Curly Sue > wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 01:38:26 -0400, Tim923 > wrote:

> >I notice some people sell unopened soda bottles and cereal boxes from
> >past decades (1950s thru '80s for example).
> >
> >Although many don't want to try eating or drinking them, and the
> >sellers recommend not to, is the food still good.
> >
> >Could a cereal box packed away for 20 years still be good? Thanks.

> Depends on the conditions of storage (dry? cool?), the packaging (air
> tight?), and what you mean by "good"! (safe - probably, nutrient
> levels- maybe not for some vitamins, delectable- ewwww!).

I'm with Curly Sue on this. It depends on your definition of "good."
Will it kill you? Probably not, but human beings are a lot like
rats when it comes to food. We can eat damn near anything that isn't
actually poisonous and it won't kill or harm us. Would you want
to eat 20 year old stale cereal? Not me, unless it was one of those
post-apocolyptic situations where that's all there is.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.