According to Frank Proto, a chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, expired spices wont hurt you, “they just won’t taste as good”. Going through your spice collection once a year is often enough to make sure everything is still good to use.

No, your bad, sad, flavorless spices won’t make you sick. The date on the bottle is useful for keeping track of freshness (and remember, freshness equals flavor), but you can still technically use a spice even if it’s past that expiration date. Because spices are dried, there’s no moisture to cause spoilage.

As a general rule, whole spices will stay fresh for about 4 years, ground spices for about 2 to 3 years and dried herbs for 1 to 3 years. Here are some tips for maximizing the shelf life of spices: Store spices in a cool, dark cupboard, away from direct heat or sunlight; keep tightly closed when not in use.

3-4 Years

The fragrance and taste of the powder are no longer intense and fades away with time. To understand it in an instant, take a small amount in the palm of your hand and take a whiff of it. The flat aroma or fading out the smell is indicative of the garlic powder losing its power.

about 3 to 4 years

Under Shelf-Stable Food Safety, the USDA defines spices as a shelf-stable product and in the case of spices, they never truly expire. What occurs over time is that the flavor and potency of that flavor wanes. Whole spices will stay fresh for about four years, while ground spices run between three and four years.

The good news is using expired chili powder has no real risks. To be sure, chili powder does not have an expiry date. The spice does not go bad and is safe to use past the sell-by date recommended by the manufacturer. However, you should never consume spice that contains mold or shows signs of spoilage.

ANSWER: Locate the 4-digit number on the bottom of the spice package or the back of the extract bottle. This number is the date of manufacture.