Can you get sick from eating expired ranch dressing?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “Can you get sick from eating expired ranch dressing” and discuss the possible health implications of eating expired ranch dressing. 

Can you get sick from eating expired ranch dressing?

Yes, you can get sick from eating expired ranch dressing. Ranch dressing is susceptible to microbial spoilage as well to chemical deterioration which generates toxic compounds that have negative effects to health (1,2).

The usual spoilage organisms of salad dressings are lactobacilli, bacilli, and yeasts. Salad dressing, including ranch dressing, although shelf stable products, are made of ingredients that are highly prone to degradation, such as egg yolk, dairy and oils. 

However, it is not likely that you get sick from eating expired ranch dressings if they are properly stored and kept unopened and when they are not diluted. Because of their acidic nature and the presence of preservatives, these products can inhibit the growth of bacteria (1). 

On the other hand, some bacteria have shown to be able to adapt themselves to acidic environments, including salad dressings. This is the case of Listeria monocytogenes, which is related to several episodes of food outbreaks (6).

Shelf stable products are possibly safe to consume after the expiration date, unless noticeable signs of spoilage are present (3). 

What are the possible risks of eating expired ranch dressing?

The possible health risks of eating expired ranch dressing can be in the long term and in the short term. In the short term, spoiled ranch dressing can lead to a foodborne illness.

Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Bacillus subtilis, and Clostridium are some bacteria that can grow during storage of opened bottles of ranch dressings due to the increase in the pH (1). 

In general, the acidity of these products inhibit the growth of many pathogens, however, this can change during storage of opened bottles, leading to spoilage. 

Consuming spoiled foods may cause diseases which are manifested by symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever (5).

The possible health risk of eating expired ranch dressing in the long term is an increased risk of developing inflammatory diseases, due to the consumption of oxidized lipids.

Ranch dressings contain oils which oxidize with time (7). Oxidation of fats and oils generate oxidation products that are possibly toxic and characterize off-flavors, off-odors and compromise the sensory properties of food. 

The consumption of products generated by the oxidation of lipids, such as aldehydes, ketones, and epoxides and oxidized sterols are related to higher rates of diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer and premature aging (2).

How to know if ranch dressing is spoiled?

To know if ranch dressing is spoiled, you should be able to identify the possible signs of spoilage, such as off-odors and bloating of the package. The possible signs indicating that the ranch dressing is spoiled are (1,7,8): 

  • Generation of off-odors, such as extremely sour, rancid, oxidized, putrid
  • Generation of gas, which may be noticed by the packaging bloating
  • Formation of slime on the surface
  • Change in the consistency, formation of syneresis, which is a phase-separation between oily and watery phase
  • Formation of spotted colonies of different colors, indicating yeast growth 

What are the best tips to properly store ranch dressing?

The best tips to properly store ranch dressing are (3,7,9):

  • For unopened ranch dressing, store it in a cool dry place protected from sunlight and protected from heat sources, such as electronic equipment.
  • Do not use metallic utensils to store or scoop the dressing, as metal ions accelerate the oxidation of the dressing
  • After opening, store the ranch dressing in the refrigerator at 40°F or less and avoid temperature fluctuations in the fridge by frequent door opening and overloading of the fridge

What is the shelf life of ranch dressing?

The shelf life of ranch dressing is 6 months when kept unopened at room temperature. After opening, ranch dressing should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 to 4 months (4).

Can you freeze ranch dressing?

Yes, you can freeze ranch dressing. However, it is not recommended to freeze salad dressings, as they are emulsified products.

Emulsified products are generally freeze-thawing unstable, which means that their texture will be considerably compromised after the freeze-thawing procedure. 

Although freezing is an effective way to improve the shelf life of food by reducing their development (9), the consequences of freezing ranch dressing is mostly negative, as the oil separates from the dressing after thawing (7).

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “Can you get sick from eating expired ranch dressing” with an in-depth analysis of the health implications of eating expired ranch dressing.

Citations

  1. Smittle, Richard B. Microbiology of mayonnaise and salad dressing: a review. J Food Protect, 1977, 40, 415-422.
  2. Vieira, Samantha A., Guodong Zhang, and Eric A. Decker. Biological implications of lipid oxidation products. J Am Oil Chem Soc, 2017, 94, 339-351.  
  3. Shelf stable food safety. United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Foodkeeper. United States Department of Agriculture.
  5. Foodborne illness and disease. United States Department of Agriculture.
  6. Gahan, C. G., Brid O’Driscoll, and Colin Hill. Acid adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes can enhance survival in acidic foods and during milk fermentation. Appl environ microbiol, 1996, 62, 3128-3132.
  7. Paraskevopoulou, Despoina, D. Boskou, and A. J. F. C. Paraskevopoulou. Oxidative stability of olive oil–lemon juice salad dressings stabilized with polysaccharides. Food Chem, 2007, 101, 1197-1204. 
  8. Rawat, Seema. Food Spoilage: Microorganisms and their prevention. Asian j plant sci Res, 2015, 5, 47-56.
  9. Van Laanen, Peggy. Safe home food storage. Texas FARMER Collection. 2002.

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