Kitchen spice shelf life debate goes viral: When is it truly time to toss?

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A recent social media post is sparking a debate about how often a person should throw away kitchen spices.

"This is your annual reminder that your spices need to be replaced every 6 months for optimal potency. If you haven't replaced your nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, and cardamom since last Christmas, please buy fresh spices!" X user "Beth," who lives in Oregon, wrote on the platform.

The post has been viewed more than four million times, and triggered a lot of discussion – with some people saying that Beth's "reminder" was ridiculous. 

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Beth, who requested her surname be omitted for privacy reasons, told Fox News Digital that she did not intend for her post to go viral nor did she plan on starting a discussion about spice storage.

"I was intending the post for my small circle of baking mutuals. I am honestly shocked that it went beyond that," she said. 

Beth said she made the post while she was replenishing her spices in the bulk section of her grocery store, and "thought it might be a fun reminder for my friends." 

A social media post saying spices should be replaced every six months received a lot of attention – and a lot of strong reactions.  (iStock)

For any aspiring cooks, Beth recommends buying spices from the bulk section at the grocery store and "just buying an ounce or two at a time."

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"I can usually freshen my spices for roughly $5," she said. "It helps greatly with having control on your level of spice when baking and cooking."

While Beth's post certainly ignited a discussion online, Fox News Digital spoke to a spice expert to find out if her claim was valid.

Beth recommended buying bulk spices in order to cheaply freshen up any older blends.  (iStock)

Replacing spices every six months might be overkill, David DeSouza, president of Monterey Bay Herb Co., told Fox News Digital in an email. Monterey Bay Herb Co. is a California-based company that sells bulk herbs. 

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"While there isn't a definitive scientific answer, most dried herbs and spices last a very long time – two to four years is not uncommon," he said.  

If a person is unsure if a spice is good to use, "use your senses," he said, and if it smells, looks or tastes strange, do not use it. 

DeSouza said spices don't necessarily go bad, but they do "lose flavor and aroma over time." 

Ground spices have a shorter life expectancy than whole spices but are still good for at least a year or two. (iStock)

"A good rule of thumb is that ground spices last one to three years and whole spices last longer than that," he said.

The way a spice is stored can also impact how long it stays fresh, he said, adding, "individual preferences vary" about whether a spice is still usable.

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On the website of McCormick & Co., a spice manufacturer based in Maryland, there is no blanket rule for when a spice should be thrown away.

Some spices – vanilla extract and salt – have an "indefinite" shelf life, the website said. Other extracts last about two to three years.

"A good rule of thumb is that ground spices last one to three years and whole spices last longer than that."

Whole spices like peppercorns remain usable for up to four years, the website said.

Grinding a spice, however, takes off its life expectancy by about a year, according to McCormick & Co. Spices like ground ginger, cumin, paprika and chili powder have a shelf life of about two to four years, the website said.

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And "ground and whole leafy herbs" – think basil, oregano and rosemary – last the shortest at about one to three years, the site said.

"All of us have a few jars that have been sitting in the pantry for over a decade," said McCormick & Co.'s website. "It's okay to let these spices go."