Does Vegemite go bad?

Question

An Aussie from Perth gave me this stuff but it says "Best Before July 6, '05 19:51" (apparently Australians are very specific). But his response was that it pretty much doesn't...or at least not anytime soon. Anyone know if it's too late for this jar? I'm sure some of you would advise against it but I'd like to know if it's a fact that it's unhealthy in its state of condition, not so much opinion.

Thanks!
J

Answer 1

The extremely high salt content should keep it from going off!



There are a lot of Australian foods that have "best before" dates on the packaging, but only because it's a legal requirement, not because they are really needed. Some foods just don't go off. The dates are an arbitrary number of years, set by the authorities, for certain types of food.



The foods that do go off normally have a "use by" date, not a "best before" date.



Verdict: It is most likely safe to eat the Vegemite, if you can stomach it.



Personally, I haven't eaten any Kraft products since the great peanut butter scandal about a decade ago. (Rat droppings were found in Kraft peanut butter and also in most of the generic peanut butters on the market, because they were all made in the same factory. Sanitarium was about the only brand that was safe to eat, and that's also the brand that I normally buy to this day - including their yeast extract spread - I don't know if it is identical to the Marmite available in the UK, but the brand name is used under licence.)

Answer 2

Yeah it goes bad. One morning i opened a new jar of vegemite and there was like mould all growing on the top of the vegemite.

Lets just say i had jam on toast that morning.

Answer 3

Hi! By reason of our current food laws Australians have to have a "use by date" for food that will deteriate to the point of being unhealthy.... or alternatively a "best before date" for food which can safely be consumed after that date.



Vegemite has a "best before" system because, even if not fresh vegemite... it will not go off in the jar.



Mould or other substances growing in a vegemite jar is caused by contaminates... for example a knife covered in butter used to extract the vegemite.... if your jar is sealed.. i.e. un-opened... and past the "best before date" it will be fine.

Answer 4

Vegemite has far too much salt in it to ever go bad. It s basically brined yeast extract. I m eating some now that says "Best Before 2006".

Answer 5

Umm it should have expired like... 3 years ago? I suggest stop pinching pennies and going down to the store to buy some new vegemite instead of gambling with a jar thats 3 years old.

Answer 6

Wow. That makes it three and a half years older than it should be. I think you should throw it out and ask him to send you some more. It would most likey make you sick. I have never eaten old Vegemite but at three and a half years past its use-by date I think you should play it safe. I would say smell it, but you may not know what it smells like in the first place, making it impossible to tell if it smells expired.

Answer 7

I eat Vegemite regularly. Too regularly for it to go bad but i was of the understanding that honey was about the only thing that never goes off.

Answer 8

I agree with Keno, that's not an expiration date. Just think about it, there's no way they could put a time of day on it. I searched my Marmite jar and could not find an expiration date. My jar is also a couple of years old but I still eat it when I get a craving. If your friend just recently or even within the last couple of years gave it to you it should be just fine. But if you're iffy about it then buy another jar, they do sell it in US too.

Answer 9

omg i love vegemite so much



im aussie so that would explain it



well pretty much most things go off at some time, so im sure it does



but the '05 19:51' thing isnt the expiry date.. its something else, dont know what but its a different thing. like somehting to do with the packaging of it maybe?

Answer 10

As long as the jar-seal hasn't been broken it should be OK, just like any other commercial canned food. BUT, if it has been opened and it is past it's date, then chuck it. That's nasty stuff, btw -- I tried it once. It's axle-grease that I would never want to develop a 'taste' for [/shudder]. .

Answer 11

It starts out bad and gets worse don't eat it. Honey lasts forever unrefrigerated

Answer 12

Yes of course, but if you keep it refrigate you can use it a lil bit longer, but after 3 Years i wouldnt eat it.

Answer 13

yes

about the only thing food wise that will not spoil is sugar.



(honey dose go bad. there is enough water in honey for bacteria to survive and honey isn't pasteurized so microbe can live in it.)

Answer 14

If it's been open please throw it away if it hasn't just to be on the safe side throw it away as well.