hey, go for it.

 

[tribdog]

I wouldn't worry so much about the date part of this, it is the finding that would worry me. Where exactly did you find peanut butter and jelly?

 

[arildno]

Peanut butter cannot taste worse than it usually does.

 

[tribdog]

I can only think of one food that never spoils, honey.
that's honey as in the food, I'm not calling you honey.

 

[arildno]

Really, honey?

 

[tribdog]

That's what I heard, sweetie.

 

[arildno]

It's a bit yucky, though..

 

[tribdog]

If I can stomach calling you sweetie, I can stomach just about anything

 

[arildno]

I've never asked you to swallow your own pride; I know that would be too difficult for you.

 

[tribdog]

I don't have any pride. It just appears that way to you lesser creatures.

 

[honestrosewater]

I think it's safe. If anything was growing in there, it's probably dead by now. Did you open them?

 

[honestrosewater]

Okay, guess what:

How Safe Is Peanut Butter?
Peanut butter can be safely stored without refrigeration because it contains less than 1% moisture. It cannot
support the growth of bacteria or even drought-tolerant molds. Some people are allergic to peanuts and peanut
butter. Allergic reactions may include skin irritations such as rashes, hives and eczema. Gastrointestinal symptoms
may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In rare cases, a potentially fatal condition called anaphylaxis
may occur. Persons with a known allergy to peanuts should avoid peanuts and peanut butter. Persons with a
known allergy to other legumes such as soy beans, peas, garbanzos (chickpeas), etc. may want to avoid peanut butter or exercise caution in its use. Peanut butter can be a choking hazard for young children. This can
be avoided by mixing peanut butter with thinner foods such as applesauce or mashed bananas.

- http://www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs/PDF/FDNS-E-30.pdf

However, it will go rancid, i.e., taste nasty (I guess from the oils decomposing. Yum). I think the jelly may be another story. It can support mold and such, but I don't know how important the expiration date is. Open it and take a peek. More later when I return from pretending to do important things.

 

[Moonbear]

The date on the jar says "Best Before" because it isn't an actual expiration date. It just means it will taste best if you use it by that date (and the oils may start separating, so you'll have to stir it before you can use it). It should be fine (if the jar exploded, I'd suggest not eating it ). As for jelly, again, if it's still in a sealed jar, it's probably okay, but if it's open or looks a little furry, you probably should skip it.

 

[Danger]

if it's open or looks a little furry, you probably should skip it.

Ignore her, Penguin. The fur's the best part.