# When Olive Oil goes bad . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070 "2008-01-03T01:47:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/1 "2008-01-03T01:47:01Z")
I’ve got an opened bottle of olive oil in the pantry- “opened” as in the seal has long been broken, not “opened” as in the cap has been left off- it says best if used by October 31st 2007. Would I be tempting fate were I to make use of this 2+ months after the “best if used by” date??? What should I look for in olive oil “gone bad”??? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/2 "2008-01-03T01:52:04Z")
I’d use it. Taste it and smell it. If it tastes bitter and rancid, it’s bad. If not, it’s good. Bad oil is pretty obvious. That said, I’m not a microbiologist, so take my advice at your own risk. I’m just not sure what baddies could find home in oil. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/3 "2008-01-03T01:54:39Z")
[For the record, this site](http://www.oliveoilsource.com/olive_oil_storage.htm) claims there’s no danger in eating rancid oil, it’s just not appetizing. > [@](#): > > When olive oil is too old and has oxidized, it is usually rancid. Rancidity is most commonly detected by taste but a chemical test can also check for rancidity. > > […] > > Rancid oil has fewer antioxidants but is not poisonous. A good percentage of the world’s population routinely eat rancid oil because of lack of proper storage conditions and some actually prefer the taste. ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/4 "2008-01-03T02:00:14Z")
[QUOTE=bienville] What should I look for in olive oil “gone bad”??? [/QUOTE] Popeye standing outside the bar taking payments to watch? 😃 In all seriousness I have had olive oil that went bad and there is no question in your mind when it’s not good. It smells like… well it doesn’t smell like something I would ever put on my salad. If you smell it and don’t gag it’s probably ok. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/5 "2008-01-03T02:08:03Z")
Yeah, if it passes the smell test it’s very probably OK. You could get a drop on your finger and touch it to your tongue, just to be sure, but I’d guess it’s fine. Also, if you’re cooking w/ it, you’ll be sure when you put the heat to it, as that will enhance any foul smell. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/6 "2008-01-03T03:09:34Z")
Rancid oil smell=greasepaint smell ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/7 "2008-01-03T16:05:04Z")
Thank OG it ain’t another Popeye thread. I’d feared the worst–pron. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/8 "2008-01-03T19:26:38Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Bad oil is pretty obvious. [/QUOTE] Yeah, there’s no ambiguity. If it’s been kept away from heat and light, it’s probably okay, two months past the date. But give it a sniff and see. If it’s Gone Evil, you’ll know pretty much immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/9 "2008-01-03T20:16:10Z")
When olive oil goes bad… …it pulls a gun on the calamari, and the kitchen becomes chaos. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/10 "2008-01-03T23:57:59Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Thank OG it ain’t another Popeye thread. I’d feared the worst–pron. [/QUOTE] I specifically came in here to see what Popeye jokes people would make. Not bad **t-mobileguy**. I thought there’d be a lot more though. ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-olive-oil-goes-bad/432070/11 "2008-01-04T00:52:30Z")
[QUOTE=Greg Charles] I specifically came in here to see what Popeye jokes people would make. Not bad **t-mobileguy**. I thought there’d be a lot more though. [/QUOTE] Thank you folks, I’ll be here all week. Try the veal. Remember the 10:30 show is completely different than the 8:00 show. Don’t forget to tip the wait staff. 😃