Can You Get Sick From Eating Expired Goldfish?

Can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish?

By TheWholePortion

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

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In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can get sick from eating expired Goldfish. Moreover, we are going to discuss tips to properly store Goldfish and what you can do with stale Goldfish.

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

Can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish?

When it comes to Goldfish crackers, you do not necessarily get sick from eating expired Goldfish as long as they were stored appropriately.

Goldfish crackers do not have enough moisture in them therefore they do not provide suitable media for microbes to grow. Moreover, the high salt content of the Goldfish also plays a significant role in preserving the quality of the Goldfish for a long time.

So no doubt Goldfish crackers can still be eaten once they go past the date printed on them but you will feel a change in its texture and flavor so as long as you are okay with it, you can eat the expired Goldfish, it won’t make you sick.

You should consider the smell, taste, and texture of the Goldfish to reach a final verdict whether or not you are going to eat them.

If you notice a rancid or unpleasant smell while taking a sniff test of your Goldfish, it means that your Goldfish have expired and gone rancid.

Moreover, you can notice a change in the taste of your Goldfish once they have gone rancid.

Last but not least the Goldfish that are long past the “best before” date can have a significant change in texture, they lose their crunch, and can become stale.

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 Goldfish. The “best by” or “best before” date that is written on the pack of Goldfish refers to more of quality rather than safety so the Goldfish crackers don’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 Goldfish but you can still eat Goldfish that are past this date as long as they were stored properly.

Unopened Goldfish last for about 3-4 weeks past the printed date if they are stored in a cool, dry, and dark corner of the pantry away from direct sunlight and heat.

It is worth mentioning that the figures mentioned above are the estimated shelf life of Goldfish.

Tips to properly store Goldfish

Goldfish should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. Therefore you can safely store the Goldfish in a cool and dry corner of your pantry away from direct sunlight and heat.

Once you have opened the packet of Goldfish, you should transfer the rest of the Goldfish in an air-tight container or resealable plastic zipper bag. It is necessary to store the Goldfish this way so that no air and moisture will find their way to the Goldfish and degrade their quality.

If you want to store the Goldfish in the original packaging after it gets opened, what you can do is to tightly roll over the packaging and use a clip to seal the opening.

You should close the lid of the container as soon as you are done getting out the number of Goldfish that you need.

You should never store your Goldfish in a humid environment because if moisture somehow found its way to your Goldfish crackers, it can ruin its texture and overall quality.

You can read how to make crackers here.

Other FAQs about Fish which you may be interested in.

How long can you keep cooked fish in the fridge?

What to do with stale Goldfish?

So if your Goldfish crackers are just stale but smell fine, what you can do is to take a baking tray and spread the Goldfish on it. Afterward, put the tray with Goldfish in the oven that is preheated at about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the Goldfish for about 10 minutes and you can just devour the Goldfish afterward. It is worth mentioning that it is better to check the Goldfish crackers every 3-4 minutes after putting them in the oven and once they reach their ideal crunch, you can go ahead and eat them.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can get sick from eating expired Goldfish. Moreover, we discussed tips to properly store Goldfish and what you can do with stale Goldfish.