I don't use much vinegar, so I have a bottle in my place for a long long time. It seems good and tastes good, even if it has a strong smell. My question is, can it go bad? How many years can it last with it's properties?
You know, that's a very good question and one I've never given any thought to! I just checked my apple cider vinegar bottle and it does have an expiry date. I take it this will be the case with all vinegar. Check to see if yours has an expiry date. If you can't see it, I'd chuck it out or use it for something else other than in food.
Yes is my answer to the thread title. When bottle of the vinegar is opened, it can still last long but if more than a year, I guess that may be spoiled already. But an unopened bottle of vinegar may last for decades according to our chemist neighbor. He used to ferment coconut juice (not the ordinary coconut) for making vinegars.
I don't think that vinegar "goes bad" but it just loses its potency/flavour. Vinegar is used to keep things from going bad (like pickles) so it really has a long long shelf life. I think if you store it properly you can keep vinegar "forever" and if you don't store it right you can still use it but it will not taste as good but you will not get sick.
You make a very good point, BrandonScooterman! But I wonder why my bottle of apple cider vinegar has an expiry date? Would it be safe to continue using it behind that date? It's very interesting!
That's a surprising question and one I never once thought of. I did a bit of research and, true enough, vinegar does have a shelf-life. Compared to other organic products, though, you can use vinegar for a much longer time (approximately a year or more). If you fail to consume it within the allotted period, it will develop a slimy substance called "mother," which is basically harmless but unfortunately gross-looking.
Well, in essence it's still wine, and wine lasts for a very long time, so by analogy mustn't it last... for years, too? That seems a little bit fishy shall I say, but it does make a lil' bit of sense if you think about it. My guess would be to just read the label and see when it's the expiration date.
I personally don't care if it still looks good to use, I'll go off the expiry date. I'm sure it's there for a reason! Maybe with stuff like pickles they add some other preservatives that we don't know much about, to extend the shelf life LOL
Where I live (Ontario, Canada) every food product legally has to have an expiry or best before date. I'm going to guess it's the same for your area, everything has to have that even if it doesn't go bad. Also it's good business for the producers, when things "expire" you have to go and buy another one.
Ok, I didn't know that, but it helps to know! I guess it makes perfect sense. I wonder if they also have the expiry date to cover their backs in case something goes wrong?
Oh yea I forgot about that! Huge liability issues too, wayyeasier for them to stamp a date on it then risk anything negative going to court or even just getting to the media
As long as vinegar is kept in the correct (usually cool and dark) climate then it should, in theory, never expire. I'm pretty sure that where vinegar is concerned, expiry and "use by" dates are only present as a legal requirement. Also bear in mind that the manufacturers don't want you to hang on to the same big bottle for years, they want you buying as many bottles as possible. So they are hardly going to advertise the fact that vinegar lasts for years and years.
Hehe they're sneaky like that, aren't they LOL? Oh well, at least now we know. I guess the best thing with vinegar would be to just go off taste, smell and colour. Those are the things I'll look out for, any changes and the like. But if all those three remain unchanged beyond the expiry date, then I guess it should be fine to use.
That's probably the best way forward, I mean the stuff is cheap enough that even if it's safe but tastes bad, getting a new bottle for a few bucks isn't going to break the bank.
