Photo: Dave Basner
It doesn't matter if you are a gourmet chef or if you just microwave frozen meals, there is a good chance that you have spices in your house. In fact, according to Census data and a Simmons National Consumer Survey, 300.62 million Americans used seasonings and spices in 2020 - that's almost everyone in the country - and McCormick, the largest spice manufacturer in the world, has a warning for all of them.
Since most people don't go through their spices very quickly, the seasonings wind up sitting on shelves for years, and that can be problematic. In a pair of Facebook posts, the company explained how to tell if your spices are too old... like way too old. Thankfully, it's not very hard to figure it out.
One of the easiest ways to know if your spices are old is if they are in a rectangular tin, or if they were packaged in Baltimore. If that's the case for you, congratulations, your seasoning has been around for more than a quarter of a century.
Photo: Dave Basner
If you own some old spices, don't worry, they aren't going to make you sick, but it's probably in your best interest to not use them anymore since they aren't going to be effective. When spices age, they lose their flavor, so adding old spices to your dishes is pretty pointless.
McCormick recommends making sure your spices have a strong aroma and taste, as well as a vibrant color. It's also good practice to replace them every three years.