Remember that molasses, like a lot of other baking products, usually has a best before date and not a use by date or an expiration date. Because of this distinction, you may safely use molasses for your flavoring needs after the best before date has lapsed.

How to tell if Molasses is bad, rotten or spoiled?

Practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent foodborne illness.

Molasses is one of the hardest products we have found to determine it's age - it looks, feels and smells the same with time - years of time. We are told by the manufacturers that it is the flavor that is compromised over time. We tasted a 10 year old bottle, manufactured before the use of best by dates, and to us the taste was the same (but, we must admit, the last time we tasted the product straight was when the bottle was fresh). We are not recommending use of a bottle this old, just using it as an example of how long molasses lasts and how hard it is for molasses to spoil.

Even Grandma, the company that is the largest producer of molasses (not our personal Grandma), has the following to say about her molasses when asked the shelf life after the best used by date (as extracted from the BG foods website, parent company of Grandmas Molasses): "There is no exact answer to this question, too many variables." but "it does not mean you cannot use the product just that it is not at the same quality as when filled." [1].

Remember that conditions may vary, so as always, discard the product if you see any mold, a change in the products appearance or a change in its aroma.

There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled foods so always remember to practice food safety and enjoy your foods before their shelf life has expired!

How to store Molasses to extend its shelf life?

The best way to store molasses is in its original air tight container in the cool dark pantry, away from sources of heat and changes in temperature.

If you find that your product has gone bad then check our substitute page. And, you can even use molasses to help make some sugar substitutes.

Tip:When measuring molasses, spray the cup and spoon with nonstick cooking spray to make cleanup easier and waste less.

Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

How long is Molasses good for when prepared in a dish?

How long does molasses last? That depends. How long does flour last? In general, molasses will be one of the last expiring ingredients in any dish, soaking into any other ingredient.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Molasses lasts, our content incorporates research from multiple resources, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scoured the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and the shelf life of Molasses.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Molasses shelf life information on Eat By Date is generally reliable, please remember that individual cases will vary and that our advice should only be taken as an opinion and not a replacement for your health care professional. Please eat responsibly!