Can I use out of date cornstarch?

FoodieinGA
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4 Comments

Nancy September 20, 2022
Do you have a package with a "best before" date?
Probably not to worry. As far as I know, only baby food and nutrition supplements for the elderly are not safely or effectively usage after their package dates. (And maybe similar foods for people with immune-challenged systems.)
Most "best before" dates on packaged foods are suggestions and/or marketing tools, to move more products off the shelves.
Last, cornstarch has a "keeps indefinitely" rating on this site supplied with data from Dept of Agricultures and/or FDA. They also get data from CDC, but that agency is high in no one's books at the moment.
https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16977
 
FoodieinGA September 20, 2022
Thanks Nancy. Mine was dated 5/2012 so I was nervous about feeling confident that it would thicken in the pie that I was making.
 
Nancy September 21, 2022
Foodie in GA - hope the cornstarch worked/works ok.
 
Nancy September 21, 2022
Forgot to mention one factor. Those products labelled as “best before” a certain date may in fact be at peak taste or performance up to and on that date.
Afterwards, they are still safe to use but may also slightly or gradually fall off in performance.
In your example, though, the cornstarch “lasts indefinitely” rating suggests performance should continue.
If it wasn’t, would you please let us know.
 
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