Like many of us, I have a spice rack with several different herbs and spices. Some cooks experiment with the contents and try all of the different flavor enhancers. But, not me! I have spices and herbs in the rack that have never been opened. (For the explanation of spices and herbs see the bottom of the sidebar for an earlier post and details). I tend to cook without recipes and generally use the same spices or herbs. But, I enjoy experimenting and decided to go beyond the usual and try some changes in my cooking. And then came to question that seems inevitable. Are all of my spices and herbs safe to use after a long storage period? So, it was time for more research and this is what I discovered: Spices do not spoil in their chemistry or biology, but they do lose their strength. Stored in airtight containers in cool dry places, spices retain their potency longer than you might realize. Whole peppercorns, nutmegs and cinnamon sticks tend to hold on to their flavor for a long time. One to three years is not unrealistic. And potent whole spices, such as cloves, cumin, and cardamom will also last for a long time.
The smartest way to get the best taste and value out of your herbs and spices is to store them effectively. Store them in tightly sealed containers in a cool dark place. Keeping containers tightly closed will protect them from moisture and oxidation, and they will retain more of their essential oil content when stored in glass jars. Keeping them away from direct light will also keep the color from fading. Never store them above your stove or near other heat sources as heat will degrade the quality. Also keep them away from the heat of the stove and the humidity of the dishwasher. It is also inadvisable to freeze herbs or spices. Condensation will be a problem each time the bottle comes out of the freezer and is likely to introduce moisture to the spices. And don't shake herbs or spices out of the bottle directly into something you are cooking as moisture may be introduced. So, FDA guidelines suggest the following general recommendations: Whole spices and herb leaves and flowers will keep for 1 to 2 years. Seeds will keep for 2 to 3 years and roots for 3 years. Ground spices and herb leaves and seeds will last for 1 year. Ground roots will keep for 2 years.
The best way I have found to test spices and herbs is to look at the color and take a smell test. I guess that it is time to discard my 5 year old spices and herbs. Sad...
The smartest way to get the best taste and value out of your herbs and spices is to store them effectively. Store them in tightly sealed containers in a cool dark place. Keeping containers tightly closed will protect them from moisture and oxidation, and they will retain more of their essential oil content when stored in glass jars. Keeping them away from direct light will also keep the color from fading. Never store them above your stove or near other heat sources as heat will degrade the quality. Also keep them away from the heat of the stove and the humidity of the dishwasher. It is also inadvisable to freeze herbs or spices. Condensation will be a problem each time the bottle comes out of the freezer and is likely to introduce moisture to the spices. And don't shake herbs or spices out of the bottle directly into something you are cooking as moisture may be introduced. So, FDA guidelines suggest the following general recommendations: Whole spices and herb leaves and flowers will keep for 1 to 2 years. Seeds will keep for 2 to 3 years and roots for 3 years. Ground spices and herb leaves and seeds will last for 1 year. Ground roots will keep for 2 years.
The best way I have found to test spices and herbs is to look at the color and take a smell test. I guess that it is time to discard my 5 year old spices and herbs. Sad...
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