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 Man 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.

It wasn't a "sell by" date, or a date legally required by the FDA. You
said it yourself- "best used by" means just that. It provides the
manufacturer some "control" over the quality of a product in the sense
that if you keep it on hand for 10 years and then complain about the
shriveled up cubes they can say you exceeded the "best used by" date.

Goomba38 wrote:
> Lobster Man 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.
>
>
> It wasn't a "sell by" date, or a date legally required by the FDA. You
> said it yourself- "best used by" means just that. It provides the
> manufacturer some "control" over the quality of a product in the sense
> that if you keep it on hand for 10 years and then complain about the
> shriveled up cubes they can say you exceeded the "best used by" date.

I understand the purpose of a "best used by" date. But it's a freaking
bullion cube. It's what, 95% salt? How is that going to shrivel up?

Lobster Man wrote:

> I understand the purpose of a "best used by" date. But it's a freaking
> bullion cube. It's what, 95% salt? How is that going to shrivel up?

Perhaps the oil in it goes rancid? I dunno..? I've seen dry crumbly
cubes before though too.

In article <j1TZg.4547$V6.2198@fed1read06>,
Lobster Man > 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.

We have expiration dates on disposable GLASS PIPETTES at work. ;-)

Seems to be a law about that somewhere...

They are not even sterile.
--
Peace, Om

Remove extra . to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Lobster Man > wrote in news:j1TZg.4547$V6.2198
@fed1read06:

> 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.



Maybe it's something to do with texture rather than flavour or safety?
I've had really old ones that had kinda solidified and gone a bit gummy.
They tasted just fine, but they were more difficult to 'melt' than fresh
ones are.

K

Lobster Man wrote:
>
>
> I understand the purpose of a "best used by" date. But it's a freaking
> bullion cube. It's what, 95% salt? How is that going to shrivel up?

Bullion cubes do turn into a gummy mess after some time. I saw that when
my friend was cleaning her mothers house out and there was a jar buried
in the back of the cupboard and it got a quick forensic examination
before being tossed.

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

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article <j1TZg.4547$V6.2198@fed1read06>,
> Lobster Man > 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.
>
> We have expiration dates on disposable GLASS PIPETTES at work. ;-)
>
> Seems to be a law about that somewhere...
>
> They are not even sterile.

They are probably sterile, but have an expiration date because of how
they're packaged. Folks buy all sorts of stuff for their first aid kit
that's marked sterile; bandages, cotton balls, cotton swabs... even
your tampons. But eventually due to how packaged those items should no
longer be considered sterile. Often medical supplies will say "sterile
unless opened", but how can you determine if it's opened... you can't
just by looking... just from age the seams of that packaging become
breached, all it takes is a pinhole... never trust a condom supplied by
another, especially not you guys when it's given by your girlfriend,
most especially not if she's been trying to get you to marry her...
never let her near your condom supply. Goes for yoose gals too, always
use your own. What a dilemma. Really, the only way is to go to the
drug store together.

Sheldon wrote:
.... never trust a condom supplied by
> another, especially not you guys when it's given by your girlfriend,
> most especially not if she's been trying to get you to marry her...
> never let her near your condom supply. Goes for yoose gals too, always
> use your own. What a dilemma. Really, the only way is to go to the
> drug store together.
>

Damn. Talk about thread drift, eh?? LOL

But you're correct on all points.

One time on Usenet, Goomba38 > said:
> Sheldon wrote:

> .... never trust a condom supplied by
> > another, especially not you guys when it's given by your girlfriend,
> > most especially not if she's been trying to get you to marry her...
> > never let her near your condom supply. Goes for yoose gals too, always
> > use your own. What a dilemma. Really, the only way is to go to the
> > drug store together.

> Damn. Talk about thread drift, eh?? LOL

Heh, isn't Usenet fascinating? :-)

> But you're correct on all points.

Yup, I agree with Sheldon -- never trust someone else to provide
your birth control. Well, unless you're already married, in which
case a certain amount of trust should be in place...

--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

Goomba38 wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> ... never trust a condom supplied by
> > another, especially not you guys when it's given by your girlfriend,
> > most especially not if she's been trying to get you to marry her...
> > never let her near your condom supply. Goes for yoose gals too, always
> > use your own. What a dilemma. Really, the only way is to go to the
> > drug store together.
> >
>
> Damn. Talk about thread drift, eh?? LOL

A writing technique, attaching to something more familiar makes folks
more likely to remember. Um, what were we talking about anyway, now
that I got your bra off... ahh, precious, like gold bullion.

Sheldon Solid

Sheldon wrote:

> 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

It will have magically transported moisture right through
the plastic jar and plastic lid. Amazing that moisture...
huh...?

> (salt contains moisture naturally)

Salt is NaCl. Notice the absence of any "H" or "O" in there.
Much less a "2".

> 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).

Nonsense. The water activity is so low that it can be
described as preserved. Just like a country ham. And you
keep on about "excess" moisture. How much would that be?

> 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).

It can do that if the container is permeable. But it's still
salt. Crunch it and it's perfectly usable. It has dissolved
and recrystallized and is still salt.

> 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...

<LOL> I bet that's why it's so smelly in salt mines. Not.
What moronic nonsense.

> bouillon cubes will also readily absorb odors, store
> in air tight glass containers.

More nonsense.

> The FDA doesn't require such warnings for nothing,

The FDA doesn't require such "warnings" at all. That would
be the corporate lawyer types who want "best by" dates, and
they're not about wholesomeness, just optimum quality as
judged by the company.

> it's to protect the
> stupids from themselves... unfortunately the printed warnings do not
> protect the functionally illiterate.

And readily available information doesn't permeate the
addled brains of those who think they already know.

Moron.

Pastorio

: > 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

: It will have magically transported moisture right through
: the plastic jar and plastic lid. Amazing that moisture...
: huh...?

: > (salt contains moisture naturally)


It's the opening and closing of the lid that enables moisture to either
escape or enter. But yes, some plastics are permeable.

In low-humidity areas like Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, bullion cubes
that are past their expiration date don't dissolve in water very easily
as they have dried up to the point that they are only good for using as
slingshot ammo.

wrote:

> : > 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
>
> : It will have magically transported moisture right through
> : the plastic jar and plastic lid. Amazing that moisture...
> : huh...?
>
> : > (salt contains moisture naturally)
>
> It's the opening and closing of the lid that enables moisture to either
> escape or enter. But yes, some plastics are permeable.

Unless the lids are left off for a long time and there's a
helluva wind with lashing rain blowing straight into the
container, I'd say that opening and closing the jar will
have precious little enabling about it. Sure, there will
likely be a humidity imbalance between outside and inside,
but the absolute amount of water vapor in that 20 seconds of
being open while a cube is retrieved will be on the other
side of trivial.

They don't pack foods in hard-wall plastics for decorative
value. They're not permeable. Meat wraps are permeable.
They're used deliberately. Packaging is a very well-detailed
business nowadays with an astonishing panoply of choices for
protection, enhancement and preservation. Read about it.

> In low-humidity areas like Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, bullion cubes
> that are past their expiration date don't dissolve in water very easily
> as they have dried up to the point that they are only good for using as
> slingshot ammo.

There's no such thing as an expiration date for bouillon
cubes, as you'd know if you were actually knowledgeable. If
they're kept in their original *protective* packaging, I'm
afraid I can't envision such a thing as you're talking about
within reasonable time. Twaddle is one way to describe your
comments.

Here are some good general formulas for making them from a
European company. American companies go essentially the same
way. <http://www.stock-cubes.com/formulas.html> The numbers
are per mille ratios.

To be sure, some water is bound with the salt and various
sugars, but migration is slight and a very long time needs
to elapse before enough enters or leaves to materially
affect quality. Here's a nutrient breakdown of bouillon
cube/powder:
<http://www.fineli.fi/food.php?foodid=38&lang=en> and if you
add up the weights, you get right near 97% accounted for.
Water is the rest. Here's what the USDA database has to say
about it:
<http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl>
and they say water is 3.27% of dry weight.

Find something else to write about.

Pastorio

Sheldon wrote:
> Goomba38 wrote:
> > Sheldon wrote:
> > ... never trust a condom supplied by
> > > another, especially not you guys when it's given by your girlfriend,
> > > most especially not if she's been trying to get you to marry her...
> > > never let her near your condom supply. Goes for yoose gals too, always
> > > use your own. What a dilemma. Really, the only way is to go to the
> > > drug store together.
> > >
> >
> > Damn. Talk about thread drift, eh?? LOL
>
> A writing technique, attaching to something more familiar makes folks
> more likely to remember. Um, what were we talking about anyway, now
> that I got your bra off... ahh, precious, like gold bullion.
>
> Sheldon Solid

OK, I'll give ya an LOL on this one.

: They don't pack foods in hard-wall plastics for decorative
: value. They're not permeable. Meat wraps are permeable.

You are absolutely wrong on this one - plastics are indeed permeable.
A simple web search will confirm your ignorance of the subject.


: If they're kept in their original *protective* packaging, I'm
: afraid I can't envision such a thing as you're talking about
: within reasonable time. Twaddle is one way to describe your
: comments.

Just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it can't
happen - but you've displayed that ignorance for quite a few years
now so we've come to expect it. If you consider a "reasonable time"
to be a few months, then of course you'll never see the problem.


: Find something else to write about.

Likewise!

wrote:
> : They don't pack foods in hard-wall plastics for decorative
> : value. They're not permeable. Meat wraps are permeable.
>
> You are absolutely wrong on this one - plastics are indeed permeable.
> A simple web search will confirm your ignorance of the subject.

Funny you included all those citations. So many. How many
exactly...? <LOL> I just hate it when people prove me wrong.
Oh, wait...

You know, Sparky, it's rather amazing that plastics are used
to vacuum seal foods, medicines and medical implements,
sterile test equipment, and quarantined materials going to
and returning from space, and those manufacturers just don't
seem to know that. Maybe Johnson&Johnson needs to go out on
the internet and do "a simple web search" like you do rather
than paying attention to their polymer chemists. Way back in
high school in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1957, our
physics class toured a J&J facility where they were doing
plastics research, sophisticated polymers. We saw dozens of
different plastics with very different physical
characteristics. Some were oxygen-permeable, some were rigid
and impermeable and others had yet other features. And that
was 50 years ago. I bet nothing much has been done since
right, Pinkie? Probably no one has rigorously tested the old
ones and created new ones. Right, Muffin?

*Some* plastics are permeable. Some plastics are not. If
they're permeable, they're permeable in both directions. Can
you smell the foods packed in the plastic containers in your
cupboards? No? Guess why, Zippy. Can you smell blood when
someone is getting a transfusion? Guess why, Scooter. Do the
vacuumed packages of coffee lose their vacuum any time soon,
Binky? Nah. I bet there's never a "whooosh" when you open
rigid plastic containers of food in your house. Probably
can't pick it out, what with all the whoooshing going on in
your education.

> : If they're kept in their original *protective* packaging, I'm
> : afraid I can't envision such a thing as you're talking about
> : within reasonable time. Twaddle is one way to describe your
> : comments.
>
> Just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it can't
> happen - but you've displayed that ignorance for quite a few years
> now so we've come to expect it. If you consider a "reasonable time"
> to be a few months, then of course you'll never see the problem.

Oh, give it a rest. I don't know which moron of the
multitudes that have driven through usenet you are, but
empty prattle like you offered certainly qualifies you to
win the "Salami of the Month" award. And there's no
"expiration date" on that one like you think there is on
bouillon cubes.

"Ignorance..." heh. I must have injured your fragile widdle
ego terribly in some prior life.

> : Find something else to write about.
>
> Likewise!

You need to get better material, Slushy. This vacuity
doesn't stand you in good stead amongst the grownups with
little patience for petulant children.

Expiration date...web search... LOL... Harry@Reems...
obvious what you use to do your thinking. Or a case of
wishful thinking.

Pastorio