Back when I was a teenager I would sometimes try my hand at more complex recipes that called for a plethora of ingredients. Because I didn’t use up all of the ingredients, and rarely cooked the same thing twice, a bunch of the ingredients were left behind, forgotten in the back of my refrigerator.
I think I’m not alone in this. It’s quite easy to either forget something in the refrigerator or not find a use for it in a long time. This can leave you with a bunch of food that has expired or is about to expire, and my weak spot has definitely been condiments of all sorts.
Those jars of store-bought mayonnaise can easily be lost in the back of the fridge for a long time. Thankfully, store-bought mayonnaise can be preserved for quite some time in the right conditions. But if you were to eat mayonnaise once it has gone bad, you might want to know what could happen.
If you eat mayonnaise that has expired and gone bad you risk getting stomach aches, nausea, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. Homemade mayonnaise needs to be consumed within a week while commercial mayonnaise can be consumed up to two months after the expiration date without worry.
Can Expired Mayonnaise Make You Sick?
Eating expired mayonnaise can make you sick to your stomach if the mayonnaise hasn’t been stored properly or if you eat it long after the expiration date has passed.
Mayonnaise will, generally, last much longer than what’s indicated on the best-before-date, and because it contains oil it will not promote bacteria growth either, making it quite safe to eat.
The ratio of lemon juice or vinegar to egg yolk will also play a major role in how safe the mayonnaise is to eat after its expiration date, this is because they have an impact on the pH balance of the mayonnaise. Store-bought mayonnaise should have no problems maintaining the right pH balance.
Homemade mayonnaise is made with raw eggs and should, therefore, be treated as a possible source of food poisoning. Store-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurized eggs and isn’t considered as likely to decay as homemade mayonnaise.
However, regardless of the product, the FDA’s guidelines state that you shouldn’t eat mayonnaise that’s been kept at 50 degrees Fahrenheit for over 8 hours.
Nevertheless, the expiration date is, as I said earlier, not a death sentence. The expiration date on the label is based on the worst-case storing conditions, which are far from what most of us will provide at home.
There’s a difference between an expiration date and a best-by date. The best-by date is the time frame that the manufacturers consider the item safe to eat.
The expiration date has more to do with quality, overall experience, taste, and texture. The date is an indication of how long the product will remain at peak quality.
While expired mayonnaise can give you stomach aches, it most likely won’t if it’s been stored properly. The product can, however, go rancid – use your senses to see if the product has gone rancid or not. It will smell and taste horrible if it has gone bad.
If you can see mold growing in the bacteria, it should be heading towards the garbage can right away.
Can You Eat Expired Mayonnaise If It’s Unopened?
Just like most foods, mayonnaise will be preserved much better if it’s been stored in an unopened can. However, the proper storing conditions are still very important, even though the can is unopened.
Storing the can in the proper conditions will prolong its lifespan regardless. So, with the right conditions, an unopened can of mayonnaise will maintain quality for about 3-4 months past the date on the package.
I always suggest that you put the mayonnaise through the smell, see, and taste test before you decide to use it for cooking, but commercial mayonnaise is safe to eat for a while after the expiration date.
An unopened can of mayonnaise can be kept at room temperature but once it has been opened, it must be stored in the refrigerator.
How Long Is Mayonnaise Good For Once Opened?
The answer to this question varies depending on the type of mayonnaise. We talked about the difference between homemade and commercial mayonnaise. Homemade mayonnaise contains raw eggs, while commercial mayonnaise is often made with egg substitutes. These substitutes are not as likely to perish as raw eggs.
Homemade mayonnaise will remain at best quality for about 1 week after it’s made, then slowly start to develop an off-taste, and commercial mayonnaise will be good for two months after the can is opened. Both must be stored in the refrigerator at all times.
Symptoms of Eating Expired Mayonnaise
Eating expired mayonnaise doesn’t have to give you any symptoms at all. The mayonnaise hasn’t gone bad just because it has expired, which I’m sure you’ve absorbed by now. Commercial mayonnaise can be consumed two months after it has expired, and probably even longer but the quality of the product will start to degrade.
Expired mayonnaise and mayonnaise that’s gone bad are two different things. You can eat expired mayonnaise within a certain timeframe without causing any harm to yourself. However, when the mayonnaise has gone bad, you should discard the idea of eating it.
So what would happen if you were to eat mayonnaise that’s gone bad? What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of food poisoning are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach aches and cramps
- Diarrhea
- Fever
You may feel some of them or none. It’s really hard to tell if you will develop any symptoms, as it’s individual. Anecdotally speaking, I have not developed anything else than intense stomach aches when I’ve eaten bad food while others in the family have had it much worse.
How To Know If Mayonnaise Has Gone Bad
When it comes to food that’s gone bad or turned rancid, the first sign and the most obvious indication is going to be smell. The smell emitted from most foods will change to an unbearable odor once it’s started to go bad, and mayonnaise is no exception.
Mayonnaise contains eggs and once they go bad, the smell of rotten eggs will appear. This is a clear sign that the mayonnaise has gone bad and shouldn’t be eaten.
Flavor and appearance will also tell you a lot about the mayonnaise’s state. Start by visually inspecting the mayonnaise to see if it has started growing mold, or undergone any significant changes in appearance.
When mayonnaise starts going bad, it will also develop a taste that’s unlike the regular taste of mayonnaise. This off-taste is a clear indication that the mayonnaise is going bad.
If you taste an unfamiliar taste, I would recommend getting rid of the mayonnaise.
Is Homemade Mayonnaise Safe?
Homemade mayonnaise is safe to eat as long as you eat it within the first couple of days and store it in the refrigerator at all times. Failing to store it in cold temperatures can promote bacterial growth and make the mayonnaise go bad quickly.
Homemade mayonnaise can be made using raw eggs, in-shell pasteurized eggs, or pasteurized eggs. Because these will go bad and can host bacteria, it’s important to prevent the growth of bacteria, this can be done by adding vinegar and lemon juice to the mayonnaise. The vinegar will kill the bacteria.
It won’t make it last infinitely but it should be in good condition for a week, stored in the refrigerator. You can probably consume the mayonnaise after the first week too but I will only vouch for a week because that’s as long as I’ve dared to wait.