Can You Get Sick From Eating Expired Frosting?

Can you get sick from eating expired frosting?

By TheWholePortion

Page last updated: 03/22/2023 | Next review date: 03/22/2025

Author bio

The Whole Portion is your go-to source for reliable nutrition, health, and wellness information. We are a team of passionate and experienced nutritionists, dietitians, and food science writers dedicated to providing high-quality content that helps you make informed decisions about your health. You can view our writers and review board here. Our articles are reviewed by PhD Food scientists and we only cite from Government or Scientific publications. We are owned and funded by PressPublish.

TheWholePortion

View More north_east

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “can you get sick from eating expired frosting” with an in-depth analysis of the health implications of eating expired frosting. Moreover, we are going to discuss tips to properly store frosting.

So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.

Can you get sick from eating expired frosting?

When it comes to frosting, you do not necessarily get sick from eating an expired frosting provided that there are no molds on the frosting and it was stored properly.

It is worth mentioning that instead of the “expiration date”, you will find a “best by” or “best before date” written on the packet of frosting. The “best by” or “best before” date that is written on the pack of frosting refers to quality rather than safety so the frosting doesn’t necessarily go bad immediately after the best before date.

This date refers to the time during which you can enjoy the peak quality and flavor of the frosting but you can still eat frosting that is past this date as long as it was stored properly.

Therefore you should do a sensory evaluation of your frosting to reach a final verdict if it is still safe to consume or not.

Certain indicators point out the bad frosting. You should consider the appearance, consistency, taste, and smell of your frosting to reach a final verdict whether or not it has gone bad.

Appearance

If you notice mold or organic growth on your frosting, then it is better to get rid of such frosting.

Color

If you notice that your frosting has become discolored or if it has darkened then it also means that your frosting is long past its peak time.

Taste

If you feel something sour or acidic while tasting a bit of your frosting then it is an indication that your frosting has gone bad.

Consistency

If you notice that your frosting is all watery then it means that it is past its prime time. Moreover, if your frosting is curdled or has lumps present in it, then it is an indication of bad frosting.

Smell

If you smell something foul or sour while taking a sniff test of your frosting then it is an indication that the frosting has gone bad.

It is worth mentioning that if you leave your frosting in the fridge without covering it, it will get exposed to air that will result in that crusting of frosting owing to its high sugar content. So the crusting of frosting does not necessarily mean that it has gone bad.

What is the shelf life of frosting?

Unopened commercially canned frosting lasts for about 12-18 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark corner of the pantry away from direct sunlight and heat while once opened it lasts for about 2-3 weeks when stored properly.

Once you have opened the can of frosting, you should transfer the remaining frosting to an air-tight container to preserve its freshness and flavor for a long time.

The frosting has a high-fat and sugar content that keeps it from getting spoiled at room temperature for a long time.

It is worth mentioning that the figures mentioned above are the estimated shelf life of frosting and frosting can last even longer than this provided that it is stored properly.

In case of the unopened canned frosting, it can last 3-4 months past the “best before” date written on it provided that it was stored properly. On the other hand, properly stored unopened dry frosting mix lasts for 5-6 months past the “best before” date written on it.

Tips to properly store frosting

Frosting can pick up odors therefore it should be stored in an air-tight container. Moreover, the air-tight container will also ensure that no air will find its way to your frosting, thereby preserving its freshness for a long time.

Frosting should be stored away from strong-smelling food items like garlic, onion, fish, etc.
Once you have opened your canned frosting, you can even store it properly in the fridge to prolong its shelf life.

In the case of buttercream icing, if you have frozen it, what you can do is to firstly thaw it by leaving it in the fridge and when you are ready to use your refrigerated frosting, let it first come to room temperature, and afterward use it. Once the buttercream has come to room temperature, all you gotta do is to whip it using a hand whisk or the electric whisk, and voila! You have your fluffy buttercream.

You can read how to make chocolate frosting here.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “how long does frosting last in the fridge” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of frosting in different conditions. Moreover, we discussed the proper way to thaw the frozen icing and the tips to properly store the frosting.