# Should I eat this \[jar of capers\]? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 1, 2018, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572 "2018-04-01T05:00:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/1 "2018-04-01T05:00:41Z")
I have a jar of unopened capers which has been refrigerated since they were purchased. They are dated 'best by April 24, 2015. Are they bad? If so, how? Texture? Flavor? Are they dangerous? They are jarred, so could I get botulism from them? Or should I just throw they out and go get more? If that is the case, I guess I won’t be making Chicken Piccata tonight. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/2 "2018-04-01T05:05:55Z")
So long as the button on top hasn’t popped they’re fine. Even if they’d been opened all that time I doubt they’d be any problem. Lotta salt in that jar, nothing much to go wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/3 "2018-04-01T05:35:05Z")
Moved to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/4 "2018-04-01T05:41:15Z")
“Best by” dates have absolutely nothing to do with food safety. If a package is somehow damaged, it could be dangerous. But in general, most foods will be perfectly safe to eat long after the “Best by” date. This is an indication of food quality, not food safety. Capers are generally bottled in brine or a combination of brine and vinegar which inhibits the growth of bacteria. They should be perfectly safe to eat, especially if they have been unopened and refrigerated. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/5 "2018-04-01T05:50:04Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Moved to IMHO. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator And thread title edited to indicate subject. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/6 "2018-04-01T05:57:31Z")
You know, if that said 2017 I’d agree with the above. But 2015? The “Use By” date _three years_ gone? I couldn’t in good conscience recommend it. I can’t name what I think might be wrong with them. But I know that bottles and jars have seals with varying lengths of reliability. Bottled water doesn’t go bad because of the ingredients. The use by date is based upon the period of time for which the cap seal is rated. It’s also true that with some types of seals storing in the fridge actually makes them go bad that much faster. If it’s metal lid on glass jar then theoretically the cold would shrink the metal and tighten the seal. But if the seal relies on any type of gasket, it might be compromised by now. And there are bacteria and other critters that can grow in the fridge. The cold is just slowing them down. Bread that rises in 20 minutes on the counter will take all night to rise in the fridge, but it still rises. Not worth the risk. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/7 "2018-04-01T06:02:06Z")
Eh, capers are pickled. Pickles keep pretty well even without refrigeration. Refrigerated, especially if the bottle is still sealed, they should be safe. They might be mushier than ideal, and if the seal failed they might have oxidized a bit, but they’ll probably still taste fine. So, what Colibri said. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/8 "2018-04-01T06:04:23Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > And there are bacteria and other critters that can grow in the fridge. The cold is just slowing them down. Bacteria won’t grow in a saline or acid medium (like vinegar). There is really no reason to be concerned about these. There is no risk. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/9 "2018-04-01T06:05:38Z")
They are PRESERVED capers. As mentioned above, provided the seal is intact, they’ll be fine. Use-by and Best-before dates are entirely a figment of the imaginations of the Big Food Industry, just encouraging you to turf stuff if it has expired some arbitrary date printed on the side. With canned/preserved foods, unless there is evident damage to the can/seal you will be better off eating those than so-called ‘fresh’ food. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/10 "2018-04-01T06:05:38Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Bottled water doesn’t go bad because of the ingredients. Bottled water doesn’t go bad. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/11 "2018-04-01T06:08:39Z")
It does amaze me how paranoid people get about “best buy” dates, and the lack of understanding about what conditions permit the growth of bacteria. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/12 "2018-04-01T06:13:25Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > You know, if that said 2017 I’d agree with the above. But 2015? The “Use By” date _three years_ gone? I couldn’t in good conscience recommend it. > > I can’t name what I think might be wrong with them. But I know that bottles and jars have seals with varying lengths of reliability. Bottled water doesn’t go bad because of the ingredients. The use by date is based upon the period of time for which the cap seal is rated. > > It’s also true that with some types of seals storing in the fridge actually makes them go bad that much faster. If it’s metal lid on glass jar then theoretically the cold would shrink the metal and tighten the seal. But if the seal relies on any type of gasket, it might be compromised by now. > > And there are bacteria and other critters that can grow in the fridge. The cold is just slowing them down. Bread that rises in 20 minutes on the counter will take all night to rise in the fridge, but it still rises. > > Not worth the risk. Your post is full of speculation and just plain wrong information. As a matter of fact, everything in your post is so misguided I can’t even make myself refute your declarations point by point. Please stop giving food safety and quality advice. To the OP-eat the capers! They are fine. Enjoy your piccata. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/13 "2018-04-01T06:18:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It does amaze me how paranoid people get about “best buy” dates, and the lack of understanding about what conditions permit the growth of bacteria. The sugar, salt and spice company I worked for was required by Amazon to put best-by dates on all of our products which were sold on Amazon, except that Amazon also requires that no date be more than 3 years out. So all the sugar and salt, which are non-perishable, are labeled with a 3-year date. And I’d have to take calls every fucking day from idiots afraid that their 3-year-old salt had expired. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/14 "2018-04-01T06:27:40Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > The sugar, salt and spice company I worked for was required by Amazon to put best-by dates on all of our products which were sold on Amazon, except that Amazon also requires that no date be more than 3 years out. So all the sugar and salt, which are non-perishable, are labeled with a 3-year date. And I’d have to take calls every fucking day from idiots afraid that their 3-year-old salt had expired. Oh, do you also get the questions about “is your sugar/salt gluten free?” or “are there Gmo’s in this sugar/salt?” ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/15 "2018-04-01T06:57:54Z")
> [@keturah](#): > > Oh, do you also get the questions about “is your sugar/salt gluten free?” or “are there Gmo’s in this sugar/salt?” Sidetrack, but, yes, I did. (FYI, cane sugar is non-GMO; beet sugar is always GMO.) Also: 1. Where is your Brazilian salt from? 2. How much sodium is in the salt? I could go on… ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/16 "2018-04-01T08:27:42Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > 1. Where is your Brazilian salt from? “Funny you should ask… Brazilian salt is actually a very special product; it’s a byproduct of the ancient Brazilian custom known as _cera_, and ours is painstakingly gathered for us by licensed _empregados do salão de beleza_, in a traditional Brazilian _apanhador de recortes_ or even from an exotic _chão_.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/17 "2018-04-01T12:23:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Bottled water doesn’t go bad. Period. Yes it does. It eventually tastes unpleasantly of plastic. That happens faster if it’s stored someplace hot. It’s probably not dangerous, and I’d certainly drink it if i had no other water. (and i have) But I’ve had “too old” bottled water a couple of times and it’s unpleasant. It’s certainly “best by” some earlier date. > [@needscoffee](#): > > … And I’d have to take calls every fucking day from idiots afraid that their 3-year-old salt had expired. Okay, that’s funny. Yeah, I’m sure it was frustrating, but from my perspective, not actually having to talk to those people, that’s pretty funny. Speaking of old picked capers, I have some very old kalamata olives in the fridge. I should taste one and see if they are still good. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/18 "2018-04-01T12:55:01Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > You know, if that said 2017 I’d agree with the above. But 2015? The “Use By” date _three years_ gone? I couldn’t in good conscience recommend it. I once (cautiously) ate a snack pack of canned tuna salad and crackers that were _six years_ past its best by date. It was highly unappetizing, especially the crackers, but no ill effects ensued. [This guy](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I6Et1JkidnnbWgJFiMeHA) routinely samples rations packed decades ago and is still alive. He does exercise common sense, like not eating a bulgy can of Viet Nam-era [canned beefsteak](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swa-CZsfKnI&t=926s). ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/19 "2018-04-01T16:41:56Z")
Thanks for all the replies. I figured it would be okay, but I wanted a second opinion. I trust the consensus here and will probably make my piccata tonight. It’s a really big jar I bought to make piccata years ago but never did, so waiting another night was no biggie. I realized anyway I didn’t have any wine, so… > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Eh, capers are pickled. Pickles keep pretty well even without refrigeration. Refrigerated, especially if the bottle is still sealed, they should be safe. They might be mushier than ideal, and if the seal failed they might have oxidized a bit, but they’ll probably still taste fine. So, what Colibri said. Yeah, they actually do look pretty mushy at the bottom. Probably won’t bother with the bottom third of the jar. I’ve never had capers, so I don’t actually know what they are supposed to taste like. I expected them like little salty peas. Come to think of it, I don’t even know what capers are. Huh. I’m going to give it a shot tonight and see how it goes. Thanks, **Colibri** , for fixing my posting errors. You people are a great help! ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572/20 "2018-04-01T18:35:05Z")
Go for it. I ate some Canadian bacon (in a sealed pack) that was a year out of date. That was 24 hours ago and so far so good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-eat-this-jar-of-capers/811572.md?page=2)