I have this bottle of ketchup here. It’s expiration date is april of 2006 (or is that 2005, can’t be too sure).
This in itself isn’t what’s troubling me. You see, it’s got this really really dark tint to it. It’s more of a deep reddish brown rather than a typical tomato red.
This bottle is the only bottle left in the house. I ate some a few months ago and survived just fine. I’ve got a bag of french fries that just beg for ketchup.
So, what say you, fine dopers? To eat or not to eat, that is the question…
PS. Mods, please feel free to move as you see fit. I wasn’t sure if this fit into Cafe Society with the food angle or in IMHO with the opinion angle.
I say shake it up, pour some into a little bowl and smell it. If you’re familiar with the usual smell of ketchup, the stuff that’s gone over will have a fairly obvious sickly-sweet vinegary smell to it (yes, even moreso than ketchup’s usual smell). If it does have that smell, I have no idea whether eating it would present health risks, but I can attest to the fact that it would be kinda yucky.
I hate to offer advice, so I will only offer an anecdote.
I have had ketchup turn dark before and have used it. I had no ill-effects.
When in doubt,
Throw it out.
What Bosda said.
Ketchup’s cheap. It’s not worth getting sick over.
Throw it out and buy a new bottle.