# Do bouillon cubes go bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296 "2009-08-13T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Novalyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@Novalyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novalyne)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/1 "2009-08-13T15:35:49Z")
I’m making some black beans today and noticed that the bouillon cubes had an expiration date of June 1. Now, ordinarily I’d just get some new ones, but these were brought from Brazil and as far as I know they don’t have an equivalent in the U.S. (They are Knorr Brasileirinho Feijao, or bouillon for beans). So I don’t want to just throw them out. I went ahead and used the cube for this batch of beans but it’s kind of freaking me out a little because I have a pathological fear of going past expiration dates. (Lame, I know.) Will they still be good? If so, should I throw the box in the freezer to salvage the remaining cubes? How would I know if they were bad? And if anyone knows where I can find some Knorr Brasileirinho Feijao here in the U.S., I think I’m willing to trade my car in for more. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/2 "2009-08-13T15:45:21Z")
I’d think the salt content of buillon cubes would make them essentially impervious to actual spoilage. It’s possible, though, that the flavorings degrade somewhat after long storage. In short, almost certainly safe to consume, but may or may not taste like brand-new cubes. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/3 "2009-08-13T16:27:20Z")
Do bouillon cubes contain fat? They might go rancid. Shelf life tells you how long you can use it after expiry, though. 2 weeks? You’d better throw it out the day after. 2 years? Might be good for another year. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/4 "2009-08-13T16:46:05Z")
[Carl Sagan] Bouillons and bouillons of tiny cubes… [/Carl Sagan] ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/5 "2009-08-13T17:13:47Z")
You could sterilize them in boiling water… ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/6 "2009-08-13T17:33:31Z")
The Knorr customer service number is 1-800-457-7082. There is a Brazilian web site, but I don’t speak Portugese; maybe the U.S. folks can direct you to some U.S. megamart that has a big enough ethnic foods section that they’d retail to you? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/7 "2009-08-13T21:12:16Z")
June was only a couple of months ago (it was June of 2009, right? 😉 ) and the salt as mentioned would be an excellent preservative. The only thing I can think of is if they picked up moisture, but if they seem normal, they should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/8 "2009-08-13T21:29:50Z")
Even if the cubes had been rolled around in piles of shit, you’re going to boil the thing for several hours while cooking the beans, right? Any bug that can live through that deserves to bite you. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/9 "2009-08-13T22:17:23Z")
That’s kind of the whole point of bullion cubes, they were invented as non-persihable, indestructable, indefinite, “portable soup”, for long ventures in disagreeable climates without refrigeration. It might not be as flavorful, but it’s perferctly good. It’s wrapped in foil… I assume? ---
**Author:** ![Novalyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@Novalyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novalyne)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/10 "2009-08-13T22:23:30Z")
Thanks everyone! The beans taste just fine, so I’m assuming that I will not die in my sleep tonight. 🙂 I think I will stick the rest of the box up in the freezer. It has to last until December when my friend goes back to Brazil. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bouillon-cubes-go-bad/506296/11 "2009-08-14T01:15:23Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > You could sterilize them in boiling water… Well played, sir or madam. Well played.