Lobster wrote:
> Not feeling well this week, and I got tired of tea and mineral water, so
> I bought some bullion cubes at the store. A hot cup of beef bullion is a
> nice change of pace.
>
> Anyway, when I opened the jar, I was struck by the "Best used by" date
> on the top of the jar. (And the date was only a little over a year in
> the future...) It's not like a cube of mostly salt can really "go bad",
> right?
>
> I assume it's some stupid FDA food freshness requirement. But it still
> struck me as ironic.

Lobster, your reading comprehension skills are seriously lacking... it
says "best used by", not "do not use past". You also lack basic common
sense... plus you're a mealy mouthed arrogant *******... you're who's
stupid (seriously stupid), not the FDA.

Salt does too go "bad", salt is a dessicant, salt is a magnet for
moisture. I learned long ago not to stock up on bouillon cubes,
especially not the powdered form... after about a year the texture of
these products will have been seriously altered to something that's not
too appetizing (sludge), and since it has absorbed *excess* moisture
(salt contains moisture naturally) the product will also have
deteriorated texturally, and flavor wise (bouillon cubes do contain
some dehydrated meat protein that when exposed to excess moisture will
rehydrate and begin to rot) . Ordinary table salt will typically
survive longer than a year, at least those with anti-caking compounds
added, otherwise after about a year you will typically have a solid
block (put it out in the field as a salt lick). But table salt,
regardless whether it contains anti-caking compounds, very readily
absorbs odors... keep salt in an air tight container and do not stock
up on more than you can use in about a year, or it will go "bad" in
that regard too... bouillon cubes will also readily absorb odors, store
in air tight glass containers.

The FDA doesn't require such warnings for nothing, it's to protect the
stupids from themselves... unfortunately the printed warnings do not
protect the functionally illiterate.

Lobster, click he http://www.dtae.org/Adultlit/ged.html