Can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish” and discuss the risks related to the consumption of expired goldfish and tips to properly store Goldfish. Goldfish refers to a salted cracker in the form of a goldfish.

Can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish?

Yes, it is possible to get sick from eating expired goldfish as a long term effect (3), as goldfish develop rancidity with time. Rancidity is a result of the oxidation of lipids and the long term ingestion of oxidation products can lead to diseases, such as cancer and atherosclerosis (2). 

Goldfish contain a considerably high amount of lipids which can oxidize with time generating toxic compounds, such as aldehydes, which are able to interfere in the cell metabolism and react with the DNA (2). In the long term, the ingestion of such compounds can lead to diseases.

In addition, it is possible to get sick from eating spoiled or contaminated goldfish. Although goldfish is a food with a low water acidity and not easily susceptible to bacterial growth (water activity refers to the available water in the food for the development of microorganisms and for enzymatic reactions), there are several food outbreaks related to the contamination of crackers and other low moisture foods by the pathogenic bacteria Salmonella (1). 

In addition, by the opening of the packaging, the moisture content in the goldfish crackers increases and at higher moisture, many microorganisms can develop. Therefore, bad storage conditions leading to increased moisture may cause dangerous conditions by eating expired goldfish crackers (1).

When should you not eat expired Goldfish?

You should not eat expired goldfish or any goldfish if you notice any unusual or unpleasant characteristics on the smell, color, appearance or taste of the goldfish crackers.

Spoiled goldfish crackers manifest off-odors and off-flavors, due to the presence of lipid oxidation products, such as aldehydes, ketones and alcohols. These compounds also characterize off-flavors in oxidized foods (2,3).

Staling of the crackers indicates increase of moisture and high moisture crackers should not be eaten, as they can host pathogenic microorganisms. As soon as the moisture increases in these low moisture foods, there is a high risk of fungal growth and the production of toxins by these fungi.

How 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.  Ideally, the temperature in the pantry should be 50 to 70°F (10-20°C) (4,5). 

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.

What to do with stale Goldfish?

When goldfish is stale, it means that the water content in the food is increased, which may result in the growth of bacteria that is present in a dormant form or in the form of spores (1).

If the Goldfish crackers are just stale but smell fine,not rancid and have no signs of mold growth, it is safe to eat, if previously dried by using heat. Drying with the use of heat is the way to remove both moisture and reduce the microbial load from food.

You can dry stale goldfish using the conventional oven at a low heat or using the microwave oven at low power and short times till the crackers are dried (4).

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “can you get sick from eating expired Goldfish” and discussed the risks related to the consumption of expired goldfish and tips to properly store Goldfish.

Citations

  1. Kuehm, Jeff, and Diana Casas. Salty snack foods. The Microbiological Safety of Low Water Activity Foods and Spices. 2014, 295-314.
  2. Grootveld, Martin, et al. Potential adverse public health effects afforded by the ingestion of dietary lipid oxidation product toxins: Significance of fried food sources. Nutrients, 2020, 12, 974.
  3. Barden, Leann, and Eric A. Decker. Lipid oxidation in low-moisture food: A review. Crit rev food sci nutr, 2016, 56, 2467-2482.
  4. Drying food at home. University of Minnesota.
  5. Van Laanen, Peggy. Safe home food storage. Texas FARMER Collection. 2002.

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