An everyday favorite of people all over the world –Cereals!
There are generally two types of cereal- cereal grains (e.g., wheat, maize, etc.) and breakfast cereals made by roasting grains.
And so, how long does cereal last?
Cereal grains generally last for a reasonable amount of time because they lose their water content when roasted or dried.
Breakfast cereals last even longer than the grains due to manufacturing processes and added preservatives.
Cereal should not be consumed after it has gone bad because it can pose health risks. Moreover, it also does not taste as it should.
It would be best if you did not eat breakfast cereals that are spoiled because it can be even more harmful than expired cereal grains.
Here, we will tell you the signs of bad cereal and also its shelf life.
Knowing this information, you will be able to examine cereal that has gone bad and learn how to store properly.
How Long Does Cereal Last? Does Cereal Go Bad?
Manufactured cereal often comes with its own shelf life, but it can last a little beyond its ‘best before’ date since it has added preservatives.
This is because the date confers only the time-frame within which the cereals will be at their best quality.
Beyond this date, the cereals will still be fit to eat, but the only issue is that it will not taste as good as a new box of cereal. Cereals usually have their ‘best by’ dates around three to twelve months.
This will depend on the way the cereal is made and maintained. If you have already prepared the cereal with any other dish, it can last only around four to five days.
If you store prepared cereal in a fridge, it can last up to a week at most.
Like any other food, cereals also go bad. But their shelf-life is often prolonged due to lack of moisture or the addition of preservatives.
Apart from its estimated time for quality, cereals can also be spoiled by poor storage conditions.
Prepared cereals or flavored cereals often attract pests if not stored in proper places. This also ruins the product. You would definitely not want to see ants in your cereal!
It would help if you never consumed bad cereal in order to avoid the risks of food-borne health issues. Overtime, cereal can naturally lose their nutritional value and also lose its best taste and texture.
At extreme points, it may begin to show discoloration, bacterial/fungal build-up, or have bad smells.
How to Tell if Cereal is Bad?
Cereal lasts for a long time, especially in an unopened package. Yet this doesn’t mean that it’s immune to spoilage because cereal goes bad at one point or the other.
So how can we make out bad cereal for good ones?
For instance, the easiest signs to notice would be through sight and smell.
If the cereal package has pests, infestations, or appears tampered with, the contents have likely gone bad. Never consume cereals that are infested by various bugs or pests. (eg. Ants, rats, cockroaches, etc)
If the cereals are not appropriately stored, water or moisture can get into the package and cause the flakes to develop molds.
Most of the time, you won’t need any special tests to determine whether the cereal has gone bad or not.
All you’ll need is a proper inspection by checking for the discoloration and molds and also by sniffing the product to detect spoiled scents.
The best time to consume cereal is with its “best before” date. Beyond this, the cereals will gradually lose its texture, taste, and quality until it is eventually not fit for eating.
In order to know bad cereal from good, you can also take a small amount and taste it. If the flavor and texture are fine, you can keep it, but if not, it is fair to discard it.
Bad smells, molds, or any other bacterial growth, color changes, texture changes, etc., are the most common signs of a bad cereal.
Conclusion
Cereal is an excellent choice as a casual snack, breakfast munch, or even for creating complicated dishes. Companies usually make cereal from grains like wheat, maize, etc.
People often eat cereal with milk or cream. These delicious and wholesome flakes typically come with an estimated “expiry” date.
Almost every manufactured cereal will have shelf-lives of a minimum of five months. This extended life is due to added preservatives.
When cereal goes bad, you’ll notice it by signs such as bad smells, mold/bacterial build-ups, infestation or discoloration, etc.
These signs come into existence only when certain factors like environment, storage conditions, or pests spoil the package contents.
Thus, it’s essential to maintain proper packaging/storage in order to enjoy your hearty bowl of cereal.
How Long Does Cereal Last? Does Cereal Go Bad?
Ingredients
- Cereal
- Air-tight containers or Ziplock bags
- Labels and markers
Instructions
- Read the guide thoroughly to learn how long it lasts.
- Check the u0022Best-by-dateu0022 to know when it expires.
- Make sure to store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (pantry or fridge).
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