NEWS: It's Still Good! It's Still Good!

CULTURE: It's Still Good! It's Still Good!

While quaffing spoiled milk or sampling that green stuff from the bottom shelf of the fridge might not be such a great idea, food science researchers have determined that many foods may stay good far longer than one might expect — more than twenty years past the expiration date, in some cases.

Some foods, such as seeds, salt, and sugar, have long been known to be essentially indefinitely preservable under proper conditions; however, the samples used in this study were normal, store-bought goods solicited from the pantries of citizens in the area.

The testers rated the aged oats on a number of points, including flavor, texture, and aroma. The nutritional value of the elder grains was also analyzed. Overall, the oats received average marks, and 75% of the taste testers considered them acceptable fare for emergency situations.

Of course, bachelors and the culinarily challenged will likely be unsurprised by these findings.

reading this makes my mouth water for a MRE. (Meal, Ready to Eat)... it's what the military uses for food in the field/combat. Imagine spaghetti with meat sauce that has a 10 year shelf life. yum.

'Nuff said.

-TM

It's still good! It's still good!

Well played, Gwen.

-TM

This has nothing to do with the average "shelf life" of a food, and much more to do with the specific climate of the local area they sampled food from.

Certain temperatures, or temperature fluctuations and with out a doubt certain seasonal humidity patterns either promote or hinder the growth of bacteria, insects, and mold spores that cause food to spoil.

I wonder what "stable conditions" entails, and if you could reach "stable conditions" in say the Florida everglades.

I've found that a lot of food keeps surprisingly well in my mini-fridge. Bread has gone for months without visible evidence of mold, for example. I still tend to toss stuff that's been there for ages simply because I'm not willing to risk it.

Not with those pythons and zombie alligators you wont.

Honey never goes bad. It can get a little waxy and crystally if it's left out or open, but it's still edible.

[Edited on Nov 15, 2005 12:28AM]

You don't make friends with sa-lad! You don't make friends with sa-lad!

I think that episode is the single best source for classic one-liners.

I wonder how much they had to pay the testers to eat that stuff.

It's just a little slimy...

im sorry they put a date on there for a reason...i wont go beyond it

I keep my milk far too long...never had it do anything funny though. I'm sure if it curdled or grew stuff I chuck it.

Sounds like an urban legend to me. Now you're making me want to post that on A.F.U.

I hope this applies to raw chicken that's been in the fridge five days, because I bugged my wife into frying it up after I got home from work tonight, but, apparently the begrudging nature of the enterprise caused her to not notice that it wasn't quite done before I bit into a meaty part and came off with blood literally running out of my mouth, staring at basically raw chicken. If I'm dead tomorrow, tell the police it was Popcorn in the Kitchen with the Drumstick.

Or because they're sealed in giant Tupperware containters. Like on Eerie, Indiana.

Wait a minute. They surveyed a bunch of Mormons on how long food keeps and they produced NO DATA ON GREEN JELLO? What the fuck?!?!?

Honey found in jars in Egyptian tombs is still edible.

That shit's from space or something.

Urban legend.

It's still good, it's still good!

It's gone....

mmmm delicious bee vomit!

Kitschy has a bad habit of throwing stuff away soon after the expiration date has been reached. I should show her this thread. My standards are pretty low though - I used to live off dumpster food.

I never got why people throw stuff away just because the package tells you to. I mean do ya think they might want you to buy some more?