# Tazo teabags past their sell-by date **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 23, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771 "2009-06-23T21:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/1 "2009-06-23T21:56:32Z")
I recently came into possession of 12 boxes of Tazo “Awake” black tea: 288 teabags in all. I’d love to share it with my co-workers but it’s over a year past its stamped sell-by date (02 June 2008). It tastes OK to me, though my tea-palate is nothing special. Would it be impolite to offer it to others? Offered with a disclaimer? “Here take my expired castoff tea?” What do you think? If I offered you some of this tea, would you take it? Thanks in advance, E. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/2 "2009-06-23T22:25:13Z")
Yes, I’d take it. It’s tea, after all, not hamburger. I’d think the worst that would happen would be that the flavor isn’t as good. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/3 "2009-06-24T00:20:48Z")
I’m not familiar with that brand, but don’t tea bags usually contain “tea dust” (i.e., tasty but not the highest-quality stuff)? In any case, I would give them a try. Also, is the date marked as a “sell-by” date or an “expiration” date? In my experience, a “sell-by” date is used to ensure fresh stock on the shelves, and doesn’t necessarily indicate a point at which the product will go bad. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/4 "2009-06-24T00:29:36Z")
I have teabags that go back to the Boston Tea Party days (ha-ha), stored in a tin, and the tea tastes fine to me. Maybe to an expert they taste ‘stale’? but they can’t spoil or turn rancid if kept dry. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/5 "2009-06-24T03:23:13Z")
My mother has some Twinings Earl Grey that dates back to before they changed their packaging a few years ago. In fact they now have a sell by date on the packages but her box does not. The tea seems to be less flavorfull than new tea but not too bad. I think you are fine. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/6 "2009-06-24T08:24:09Z")
I’m not a tea drinker, but if you put anything in it like sugar or milk, then if it is stale that would mask it. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/7 "2009-06-24T15:20:12Z")
Tea, like coffee and spices and dried herbs, have better flavor the fresher they are. Unless they grow mold or something, however, they don’t go bad. Sell-by dates on pantry items like this are helpful in rotating stock on shelves, and for prompting consumers to throw out unspoiled product and buy more. The food industry has made a mint since everything produced now has a “sell by” or “best by” date stamped on it. If you made a cup of tea with the Tazo you have, and a cup with some Tazo straight off the production line, the newer tea might have a stronger, fresher flavor. But, if the tea you have on hand tastes OK, then it \*is \*OK. Maybe not optimal, but OK. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/8 "2009-06-24T23:57:02Z")
What **Claire** said. I would love to take some off the hands of someone who offered it. I drink a lot of tea. ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tazo-teabags-past-their-sell-by-date/500771/9 "2009-06-25T00:02:54Z")
Thanks, everyone. I’ll offer the tea (disclosing the date) guilt-free.