Wife and I had a brief discussion about date codes this morning. (she
told me to check the expr date on a can of something, I said "I thought
that stuff lasted forever", then she said "you think EVERYTHING lasts
forever."

So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew? It had been in
the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.

I'm going to take my chances and keep using it. Don't tell
you-know-whom or it'll get thrown out.

-Bob

On Jan 8, 8:49*am, zxcvbob > wrote:
...
> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. *Sure
> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. *Who knew? *It had been in
> the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
> and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
> dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.
....

Entropy's constantly at work. It took the input of a lot of energy and
work to get that salt in the condition it was when it left the
processing plant. The expiration date is the manufacturer's best
guesstimate of how long it will remain in a state relatively unchanged
from when they produced it. That's all.

John Kuthe...

On 1/8/12 9:49 AM, zxcvbob wrote:

> Don't tell you-know-whom
> or it'll get thrown out.
>
> -Bob

Julie Bove? She'd throw it out.

On Jan 8, 8:49*am, zxcvbob > wrote:
> Wife and I had a brief discussion about date codes this morning. *(she
> told me to check the expr date on a can of something, I said "I thought
> that stuff lasted forever", then she said "you think EVERYTHING lasts
> forever."
>
> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. *Sure
> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. *Who knew? *It had been in
> the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
> and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
> dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.


A lot of boxed products will eventually start to taste like the box if
you ignore them for long enough and then eat them. And by 'long
enough' I mean three or four years. Or more. I will say no more about
this, pursuant to my rights under the 5th Amendment.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:49:45 -0600, zxcvbob >
wrote:

>Wife and I had a brief discussion about date codes this morning. (she
>told me to check the expr date on a can of something, I said "I thought
>that stuff lasted forever", then she said "you think EVERYTHING lasts
>forever."
>
>So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
>enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew? It had been in
>the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
>and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
>dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.
>
>I'm going to take my chances and keep using it. Don't tell
>you-know-whom or it'll get thrown out.

The expiration date is for the container, after two years it becomes
corned cardboard.

On 08/01/2012 9:49 AM, zxcvbob wrote:
> Wife and I had a brief discussion about date codes this morning. (she
> told me to check the expr date on a can of something, I said "I thought
> that stuff lasted forever", then she said "you think EVERYTHING lasts
> forever."

Like love?? ;-)
My wife objected to me buying cereal at local discount grocery store.
The cereal I buy there is all name brand and at least $1 per box cheaper
than most other grocery stores sell it for. I thought she was
nuts...again, until one day she pointed it out. She had the numbers
mixed up. 12/10 meant October 2012 not December 2010.



> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew? It had been in the
> ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it and
> put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled dry
> environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.

Sure. It makes perfect sense that salt is dig up in undersea mines where
it sits for millions of years, and then goes bad after being in a box
for two years.




>
> I'm going to take my chances and keep using it. Don't tell you-know-whom
> or it'll get thrown out.
>
>
Should we let her know that they salt meat and fish and it lasts for
years.... longer than the expiry of the salt ?

On Jan 8, 11:17*am, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
> > So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. *Sure
> > enough, it expired a couple of months ago. *Who knew? *It had been in
> > the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
> > and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
> > dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.
>
> Must be kosher salt.

What if it gets re-blessed by a rabbi?

;-)

John Kuthe...

zxcvbob wrote:
>
> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew? It had been in
> the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
> and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
> dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.

Must be kosher salt.

On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 07:35:37 -0800 (PST), Christopher Helms
> wrote:

>On Jan 8, 8:49*am, zxcvbob > wrote:
>> Wife and I had a brief discussion about date codes this morning. *(she
>> told me to check the expr date on a can of something, I said "I thought
>> that stuff lasted forever", then she said "you think EVERYTHING lasts
>> forever."
>>
>> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. *Sure
>> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. *Who knew? *It had been in
>> the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
>> and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
>> dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.
>
>
>A lot of boxed products will eventually start to taste like the box if
>you ignore them for long enough and then eat them.

Salt also absorbs odors. Years ago I bought one of those round
cardboard containers of salt at the Latino market, when I got home I
noticed it smelled like smoked fish... that's when I remembered it was
stacked right near the smoked fish display. I've had the same happen
with flour and sugar. Even though their prices were low I stopped
buying anything packaged in cardboard/paper containers there. When
you walk into any ethnic grocery and get smacked in the face with all
those enticing smells be warned... unless you don't mind TP that reeks
of kippers. lol

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:49:45 -0600, zxcvbob wrote:
>
>> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
>> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew?
>
> Morton doesn't seem to think it expires. The iodine may expire in 5
> years, but what's the harm in that, sudden onset of goiter?
>
> http://www.mortonsalt.com/faqs/food_salt_faq.html#q19
>
> -sw

I don't see them saying the iodine might expire.

I see them saying shelf life and expiration are two different things. What,
I don't know.

Buti wiki does:

Shelf life is different from expiration date; the former relates to food
quality, the latter to food safety

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 15:33:36 -0800, Pico Rico wrote:
>
>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:49:45 -0600, zxcvbob wrote:
>>>
>>>> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
>>>> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew?
>>>
>>> Morton doesn't seem to think it expires. The iodine may expire in 5
>>> years, but what's the harm in that, sudden onset of goiter?
>>>
>>> http://www.mortonsalt.com/faqs/food_salt_faq.html#q19
>>>
>>> -sw
>>
>> I don't see them saying the iodine might expire.
>>
>> I see them saying shelf life and expiration are two different things.
>> What,
>> I don't know.
>
> Now you're picking nits. When it is no good for it's intended use it
> is has expired. Iodine is an element and nutrient, not a food. When
> it doesn't work any more (and you expect it to), it can be dangerous.
> If not to you, then to child bearing persons and their offspring.
>
> I traded you for spamtrap. Don't disappoint me now with silly word
> games.
>
> -sw

I don't think the Iodine wears out. I think the salt cakes. Morton wasn't
clear about this, but if the iodine will some day pose a health risk, you
would think they would be more outspoken about it. Or somebody somewhere
would say something about it.

you can threaten me all you want, but for crying out loud just because
somebody responds to you doesn't mean they are playing silly word games.

John Kuthe wrote:
>
> On Jan 8, 11:17 am, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> > zxcvbob wrote:
> >
> > > So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
> > > enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew? It had been in
> > > the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
> > > and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
> > > dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.
> >
> > Must be kosher salt.
>
> What if it gets re-blessed by a rabbi?
>
> ;-)
>
> John Kuthe...

That's done with kosher meat. The kosher certification
expires, but under some circumstances cand be recertified.
If kosher certification for salt also expires, recertification
is definitely a possibility.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:30:16 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>John Kuthe wrote:
>>
>> On Jan 8, 11:17 am, Mark Thorson > wrote:
>> > zxcvbob wrote:
>> >
>> > > So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
>> > > enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew? It had been in
>> > > the ground for a thousand years, but once they clean it and pulverize it
>> > > and put it in a little box where it has been in a temperature-controlled
>> > > dry environment -- it goes bad after 2 years.
>> >
>> > Must be kosher salt.
>>
>> What if it gets re-blessed by a rabbi?
>>
>> ;-)
>>
>> John Kuthe...
>
>That's done with kosher meat. The kosher certification
>expires, but under some circumstances cand be recertified.
>If kosher certification for salt also expires, recertification
>is definitely a possibility.

It will never expire since salt was never blessed. It is koshering,
used in the process. Even non-kosher salt is kosher.

On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 16:20:18 -0800, "Pico Rico" >
wrote:

>
>"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
>> On Sun, 8 Jan 2012 15:33:36 -0800, Pico Rico wrote:
>>
>>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> On Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:49:45 -0600, zxcvbob wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> So I looked a the bottom of a box of table salt in the pantry. Sure
>>>>> enough, it expired a couple of months ago. Who knew?
>>>>
>>>> Morton doesn't seem to think it expires. The iodine may expire in 5
>>>> years, but what's the harm in that, sudden onset of goiter?
>>>>
>>>> http://www.mortonsalt.com/faqs/food_salt_faq.html#q19
>>>>
>>>> -sw
>>>
>>> I don't see them saying the iodine might expire.
>>>
>>> I see them saying shelf life and expiration are two different things.
>>> What,
>>> I don't know.
>>
>> Now you're picking nits. When it is no good for it's intended use it
>> is has expired. Iodine is an element and nutrient, not a food. When
>> it doesn't work any more (and you expect it to), it can be dangerous.
>> If not to you, then to child bearing persons and their offspring.
>>
>> I traded you for spamtrap. Don't disappoint me now with silly word
>> games.
>>
>> -sw
>
>I don't think the Iodine wears out. I think the salt cakes. Morton wasn't
>clear about this, but if the iodine will some day pose a health risk, you
>would think they would be more outspoken about it. Or somebody somewhere
>would say something about it.

Iodine is an element, it does not wear out, Iodine is not a nutrient
either, it's a dietary suppliment like Iron, Zinc, Calcium,
Phospherous Potassium, etc... to be a nutrient/food it must supply
calories... the dwarf is just being silly. I don't have Morton salt.
I have Diamond Crystal, a round box of ordinary table salt and a
rectangular box of kosher salt. Neither exhibits any kind of date
other than the date I wrote on the package on the day I opened them.
Most salt, even most kosher salt contains an anti caking compound (so
long as not contaminated all elements are kosher). Naturally whether
salt cakes has to do with under what conditions one storages it and
which anti caking compound is added and how much, and since salt is
chemically extremely stable I can't imagine why salt should have a
use-by or expiration date except that the anti caking compound can
deteriorate/lose potency ("wear out").
http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/can-salt-go-bad

Pico Rico wrote:
>
> I don't think the Iodine wears out. I think the salt cakes. Morton wasn't
> clear about this, but if the iodine will some day pose a health risk, you
> would think they would be more outspoken about it. Or somebody somewhere
> would say something about it.

Question: What's the deal with the salt with iodine anyway? I've never
known. Sometimes I buy it with iodine and other times without. Which kind
is best to buy?

Gary

On Jan 9, 4:19*am, Gary > wrote:
> Pico Rico wrote:
>
> > I don't think the Iodine wears out. *I think the salt cakes. *Morton wasn't
> > clear about this, but if the iodine will some day pose a health risk, you
> > would think they would be more outspoken about it. *Or somebody somewhere
> > would say something about it.
>
> Question: *What's the deal with the salt with iodine anyway? *I've never
> known. *Sometimes I buy it with iodine and other times without. Which kind
> is best to buy?
>

How much ocean fish and seafood do you eat? You want to eat enough
iodine to prevent goiter.

On 09/01/2012 11:02 AM, l, not -l wrote:
> On 9-Jan-2012, > wrote:
>
>> Question: What's the deal with the salt with iodine anyway? I've never
>> known. Sometimes I buy it with iodine and other times without. Which kind
>> is best to buy?
>>
>> Gary
>
> In the past, perhaps still true today, many people did not get enough iodine
> in their diets naturally. Iodine was added to table salt to alleviate the
> health issues created by insufficient iodine in the diet.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt


My (ex) SiL was a health food freak and insisted that sea salt was
healthier for you because it is saltier. For some reason, she was sure
that the stuff mined from died up sea beds was different from the stuff
dried from the world's oceans. Their daughter developed a goiter. It
was easily treated with iodine supplements.