Published: March 27, 2007 11:46 am      

FOOD: Out with the old ...

Want to be a better cook? Start by tossing some food in the trash.

That’s because some of those old ingredients in the back of your pantry have likely lost flavor or potency, or worse yet, could make you sick.

But how to know what to keep and what to pitch when spring cleaning your pantry?

It’s not always easy. Package date codes can be cryptic. And face it, everybody has better things to do than try to remember when they bought that stray can of kidney beans or opened the mystery jar of pasta sauce.

But some food manufacturers are trying to help.

During the past five to 10 years, it’s become almost standard practice in packaged food industry to include some sort of date coding, says Allen Matthys, vice president of federal and state regulations with the Grocery Manufacturers/Food Products Association.

That’s a turnaround from a few decades ago, when the baby food industry was the first to adopt the practice, he says. Now even bottled water and sodas carry date codes.

Companies also are doing more to educate consumers about the codes. The spice company McCormick has an ad campaign on how age affects spices. The company also created a Web site with a “date code decoder” to help people know when their spices were bottled.

But for these codes to be helpful, you need to know how to read a bottle and how long foods last.

“Best by” generally indicates a product’s period of peak flavor and quality. It is not a purchase or safety date. “Sell by” indicates how long a retailer should offer the product. How long a food is good after that date varies by the product. Milk, for example, usually is good for another five to seven days. Foods with “expiration” or “use by” dates should not be consumed after those dates.

Here are some common pantry staples and how long they can be stored:

• Canned and jarred foods

Unopened canned foods keep for two years, according to the Food Products Association. Jarred foods often have “best by” dates. Once opened, both products can be refrigerated for three to four days. Products containing meat should be consumed within two days.

Never use a product from a can that is leaking, rusted, badly dented or bulging. Never store food in an opened can.

• Chocolate

Chocolate will keep for many months at room temperature. But white chocolate, which lacks the antioxidants contained in cocoa solids, has a room-temperature shelf life of only a few weeks, according to Harold McGee’s “On Food and Cooking.”

• Coffee

Roasted beans can be store at room temperature for several weeks or frozen for several months, according to McGee. Once ground, coffee will keep at room temperature for only a few days.

• Frozen foods

For best storage, freezers should be set at 0 F, according to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association. Beef steaks and roasts, chicken, fruit juice concentrates, lamb roasts and shrimp will keep for a year. Most vegetables, unbaked fruit pies and veal and pork roasts can keep for eight months. Consume breads, cooked meats and ground beef within three months. Ice cream and bacon are best within a month.

• Herbs and spices

Seasonings generally don’t go bad, but they can lose potency. Most experts advise buying herbs and spices in amounts small enough to be used within six months to a year. Cooks may need to adjust seasoning quantities when using older ones.

• Maple syrup and honey

Because of its high moisture content, maple syrup must be refrigerated once opened. Unopened, it will keep in a cool, dark place for several years, according to Cook’s Illustrated magazine. Once opened, it will keep up to a year in the refrigerator.

Honey’s low moisture content prevents bacterial growth. It can be stored at room temperaturefor several years.

• Olive oil

Most companies now label their olive oil with “best by” dates. But as a general rule, the North American Olive Oil Association says olive oil should be consumed within about year from its purchase date. Always store olive oil in a cool, dark place.

Most vegetable oils will keep six months to a year. Seed and nuts oils are best within six months.

• Pasta

Dry pasta can be stored for up to a year. Once cooked, it can be refrigerated for three to five days, according to the National Pasta Association. Fresh pasta should be used or frozen by the “best by” date marked on the package.

• Sauces and salad dressings

Most of these products — including ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard — have some sort of date coding. They are generally good for a year or more unopened. Once opened, they should be consumed within about 6 months, after which flavor and color can fade.

Hot sauces, such as Tabasco, usually last up to five years at room temperature after being opened. Soy sauce in unopened glass bottles will keep for two years. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and consumed within several months.

• Sugar

Sugar, brown or white, can be stored indefinitely in a cool, dry place. Brown sugar that hardens can be revived by letting it stand overnight in a sealed jar with a damp paper towel or apple slice, according to the Sugar Association.

• Vinegar

Most vinegars can be stored at room temperature and used indefinitely. For vinegar with additives, such as fruit pulp, check the label for a date code.