[Big Mac]

I accidentally left an open, previously refrigerated mayonnaise jar out for about two and a half hours. The jar was closed and near room temperature when I found it. It smells fine and I don't want to waste 2/3rds by throwing it out. Could it have spoiled within that amount of time?

[LegendaryPinkOx]

I can give you the typical college student answer: keep it, and remember to check on it before using it again. If it smells/looks bad before the next use, then toss it. If not, well, knock yourself out.

[climber]

ever hear of Google? The very best answer I found in a two minute search was "If it makes you violently ill or sick than it is bad"


The other interesting answer is that Mayo is acidic enough that it is harder to spoil than most foods. Personally I think once you get sick on food a couple of times you realize the price is to high to gamble.

[Big Mac]

I looked on Google but didn't turn up much. Thank you for the opinions!

[RAILhead]

it's fine. eat away.

[SSharon]

I employ the smell test for mayo. Just smell before use and you should be able to tell if it is ok to eat.

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

Could it have spoiled within that amount of time?

No, not a chance.

[Cold Warrior]

I didn't bother to smell some milk the other day. I took a big swing and then discovered it was bad via taste.

Definitely the smell test first!

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Sub-question (Jack Black High Fidelity hand-motion):

Label dates on foods such as milk, cheese, bacon, etc.: are they "good until" dates (i.e. food is good until that date, no matter when you open it), or are they "shelf life" dates (i.e. unopened food should be consumed before that date, but makes no ruling on final spoilage date).

For example, it's relatively common to find milk dated maybe 2 weeks ahead in my experience. I simply can't believe that milk will stay fresh for two weeks after opened though.

It's a running battle with my roommate.

greg

[Shaddim]

It's fine, enjoy.

[subego]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

Sub-question (Jack Black High Fidelity hand-motion):

Label dates on foods such as milk, cheese, bacon, etc.: are they "good until" dates (i.e. food is good until that date, no matter when you open it), or are they "shelf life" dates (i.e. unopened food should be consumed before that date, but makes no ruling on final spoilage date).

For example, it's relatively common to find milk dated maybe 2 weeks ahead in my experience. I simply can't believe that milk will stay fresh for two weeks after opened though.

It's a running battle with my roommate.

greg

I've always found things to be relatively good until the date on the label. Especially if they need to be refrigerated the whole time. So, I vote with the roomie WRT milk.

The only time I've found exceptions to this are products that have really long shelf lives, but need to be refrigerated once opened. Say, salad dressing.

[subego]

Excerpt from the Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad

[Shaddim]

Yellow mustard can go bad? I call shenanigans.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Originally Posted by subego 

I've always found things to be relatively good until the date on the label. Especially if they need to be refrigerated the whole time. So, I vote with the roomie WRT milk.

The only time I've found exceptions to this are products that have really long shelf lives, but need to be refrigerated once opened. Say, salad dressing.

Really? You'd leave opened milk in the fridge for two weeks?!

I can taste the difference in milk after it's been opened for a couple days.

greg

[subego]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

I can taste the difference in milk after it's been opened for a couple days.

I've found dousing the milk in Crunch Berries helps.

[subego]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Yellow mustard can go bad? I call shenanigans.

I agree. They put Honey (H) at only 8 months too. Both of them should be X I feel, like Maraschino or Aspartame.

They also place Tabasco (Ta) at 2-5 years. Maybe it tastes fine, but after a year or so, it turns a dull color. I've never risked it.

[IceEnclosure]

I had some dull looking tabasco and cholula sauce recently, definitely weren't the right colors any more, I threw them out. This happened after an extended period(a year?) at room temp. I've always refrigerated ketchup once it was opened, but I know some restaurants keep the glass ketchup bottles at room temp, open or not.

Milk I generally find is good until the date on it. To avoid problems, shelve it near the back of the fridge, not on the door. When it's nearing the date on the label I'll give it a connoisseur's swirl, smell, and check for a ring at the "milk line". The ring is really the tell-tale sign that it's beyond saving with even the world's best cereals.

[BoingoBongo]

I remember back in 2000 I ate a can of peaches. Afterwards, I looked at the bottom and saw that they expired in December 1996. I'm pretty sure I was fine.

The next few months were kind of a blur though...

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Yellow mustard can go bad? I call shenanigans.

[Railroader]

Our annual food drive always brings some interresting donations into the pantry. Sometimes when we unload the trucks, a can of expired food will slip by and make it into the pantry. Last year, I found a can of peas from 1989. We also got a bunch of cans with no labels. And also a can labeled "beef chunks".

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Hahaha, that's awesome!

I'm just paranoid about things like this, and I have absolutely zero desire to taste something that might be anything other than absolutely deliciously fresh. Stirring my milk to make sure it's good?! That gives me the creeps; I just drink it before there's any possibility that it's within a week of the label date.

I've also heard someone say that those dates are "shelf dates," not "best before" dates. So that would mean that the food, sitting unopened, should be good before those dates. That would imply that if the package is opened well before that date, the food is no longer sealed, and there's no reason to assume that it would still be "good" before that date.

So I dunno.

greg

[subego]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

When it's nearing the date on the label I'll give it a connoisseur's swirl, smell, and check for a ring at the "milk line". The ring is really the tell-tale sign that it's beyond saving with even the world's best cereals.

My rule of thumb after the smell test:

If there's a question in your head whether the milk is good, then it's good.

When it's actually bad, you know.


Never failed me yet.