The use by date only refers to the unopened jar, packet, whatever. Once you've actually opened it and let that pesky air stuff in, different rules apply - usually jars of sauce etc say things like "use within 4 weeks of opening" or something on the side; sour cream and other dairy products I'd definitly apply the 3 day rule to. Mustard and ketchup might have instructions on, depends how fussy you are on stuff, think in terms of months not years though! ;)
Answer to Second General Question:pinkphatty_wutFebruary 10 2004, 15:49:40 UTC
Oddly enough, I found this answer out in Jane Magazine... But yes, condiments can actually last a YEAR when refrigerated. After a few months, the taste will be slightly stale, but nothing dangerous, no. Spaghetti Sauce is actually similar, too, can last a few months... then again, I only use the basic sauce, none of the "meat-added" ones. From what my parents taught me, stuff lasts until the exp. date - after that, toss it out!
Once something's been opened, the bacteria grow much more quickly. They like air almost as much as they like warmth, and just because it's refrigerated is no guarantee that'll it'll still be good, no matter what the sell-by date is..
Spaghetti sauce that's been open a month is, to my mind, awfully dodgy. The acidic environment is a happy theme park for a lot of bacteria. You could just look at it and if there are no bubbles or mold go ahead and eat it, but I wouldn't risk it. Spaghetti sauce is cheap -- a trip to the emergency room isn't.
Sour cream tends to stay good for awhile, but pour off the whey that's separated and give it a good smell. It could go either way but, again, I'd replace it if possible.
Catsup and mustard seem to stay okay for a long, long time. Certainly not forever -- but for an awfully long time.
You're right, of course -- despite the acidic quality of spaghetti sauce, it's non-acidic pH that bacteria love, and they (for the most part) don't like acid. I was turned around for some reason.
On the other hand, now I'd like to point out that acid "cooks" raw fish through a process called "denaturation," where the destroys hydrogen bonding in the raw fish, causing the tertiary proteins to uncoil. It doesn't have anything to do with bacteria :-)
And just to put perspective on this, I think it's funny how this thread started out talking about how long she could keep spaghetti sauce in the fridge before it would go bad/make her sick/turn her into a flesh-eating zombie, and now we're talking about pH levels, denaturing, and tertiary proteins.
The Table of Condiments is your friend. It is an infinitely useful compendium of information. Sour cream, mustard, ketchup - it's all there. :)
As for the month-old spaghetti sauce, I'd toss it. My general rule for canned (or jarred, if you prefer the term) prepared foods is that if it isn't pickled or pre-fermented, it should be tossed 2 weeks after opening. I write dates on everything with a permanent marker when i open them so I know when it's better to throw it out than eat it. I have a similar rule for leftovers, minus the labelling because I can usually remember when I made a particular dish.
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Mustard and ketchup might have instructions on, depends how fussy you are on stuff, think in terms of months not years though! ;)
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Spaghetti sauce that's been open a month is, to my mind, awfully dodgy. The acidic environment is a happy theme park for a lot of bacteria. You could just look at it and if there are no bubbles or mold go ahead and eat it, but I wouldn't risk it. Spaghetti sauce is cheap -- a trip to the emergency room isn't.
Sour cream tends to stay good for awhile, but pour off the whey that's separated and give it a good smell. It could go either way but, again, I'd replace it if possible.
Catsup and mustard seem to stay okay for a long, long time. Certainly not forever -- but for an awfully long time.
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Acids kill bacteria (hence the reason we have foods such as seviche, which is raw fish "cooked" by lime juice").
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On the other hand, now I'd like to point out that acid "cooks" raw fish through a process called "denaturation," where the destroys hydrogen bonding in the raw fish, causing the tertiary proteins to uncoil. It doesn't have anything to do with bacteria :-)
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And just to put perspective on this, I think it's funny how this thread started out talking about how long she could keep spaghetti sauce in the fridge before it would go bad/make her sick/turn her into a flesh-eating zombie, and now we're talking about pH levels, denaturing, and tertiary proteins.
I love this community.
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As for the month-old spaghetti sauce, I'd toss it. My general rule for canned (or jarred, if you prefer the term) prepared foods is that if it isn't pickled or pre-fermented, it should be tossed 2 weeks after opening. I write dates on everything with a permanent marker when i open them so I know when it's better to throw it out than eat it. I have a similar rule for leftovers, minus the labelling because I can usually remember when I made a particular dish.
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