How long does relish last?

Mark Rios

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797
Location
Central CA
A few months ago, maybe 6 or 8 (?), I got a hankerin' for relish on my sandwiches. So, being the impulse kind of guy that I am, I went to Costco and bought the industrial size drum of some very yummy relish.

I'm eating some of it on my sandwich right now and it still tastes just fine (I tasted it from the jar, not just on the sandwich) but I got to thinking how long this dumptruck size jar is going to last me. I"m normally the kind of guy that just cuts off the moldy part of the cheese or cooks that leftover from the weekend a little longer so it doen't bother me too bad but...............I though it might be a good idea to ask. I'm thinkin' that the vinegar (acetic acid) should do a pretty good job of keeping the bacteria level down.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
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GF and I have a running joke about "Jurassic condiments", based on the longevity of some of the stuff in my fridge.

In your case, if you're measuring the age in "months", it qualifies as "new". :thumb:
 
We have some home canned thats approaching ten years.
Still good
 
I can see Mark asking the people who produce such products for a label like some beers use. They call it a "born on date" but Mark could lobby them for a "throw away date"
 
We have some home canned thats approaching ten years.
Still good

If I read Mark's original comment, the problem isn't with sealed stuff, it's with open stuff.

I too have had canned stuff (thanks, Mom!) that was a few years old and was still just fine. But once you open a jar, there is a definite shelf (fridge) life that kicks in.

Unfortunately with very few storebought items do I see two dates listed. Most just have the one "best before" date. What they really need is a "best before" date, and also a "use within __ months/weeks/days after opening"

Personally, I wouldn't worry about refridgerated relish for at least 6-8 months.
 
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