What happens if we eat expired oregano?

Eating expired oregano is generally not dangerous, but the flavor, aroma, and potency of the oregano will diminish over time. Oregano contains antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds like thymol and carvacrol that can lose potency after the expiration date. While eating expired oregano won’t make you sick, it likely won’t provide the same robust flavor as fresh oregano.

Why do spices like oregano expire?

All spices and herbs, including oregano, contain essential oils and aromatic compounds that give them their distinctive scents and flavors. Over time, these oils can dissipate as the spice ages, causing the flavor to diminish. Exposure to heat, light, and oxygen can also cause the essential oils in spices like oregano to evaporate or degrade more quickly. The expiration date on oregano is an estimate of when these flavor compounds may have diminished significantly.

How long is oregano still good after the expiration date?

Oregano can maintain potency and flavor for 6 months to 1 year past its printed expiration date if stored properly in a cool, dark place in an airtight container. If stored in less ideal conditions like a humid environment or clear container exposed to light, it may lose flavor within 6 months of expiration. Smell and taste test oregano before use – if it has maintained its vibrant scent and flavor, it should be fine to use even past expiration.

Will expired oregano make you sick?

Consuming expired dried oregano is very unlikely to make you sick or cause food poisoning. Dried spices are very low moisture, making it difficult for potentially harmful bacteria or mold to grow. The antimicrobial compounds in oregano also prevent bacterial growth. There have been no documented cases of foodborne illness from expired spices like oregano.

In very rare cases, severely old/degraded oregano could potentially cause irritation or discomfort from lost volatile oils and decreased flavor. But you would likely notice the flavor loss before eating enough to cause issues. Overall, while old oregano won’t taste very good, it is not considered unsafe to eat if expired.

Does oregano provide any health benefits?

Fresh, high-quality oregano contains antioxidants like rosmarinic acid and thymol. These compounds can provide anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Oregano may help:

Health Benefit Compounds
Fight bacteria and infections Thymol, carvacrol
Reduce inflammation Thymol, rosmarinic acid
Act as antioxidants Flavonoids, phenolic acids

These beneficial compounds tend to degrade over time. So while fresh oregano has demonstrated antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties in studies, expired oregano likely provides much less of these benefits.

Antimicrobial properties

Oregano’s main antimicrobial compounds, thymol and carvacrol, can inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeasts, parasites, and mold. Oregano essential oils have shown effectiveness against potentially harmful pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria in lab studies. The oregano antioxidants rosmarinic acid and flavonoids also demonstrate antibacterial effects.

Anti-inflammatory benefits

The compounds in oregano, especially thymol and rosmarinic acid, have anti-inflammatory properties and can inhibit enzymes that cause swelling. Rosmarinic acid also helps reduce gut inflammation. This can provide relief from inflammatory conditions like arthritis, digestive issues, and skin irritations.

Antioxidant capabilities

Oregano is high in antioxidants like flavonoids and phenolic acids. These antioxidants can help neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress that can lead to chronic disease. The rosmarinic acid in oregano also has antioxidant properties that prevent cell damage.

Does cooking affect oregano’s expiration?

Cooking oregano, especially at high heat for long periods, can cause some of the essential oils and flavor compounds to evaporate or degrade more quickly. The expiration date applies to dried oregano stored in cool, dark conditions. If you use oregano frequently for cooking at high temperatures, it may lose some potency and expire faster than the label expects. Watch for changes in aroma, taste, and color to determine if cooked oregano has expired sooner.

How to tell if dried oregano is expired?

Watch for these signs that your oregano may be past its prime or expired:

  • Lack of aroma – Oregano’s scent will fade as the essential oils dissipate
  • Loss of flavor and pungency – Oregano loses its distinctive peppery, slightly bitter taste
  • Change in color – Oregano will fade from vibrant green to dull, brownish green
  • Dry texture – Expired oregano becomes very dry and brittle
  • Off smells – Very old oregano may smell musty or stale instead of aromatic

If your oregano shows these signs, it has likely expired and lost some of its original potency and flavor. It may not provide full taste or health benefits when cooking. Consider replacing oregano that is over 6 months past expiration.

Does oregano ever grow mold?

Properly dried and stored oregano is very unlikely to grow toxic mold. Mold requires high moisture content to grow, and dried oregano only contains around 8-12% moisture. If oregano has been improperly dried and stored in humid conditions, mold growth may occur. You may notice fuzzy mold growing if severely expired oregano is exposed to moisture. Oregano with mold growth should be discarded.

Can you eat moldy oregano?

It is not recommended to eat oregano with visible mold growth. Although uncommon in dried spices, mold can grow on oregano exposed to moisture. Mold can sometimes produce mycotoxins that may cause health issues if consumed. Even if no mycotoxins are present, the taste and quality will be poor. Visible mold growth means oregano should be discarded.

Can you get food poisoning from expired oregano?

Food poisoning from expired oregano is highly unlikely. Dried spices are very low risk for harboring bacteria or other organisms that can cause foodborne illness. The antioxidant compounds in oregano also prevent bacterial growth when properly stored. There are no documented cases of food poisoning directly linked to the consumption of expired oregano.

In rare cases, very old oregano stored in high humidity may potentially grow mold. Some molds can produce mycotoxins capable of causing illness. However, this would require improper storage conditions and growth of toxin-producing molds, which is uncommon in oregano. So food poisoning risk is extremely low.

What’s the best way to store oregano?

Follow these tips for maximizing oregano’s shelf life and potency:

  • Keep oregano in an airtight glass or plastic container
  • Store in a cool, dark place away from heat, light, and moisture
  • Buy oregano whole instead of ground to help retain volatile oils
  • Use oregano within 1 year of purchase for best flavor
  • Smell and taste test regularly to determine freshness

By keeping oregano properly sealed in ideal storage conditions, you can retain more of its original essential oils and antioxidants past the printed expiration date.

Does refrigerating help extend oregano’s shelf life?

Refrigeration can help extend the shelf life of dried oregano slightly past its expiration date, as the cool environment helps slow the loss of flavors and oils. Refrigerating unopened oregano can prolong potency around 6-12 months past its expiration. Opened oregano may last around 3-6 months in the fridge after opening.

However, too much cold can also hasten the degradation of oregano’s essential oils. Constant freezing and thawing should be avoided. The ideal storage temperature for dried oregano is 50-70°F, so refrigerator storage should be limited to prolonging life only slightly past expiration.

Can you freeze oregano to make it last longer?

Freezing is not recommended for oregano. The cold temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles can cause cell breakdown and accelerated evaporation of the essential oils. Oregano frozen for long periods or thawed repeatedly will lose aroma and flavor very quickly. For short term storage, the fridge maximizes shelf life better than the freezer.

Does oregano need to be kept away from light?

Light exposure speeds up the breakdown of oregano’s beneficial compounds and essential oils due to photosensitivity. Storing oregano in an opaque, dark container prevents light from degrading the volatile oils and antioxidants. Tinted glass or hard plastic containers are ideal for blocking light to extend oregano’s shelf life.

Should you keep oregano in the pantry or fridge?

For maximum freshness, oregano is best stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark pantry or cupboard. The ideal conditions are around 50-70°F, away from heat, humidity, and light. The pantry is preferable over refrigeration for unopened oregano. Once opened, you can move oregano to the refrigerator to prolong its life slightly past expiration.

Does oregano go bad if left out?

Leaving oregano out can accelerate flavor and aroma loss due to increased exposure to air, light, and warmer temperatures. If left unchecked, oregano left constantly exposed on the counter can lose its beneficial compounds within 3-6 months. Sealing oregano after each use can help maximize life compared to leaving it out.

Conclusion

Eating expired oregano poses very little safety risk, but its flavor and beneficial health effects will start diminishing over time. Properly stored oregano can retain potency and aroma for up to 1 year after its printed expiration date. Look for fading color, changes in smell and taste, drier texture, and loss of pungency as signs oregano may be past its prime. While not dangerous, old oregano will not provide the same robust herbal flavor and antioxidants as fresh. Follow storage best practices to maximize oregano’s shelf life and use your senses to determine if it is still good to use.

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