Can you get sick from eating expired taco shells?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “Can you get sick from eating expired taco shells” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can get sick from eating expired taco shells. Moreover, we are going to discuss symptoms of food poisoning, whether or not you can eat taco shells after the “best by” date, and the proper way to store taco shells.

Can you get sick from eating expired taco shells?

So whether or not you will get sick after eating the expired taco shells depends on several factors like if or not some mold is present on it, if it has off-flavors or if only it has lost its texture, if it has gone rancid, whether it was opened or unopened or what were the storage conditions in which it was kept.

For instance, if taco shells are just past the “best before” or “ best by” date then you may still be able to consume them without getting sick if they were stored properly because “best by” or “best before’ date is more of a representative of quality rather than safety.

But if your taco shells have gone rancid and you can smell that characteristic unpleasant and rancid smell while taking a sniff test then it is better to discard such taco shells as they can lead to stomach ache or diarrhea if consumed.

It is also worth mentioning that if you see some organic growth or mold on taco shells, then the best thing you can do is to get rid of such taco shells as they can cause health problems if consumed. If you eat taco shells with mold on it, you can get food poisoning from them that is characterized by diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. So it is better to discard such taco shells to save yourself from such a situation.

What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

  1. Diarrhea is an indication of the body that a certain obnoxious agent has entered it. So consumption of a food item that is bacteria-laden often causes diarrhea.
  1. Food poisoning after consuming moldy food items is characterized by abdominal pain. 
  1. If you have consumed moldy taco shells then you will experience nausea and vomiting which is the natural defense of the body to get rid of the unwanted harmful substance that has entered the body. Moreover, persistent vomiting can result in electrolyte imbalance in the body as well as it can lead to severe dehydration, dizziness, flushed skin, and weakness. It is advised to drink plenty of water to save the body from dehydration as severe dehydration can even lead to shock.
  1. Consuming a taco shell that has microbial or any other organic growth on it will also raise your body temperature and you can experience fever which is the natural defense mechanism of your body and is the indicator that something is off with your body.

How to spot bad taco shells?

If taco shells have lost their texture and have become less crispy then it is an indication that they are past their prime age. If you see some mold or any other organic growth on taco then it is better to discard it as it is an indication of a bad taco. 

Moreover, if you smell something rancid or unpleasant while taking a sniff test of taco then it is an indication of a bad taco shell and this smell is associated with the oil (used to fry taco shells) that has gone rancid. 

Can I eat taco shells after the best-before date?

The “best by” or “best before” date that is written on the pack of taco shells refers to more of quality rather than safety so the taco shells don’t necessarily go bad immediately after the best before date. It is the time during which you can enjoy the peak quality and flavor of the taco shells but you can still eat taco shells that are past this date as long as it was stored properly.

How to properly store taco shells?

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

Open taco shells have to be stored in an air-tight container, a plastic zipper bag. It is necessary to store the taco shells this way so that no air and moisture will find their way to the taco shells and degrade their quality. 

You can read how to make taco shells here.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “Can you get sick from eating expired taco shells” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can get sick from eating expired taco shells. Moreover, we discussed symptoms of food poisoning, whether or not you can eat taco shells after the “best by” date, and the proper way to store taco shells.

Citations

https://www.answers.com/Q/Do_unopened_taco_shells_expire

https://www.reference.com/world-view/long-can-keep-old-el-paso-mini-taco-shells-before-expire-d27001e7d8a28e3d#:~:text=If%20the%20shells%20remain%20in,they%20are%20safe%20to%20eat.

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