out of date ingredients (dried)

[ArtyMa]

2nd day. Bought over £50. of dried Chinese food to begin new diet, and most out of date. My son checked. But, its a start. Want to make soups. Hot pots. Konjac inspired. Researching at the moment. found Buddah's Delight video! Looks good.

youtube.com/watch?v=GO4uhLx...(Not working as expected?)

[TheAwfulToad Ambassador]

Are you sure it's out-of-date? If imported from Taiwan the year will look like it's 11 years behind.

[ArtyMa in reply to TheAwfulToad]

yes, my son, checked every packet.. and the dates on them were from 2019. Very clear. thank you.

[Hidden]

Are these imported Chinese foodstuffs? Typically, Chinese products have a production date rather than an expiry date. Let's hope this is the case with these things you've bought.

[ArtyMa in reply to Hidden]

It was difficult, as no English was spoken by other customers, or the lady working there, same as yesterday. It was / is a Chinese/Asian supermarket that has some fresh foods, majority dried foods, yes. Imported from other countries. Also frozen.

[Subtle_badger in reply to ArtyMa]

Can you take a photo of one of the dates? I suspect the experts on here can tell you what it means.

If you edit your original post in this discussion, you will have the option to add a photo

[ArtyMa in reply to Subtle_badger]

I have only just seen this message, I took them back already. This time, I checked the dates, and saw some things in the shop that definately had 2019 on them as their expiry date. Most I returned were from last year september/November.

Thank you for the tip about adding a photo.. I am not on my phone, I am on my computer with this.. much easier for me.

[Subtle_badger]

Do not accept out of date food (assuming it is) for full price from a shop. If you pay fu price, it should be fresh.

But you don't have to worry much about them. They are very conservative. Food will be quite safe for a while after the date on the package.

[ArtyMa in reply to Subtle_badger]

I agree, but was not initially looking at any dates.. It was only when my son came home from work, that he looked carefully at each packet. and I was really disapointed with the Black Fungi.. but, I checked all new things today, and they are all in date, not last years stock.

But, I did also wonder, how long, does dried food last? It is unopened and dry.. does sell by date really count? I don't know, but my son's both insisted I take it back.. which I did today.

I found new things.. am a happy bunny!

[Subtle_badger in reply to ArtyMa]

I would be very cautious of a store that sells very out of date items. They are either very lax in the stock control, or happily selling stale food in the hope you won't notice. I wouldn't trust there products in either circumstances.

I don't think dried food would be likely to go bad, but it would deteriorate as it ages, losing it's flavour, and gradually becoming undifferentiated dust. I would happily cook with expired dried goods in my cupboard - and indeed any shelf stable pantry items like grains and spices - assuming they still held the qualities I had purchased them for. I would not buy them though.

[ArtyMa in reply to Subtle_badger]

Yes, that is a very good point.. well, I am definately going to be checking food from these kind of shops/supermarkets.

We do like to have some foods in storage, in case of pandemic emergency etc, so dried food is not a bad thing to have in the home.

[ArtyMa]

yes, I looked up with Google Assistant what 'Out of Date, and Refund' was in Chinese. and said this.. the lady then looked up on her phone a word.. and said.. 'Exchange!"

I said 'Refund',

she said.. 'Exchange!'...

so.... I cruised around the shop.. still searching for Lotus Root.. and found a packet that had in the picture, of a hot pot, a piece of Lotus Root, so I pointed to that, and she took me to the fresh fridge, and sorted me out some lovely roots.. I am researching now! So excited. So, I did exchange the full value in goods.. for more goods..

Am so excited to try/learn all these new things.

Next I will buy red dates.

[Hidden]

When I lived in London, I used to get most of my Chinese foodstuff from Hoo Hing supermarket on the North Circular near Wembley. Not glamourously decorated but the service was good and always had fresh produce. And it's near Ikea, but that's another story

[ArtyMa]

I am way over the other side of london.. There is one that has opened up, Ihave been told of, but not been to, called See Woo, I think. Near Greenwich. That is probably where I will visit soon. I looked online at the website. Looks very clean, good.

I used to live many years ago Wembley Park. That was only a short while. I am mostly in South East London. this is my food hunting grounds!