While it’s important to know what should be in your refrigerator, you should also know when to throw things out, as some expired condiments can instantly spoil your meals and make you ill.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is made almost entirely of egg yolks, oil, and vinegar. The vinegar will keep it somewhat safe, but eggs are a leading cause of spoiling once the expiration date has passed or if they have been improperly stored.
If your mayo has begun to separate, take on a yellow tint, or smell faintly sour, throw it away. Eating old mayo can cause serious cases of food poisoning, as the fats will turn rancid and bacteria thrive in the creamy emulsion.
Horseradish
We all love horseradish for its spicy sinus-clearing kick. But that burn is caused by chemicals known as volatile oils, which begin to break down as soon as you open the jar. After the expiration date has passed, horseradish will typically turn dark brown and lose most of its flavor.
More importantly, it will develop a soapy aftertaste and possibly grow mold that you can’t always see on the surface. If it doesn’t burn, throw it in the trash.
Tartar sauce
Because tartar sauce is pretty much mayonnaise with pickles and herbs mixed in, it has all the dangers of mayo with extra places for bacteria to hide.
Plus, it’s typically served with seafood, so you really don’t want to take chances with a spoiled sauce. If your sauce looks runny or the herbs have faded to a greyish color, throw it out. With dairy products and anything creamy, freshness is your friend.
Pesto
Jarred or refrigerated fresh pesto doesn’t last long. Though loaded with oil, nuts, and basil, they also go rancid or moldy quickly. And even when refrigerated, oil can still go bad, leaving you with a gross-tasting sauce and stomachache.
If the bright green color has faded to brown or you smell anything less than fresh, the pesto has gone past its prime.
Salad dressings
Creamy dressings such as Ranch, Blue Cheese, or Caesar are typically dairy-based and should be discarded after their expiration date. Vinaigrettes will go bad as well if they contain garlic, onion, or real fruit juices since those will ferment over time.
If the dressing has thickened to more than twice its original consistency, smells like vinegar that’s been open too long, or you see clumps of something separated from the liquid, don’t drown your healthy veggies in it.
Chutney
Most chutneys are made with fruits, vegetables, and sugar. Vinegar and sugar are both preserving agents, but they can only do so much. After a while, the pieces of fruit will begin to ferment or grow yeast and mold.
If you open the jar with a dirty spoon, you can introduce bacteria as well. Tilt the jar around; if you see any fuzzy residue on the underside of the lid or hear the lid hiss when you open it, leave it alone.
Sour cream
Sour cream is technically more of a topping than a condiment, but it is found in nearly every refrigerator. As a cultured dairy product, sour cream is already acidic, making it difficult to tell if it has gone bad.
But cross the expiration date and sour cream can grow molds (some of which are toxic) and bacteria that will make you sick. If you see any mold that isn’t white (green, pink, or black), or if there’s a large pool of liquid with a very sour smell, throw it away.
Barbecue sauce
BBQ sauce will last a long time, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t expire. Due to the high sugar content in most sauces, certain types of mold will be attracted to it once the jar has been opened and the expiration date has passed.
If your BBQ sauce becomes super thick and dark or the flavor goes from smoky to chemical tasting, those sugars have started to break down. It’s better to buy a new bottle than ruin a good meal.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
