For most pasta lovers, you’ll bear witness that nothing warms the heart like a bowl of pasta dipped in white or red sauce and topped with cheese.
Similarly, nothing breaks the heart like finding your pasta smelling bad after anticipating eating it.
Sometimes pasta smells bad because it is spoilt or expired. The two most prevalent reasons for pasta expiring are improper storage and expired ingredients.
In this post, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about what causes your pasta to smell bad.
You’ll also learn how to avoid this and give you a few tips to increase the shelf life of your pasta.
Why Does Pasta Sometimes Smell Bad?
A musty odor arising from pasta is a cause for alarm as it signifies that the pasta is spoilt and not fit for consumption.
Once you notice the foul smell, throw away the pasta.
What Does Rotten or Bad Pasta Smell Like?
Rotten or bad pasta has an irritating and strong smell that will make it impossible for you to eat it.
Typically, fresh pasta smells like eggs and flour, so anything far from this, regardless of how mild it is, shows that the pasta is rotten.
How Can You Tell If Pasta Has Gone Bad?
Save for the smell of rotten pasta; you can also tell that pasta is bad through the following ways:
Cooked pasta
One of the most apparent signs that cooked pasta has gone bad is when it turns slimy or sticky. Also, if you observe white, brown, or black mold flecks on your pasta, throw it away.
Uncooked Pasta
Even though uncooked pasta has an expiration date, it will never spoil. The quality, on the other hand, will decline.
Since dry uncooked pasta will not mold, if it has white spots on it, it has most certainly gone bad unless it is a spicy flavor.
Nonetheless, if the pasta is stored for an extended time in the pantry, tiny parasites are more likely to appear, and in this case, the pasta is no longer fit to be cooked.
How Long Can Dry Pasta Maintain Its Quality After Its Expiration Date?
Dry pasta can last nearly six months after the expiration date is placed on it, as long as it is not opened or exposed to moisture.
A great tip to follow is if the pasta has been in the pantry for so long, cook a small portion of the pasta first to test whether it is still safe to eat.
You do not want to waste a bowl of tomato sauce and cheese only to find the pasta is spoilt.
Can Consumption of Expired Dried Pasta Make You Sick?
It is nearly impossible to get sick from the consumption of dried pasta beyond its expiration date. However, if you ingest expired fresh or cooked pasta, you risk being ill.
How Long Can Pasta Maintain Its Quality After Its Expiration Date?
Fresh uncooked pasta maintains its quality for around four to five days beyond the expiration date on the package.
Additionally, ensure that the pasta remains refrigerated to avoid spoilt before the expiration.
What Is the Shelf Life for Fresh Pasta?
The shelf life for fresh pasta is three days. Fresh pasta is not fit for long-term storage since it contains fresh eggs and perishable ingredients.
Different Strange Smells Pasta Can Emit (Why It Does)
Everyone who enjoys pasta has a preferred way of preparing it. As a result, each person’s pasta may have a slightly distinct aroma.
However, this doesn’t mean that all smells are okay and should be ignored.
Here are some common strange pasta smells and what the potential causes are:
Pasta Smells Sour smell
If you use a sour flavor of the cheese or spinach when making your pasta fillings, ultimately, your pasta will be sour.
Furthermore, if you purchase flavored or colored pasta outrightly, your pasta will be sour. Check the package to ascertain the flavor of your pasta.
The sour smell could also be a result of the pasta being spoilt.
Pasta Smells Egg
Most of the time, the egg smell is caused by eggs being used to make pasta.
Alternatively, sulfur gas could emanate from the eggs when making the pasta. The gas should not disturb your pulse whatsoever unless you fall sick.
However, if the smell is unpleasant or overpowering, similar to that of spoilt eggs, the eggs could have potentially gone bad when the pasta was left to dry.
Mostly, it happens when the pasta is left to dry in a hot or humid place.
Fortunately, by employing the following procedures, you can significantly lessen or remove the odor of eggs:
STEP1: Rinse the pasta in a stainer
STEP 2: Put the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water
STEP 3: Boil the pasta for eight to ten minutes over high heat if the pasta is thick and five minutes if the pasta is thin.
STEP 4: Turn off the heat, drain the water and rinse thoroughly.
For better results, put the pasta in a bowl of iced water after Step 4. Doing this will ensure that any residual heat does not cook the pasta, maintain the chewiness, and eliminate the egg smell.
Pasta Smells Plastic
The plastic smell could be because the pasta was microwaved or refrigerated in a plastic container. You can avoid this smell by microwaving or storing the pasta in the refrigerator in glass containers.
Alternatively, the plastic smell may signal that the pasta you purchased at the grocery store came from a malicious manufacturer who illegally makes the pasta.
If this is the case, count your losses and throw away the pasta. You may also inform the authorities.
What Causes Boiling Pasta to Sometimes Smell Bad?
If you notice a strange smell when boiling pasta, it could be that the water you are using is dirty. Ascertain that the water is clean first.
If the water is coming straight from your tap, the metals used to transport the water could be dirty, clogged, or rusted. You may need a plumber to inspect the plumbing system and fix any underlying issues.
Another reason could be you added salt to the boiling water too soon, which could affect the taste and smell of the pasta. However, remember that you may fail to give the salt enough time to dissolve in the water if you add the salt too late.
It would be best if you were very strategic when adding salt to the boiling water not to alter the taste of pasta.
How Long Can Cooked Pasta Be Stored In the Refrigerator?
While storing cooked pasta in the refrigerator can extend the shelf life of the pasta, you should not keep it for more than five days.
If the pasta has been in the fridge for longer than five days, throw it away.
Additionally, if there are vegetables in the refrigerator, the scent of the vegetables may make the pasta smell unpleasant or make room for rotting or mold to form.
However, pasta cooked with sauce can be refrigerated for more than five days. The reason is that the sauce contributes to the pasta components’ preservation.
On the other hand, freezing pasta can make the pasta last for up to three months, but this significantly compromises the taste of the pasta.
Can You Store Dry Pasta In The Refrigerator?
Refrigerating dry pasta does nothing to the shelf life of the pasta. You can instead use that space to store something else.
Moreover, the air in the refrigerator will alter the quality of your pasta and will make the pasta taste different.
Can You Neutralize the Pasta Smell With Other Ingredients?
No. The smell of pasta is too mild to be neutralized with additional components.
Tips on Proper Handling of Pasta
The way food is handled and stored has a significant impact on its shelf life and quality.
Always strive to create the best conditions possible so that you may obtain the highest possible quality and be sure that the product you consume is safe.
The following are some ground principles to follow.
Tip 1: Dry pasta should always be stored in a dry, dark place away from moisture to prevent mold growth.
Tip 2: Once you’ve opened the dried pasta, seal it tightly or move the remaining contents to an airtight bag to keep pests and moisture out.
Tip 3: Always store fresh, uncooked pasta in a cool area and cook it before expiration.
Tip 4: Avoid purchasing leftover fresh pasta.
Tip 5: To be safe, avoid cooking an excessive amount of pasta that you cannot consume in more than two days.
Tip 6: Never leave the pasta out in the open.
Pasta is a staple in most households and can be prepared in many ways.
Whichever way you prefer enjoying your pasta, don’t deprive yourself of this sweet delicacy by failing to observe the proper procedure to maintain taste quality.
Ensure you follow the guide above to preserve the taste of pasta.