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Out of date soft drink

mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
edited September 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
I recently bought from Shine "Sparkling Fruit Spritzer" from some chinese run small store. I bought two cases of it for 6 bucks. It is about a year out of date.

Best before august last year.

Am I safe to drink this? It tastes fizzy and seems fine...

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    DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    It tastes fizzy

    Seems like you couldn't wait for a reply.

    Djiem on
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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    That is true. Maybe I should rephrase.

    Can I drink more of it?

    I've really just tasted it.

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    JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I doubt it is bad for you. Might be seperated and taste gross though.

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    DaenrisDaenris Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Yeah... there's usually not anything in soft drinks that will go bad and cause problems when expired, it's just a matter of them not necessarily tasting right after awhile.

    Daenris on
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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    There is no sediment or anything in it, seems to be mixed properly. Tastes fine to me, but I don't really have a good sense of taste. I'll let one of my un-knowing friends try it out.

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    desperaterobotsdesperaterobots perth, ausRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    What are the ingredients? If it's just carbonated water and flavour I wouldn't be too concerned. It's been airtight. And it was a Best Before, rather than a Use By. It probably just doesn't taste as flash as when it's 'Fresh'.

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    ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    There's not really anything that can happen to an air-tight soda can that would be dangerous to you. If it tastes okay, it's fine.

    Thanatos on
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    JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited September 2008
    If it is weird, it is likely to be very weird.

    One time we left a diet Dr. Pepper in a closet for about 2 and half years because no one drank it except my infrequently visiting grandpa. When he was over one day it looked normal. Then we picked it up and it seperated into two distinct parts. A clear part and a dark part. Looked as if it was glass breaking and then the darker part sank to the bottom.

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    contrabandcontraband Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Yesterday at work, I threw out 128 cans of diet Coke that expired October 16th, 2006. I tried one, it tasted like death. I don't think it would have literally killed me, though. If it's air-tight, like Thanatos said, I think you'd be fine.

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    ComahawkComahawk Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    I recently bought from Shine "Sparkling Fruit Spritzer" from some chinese run small store. I bought two cases of it for 6 bucks. It is about a year out of date.

    Best before august last year.

    Am I safe to drink this? It tastes fizzy and seems fine...

    Is it worth the risk?

    Seriously, it's only $6. Assuming the worst and you get sick from drinking it, will it have been worth it?

    Comahawk on
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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Comahawk wrote: »
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    I recently bought from Shine "Sparkling Fruit Spritzer" from some chinese run small store. I bought two cases of it for 6 bucks. It is about a year out of date.

    Best before august last year.

    Am I safe to drink this? It tastes fizzy and seems fine...

    Is it worth the risk?

    Seriously, it's only $6. Assuming the worst and you get sick from drinking it, will it have been worth it?

    Yes. Maybe.

    4 hours later from having a bottle, and I feel fine. Seems like I'm good to go.

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    ComahawkComahawk Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    Comahawk wrote: »
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    I recently bought from Shine "Sparkling Fruit Spritzer" from some chinese run small store. I bought two cases of it for 6 bucks. It is about a year out of date.

    Best before august last year.

    Am I safe to drink this? It tastes fizzy and seems fine...

    Is it worth the risk?

    Seriously, it's only $6. Assuming the worst and you get sick from drinking it, will it have been worth it?

    Yes. Maybe.

    4 hours later from having a bottle, and I feel fine. Seems like I'm good to go.

    Not to freak you out but many food born illnesses don't take effect until after a 24-48 hour incubation period.

    Comahawk on
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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    shit

    Well, let's hope I'm okay. I only had one bottle. Let this be a test, and put it in the archives for those not as daring.

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    winter_combat_knightwinter_combat_knight Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Everything has to have an expiry date on it. Even if it lasts many years. Ive got honey which expires in 5 years! With soft drink, its basically sealed water, nothing can really go wrong. But they still have to place an expiry date on it. I think it's fine. Hell, if you get sick, you can sue the store you got it from.

    winter_combat_knight on
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    ComahawkComahawk Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    winter_combat_knight wrote: »
    Everything has to have an expiry date on it. Even if it lasts many years. Ive got honey which expires in 5 years! With soft drink, its basically sealed water, nothing can really go wrong. But they still have to place an expiry date on it. I think it's fine. Hell, if you get sick, you can sue the store you got it from.

    Yeah, bacteria definitely will not thrive on sugar water.

    Also, can't sue the store... You knew the pop was out of date and drank it regardless, it is no ones fault but your own.

    I advise caution... It is probably safe though. Were there a bacterial growth the drink should have an off taste/smell as well as show signs of damage or extreme pressure. Still doesn't decrease the ridiculousness of ingesting something that could potentially cause you harm.

    Comahawk on
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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Comahawk wrote: »
    winter_combat_knight wrote: »
    Everything has to have an expiry date on it. Even if it lasts many years. Ive got honey which expires in 5 years! With soft drink, its basically sealed water, nothing can really go wrong. But they still have to place an expiry date on it. I think it's fine. Hell, if you get sick, you can sue the store you got it from.

    Yeah, bacteria definitely will not thrive on sugar water.

    Also, can't sue the store... You knew the pop was out of date and drank it regardless, it is no ones fault but your own.

    I advise caution... It is probably safe though. Were there a bacterial growth the drink should have an off taste/smell as well as show signs of damage or extreme pressure. Still doesn't decrease the ridiculousness of ingesting something that could potentially cause you harm.

    I didn't know they were out of date until I had got them home and checked.

    It isn't really ridiculous. It's just as you said "sugar water". I heard it'd most likely be okay, I just wanted to check.

    It's not like I'm eating out of date ham or something.

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    TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    The out of date ham comment made me laugh.

    That being said, I had some 1+ year expired soda before. It tasted like rusty water, but I didn't get sick.

    If it tastes fine, I am pretty sure you're good.

    TehSpectre on
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    DalbozDalboz Resident Puppy Eater Right behind you...Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I had some soda that was about a year out-of-date that tasted horrible. In all fairness, it was a broccoli-flavored soda that was part of the Thanksgiving dinner pack Jones Soda put out.

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    winter_combat_knightwinter_combat_knight Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I find it funny how people from the US call it 'Soda' or 'Pop'. In Australia we're just boring.

    "Oi, get me some cans of soft drink from the BP"

    winter_combat_knight on
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    TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    I don't think I have ever said soft drink out loud.

    TehSpectre on
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    FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2008
    winter_combat_knight wrote: »
    I find it funny how people from the US call it 'Soda' or 'Pop'. In Australia we're just boring.

    "Oi, get me some cans of soft drink from the BP"

    I also find it funny how every Australian always has to point it out. (No seriously, every single one I've seen online has made a big deal about how it's SOFT DRINK this and SOFT DRINK that)

    Anyway, you should be fine. It probably won't taste like it's supposed to. People buy years-old pop all the time.

    Also protip for buying pop: check the expiration dates all the time. When it's being cleared out, you'll usually notice dates a month away. When it's high or normal, and tastes good, you'll usually notice expiration dates about 8 months away.
    contraband wrote: »
    Yesterday at work, I threw out 128 cans of diet Coke that expired October 16th, 2006. I tried one, it tasted like death. I don't think it would have literally killed me, though. If it's air-tight, like Thanatos said, I think you'd be fine.

    I think that's what Diet Coke usually tastes like.

    (Yay for Coke Zero!)

    FyreWulff on
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    LeztaLezta Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Sod use-by dates. I generally ignore the things. I work in a store and end up buying half the wastage because, seriously, use-by dates are either stupid (tinned food doesn't need them, really) or you can see yourself whether something is off.

    Trust your eyes and nose. If it looks/smells funky, don't eat/drink it. Otherwise, that shit be fine.

    There are obvious exceptions to this (meat is the main one) but otherwise...

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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Thanks for all the replies. It actually tastes really good still...I can't notice a difference at all. Does it usually change flavour?

    I only call it soft drink because "lemonade" sounded silly, and "soda" is American :P My grandparents call it soft drink.

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    JustinSane07JustinSane07 Really, stupid? Brockton__BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2008
    The really good taste is just the ecoli. That shit tastes awesome.

    After all the "It's safe but it'll taste like ass!" advice, I'm waiting for the reply a week from now. "So I just spent the last two days in the hospital vomiting and shitting my brains out..." :P

    JustinSane07 on
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    winter_combat_knightwinter_combat_knight Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    FyreWulff wrote: »

    I also find it funny how every Australian always has to point it out. (No seriously, every single one I've seen online has made a big deal about how it's SOFT DRINK this and SOFT DRINK that)

    Haha. I wouldn't have thought there would be a lot of discussion online about fizzy drinks. If anyone thought i was trying to be a prick saying that 'soft drink' is the correct term i wasn't. I was complimenting the much more creative names you guys have for it.

    winter_combat_knight on
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    ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited September 2008
    The reason diet soda tastes so terrible when it goes off is that the artificial sweeteners begin to break down, and they don't break down into things that taste nice. Non-diet soda won't go bad in the same way.

    This soda is probably okay, but if it's that out of date I probably wouldn't drink it.

    ceres on
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    Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Comahawk wrote: »
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    Comahawk wrote: »
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    I recently bought from Shine "Sparkling Fruit Spritzer" from some chinese run small store. I bought two cases of it for 6 bucks. It is about a year out of date.

    Best before august last year.

    Am I safe to drink this? It tastes fizzy and seems fine...

    Is it worth the risk?

    Seriously, it's only $6. Assuming the worst and you get sick from drinking it, will it have been worth it?

    Yes. Maybe.

    4 hours later from having a bottle, and I feel fine. Seems like I'm good to go.

    Not to freak you out but many food born illnesses don't take effect until after a 24-48 hour incubation period.
    The chance of food borne illness is so minuscule as to be completly irrelevant. So long as the can's haven't been compromised, it isn't an issue. What you have to worry about with expired soda is the chemicals in it breaking down and tasting like ass, although I did have a diabetic friend who had an insulin reaction, and the only thing on hand was a two-year expired can of coke, which she said was so horrible as to be nearly undrinkable, and then threw up afterwards.

    Gabriel_Pitt on
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    ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    Gabriel_Pitt wrote: »
    Comahawk wrote: »
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    Comahawk wrote: »
    mooshoepork wrote: »
    I recently bought from Shine "Sparkling Fruit Spritzer" from some chinese run small store. I bought two cases of it for 6 bucks. It is about a year out of date.

    Best before august last year.

    Am I safe to drink this? It tastes fizzy and seems fine...
    Is it worth the risk?

    Seriously, it's only $6. Assuming the worst and you get sick from drinking it, will it have been worth it?
    Yes. Maybe.

    4 hours later from having a bottle, and I feel fine. Seems like I'm good to go.
    Not to freak you out but many food born illnesses don't take effect until after a 24-48 hour incubation period.
    The chance of food borne illness is so minuscule as to be completly irrelevant. So long as the can's haven't been compromised, it isn't an issue. What you have to worry about with expired soda is the chemicals in it breaking down and tasting like ass, although I did have a diabetic friend who had an insulin reaction, and the only thing on hand was a two-year expired can of coke, which she said was so horrible as to be nearly undrinkable, and then threw up afterwards.
    Honestly, any foodborne illness that made it into that can, survived all the treatment processes they put soda through, then lived for years with no additional oxygen, and is still harmful to humans is going to wipe out mankind, anyhow, so it's really not worth worrying about.

    Thanatos on
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    The Crowing OneThe Crowing One Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    You're fine. You won't get sick.

    Check the label to make sure that it's full of preservatives and artificial flavors. Toss it in the fridge and give it a day or two if you're that worried. Frankly, you'd be able to tell if anything has begun to expire. If you don't have the balls to just drink it, you could always take it back to the store and demand a refund on the grounds that they were selling the product after the stamped date.

    I mean, really, you're fine.

    Edit: listen to Thanatos. Death has all the answers.

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    mooshoeporkmooshoepork Registered User regular
    edited September 2008
    A day later and I'm good! They are in glass bottles, and I did refrigerate them.

    Thanks everyone, consider this solved :)

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