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Best by date on preserves

9 years ago

Does anybody know best by date on fruit preserves? I bought a Harry and David peach preserve that I opened this morning. As I was getting ready to refrigerate, I noticed there was no best by date. I called them and they said 3 weeks after opening. Does that sound right to you? The person with whom I spoke was not quite there,

hence my skepticism, thanks for your help.

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cookebook

9 years ago

I'd probably use it long past three weeks, but that's just me.

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Comments (7)

colleenoz
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm the same as cookebook. Years ago when "best by/use by" dates were introduced, I was told by someone in the canning industry that (here at least) if the item has a shelf life of more than two years, they don't need to put a "best by/use by" date on it if they don't want to (but of course they do need to out a batch ID number on it).
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bossyvossy
Original Author
9 years ago
I guess I'll put the date I opened and let it be. If preserve starts looking dark I guess I'll toss. I was also under the impression that preserves were exactly that, preserved for time. The rep did say it would be good UNOPENED for two years but I wanted the "once opened" date. Thanks.
lindac92
9 years ago
What's to go bad? If you don't put a contaminated spoon into it...like with cereal or cream or bread crumbs, it should last for months and montys....even years, but I expect it would get dried out after a year once you opened it.
there.s not much but mold that grows on high sugar things like jam....and if you see mold....throw it out.
plllog
9 years ago
Jam will keep in the fridge pretty much forever. Even when there is a "best by" date, that's to indicate when the stores should pull it off the shelf. It doesn't "expire". What can happen is that the sugars start to crystalize (you can melt them with a little heat), and it could lose color from exposure to light. It could also lose flavor after opening, depending on the kind of jam. That kind of thing. If the jam wasn't canned contaminated, or hasn't acquired contamination, it will last.
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
9 years ago
Opened jams do last a long time once opened and into the fridge. Only contaminates like licked spoons, or scoopers with other foods to soil the jam, like mentioned, would cause early molds. Something so heavily sugared should last a long time. I give them a one-3 month time. Or through the holidays if opened now. If lost in the back of the fridge i toss them. Best to just enjoy now while freshly opened. Dating the top once opened is smart.
l pinkmountain
9 years ago
I wouldn't wait forever, but the worst that will happen to an uncontaminated jar is the flavor will fade. It can mold, but even then, just on top usually. It take me forever to use up jam, that's how I know.

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