On Thu 01 Dec 2005 06:24:46p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it notbob?

> On 2005-12-02, sarah bennett > wrote:
>> I have an unopened box of grits in my pantry that says it expired in
>> September. Anyone think it might still be edible, or should I toss it?
>> (I'm in no position to be throwing away food atm.)
>
> I'm no grits expert, but aren't there two kinds of grits? Natural
> grits, stone ground white corn, and hominy grits, grits ground from
> nixtamalized corn. Maybe someone can clear that up. Anyway, it's
> been my experience that stone ground cornmeal is high in corn oil and
> is therefor prone to becoming rancid over time. I keep freshly ground
> cornmeal from health food stores in the fridge and use quickly. Not so
> sure about grits, but it would seem to be a similar potential problem.
>
> nb

It really doesn't matter what kind they are. Rancidity can be easily
detected by either smell or taste. In either case, they're not poisonous.
Since it's only a couple of months past the date, I doubt seriously if
they're rancid. I would smell/taste test the grits and if no off taste or
odor is detected, cook some. Taste again. I agree, don't waste them if at
all possible.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!