loose spices

[Valeriea]

Does anybody know how long loose spices (not in jars or packets) will last? I heard somewhere there was not a sell by date. Is this true? Thanks, Valerie.

[grasscarp]

until they dont have any smell or flavour let in them, which is quite a long time.

[RATTER15]

They will last a long time but you must keep them in an airtight container.

[funnygirl]

I would bin them after a year if not all used up.

Even if you buy the packeted ones they have a shelf life.

[woofgang]

It depends what. Nutmeg last for years if kept cool and dry. Black pepper ditto, also cinnamon sticks and vanilla pods.

[rowanwitch]

kept in the cool and in the dark but not in airtight containers i would only keep about 3 months as they will lose some of the aspects of their flavour
Always transfer to glass jars

[Valeriea]

Thanks everyone for your quick replies.

[atalanta]

Saffron, which is hideously expensive, seems to be eternal. Similarly most kinds of pepper, including allspice. Cloves, whole mace, whole nutmeg should all be good for years. Cinnamon seems to dry out and go brittle after a year or so, but can't do any harm in hot spiced wine. Fresh root ginger does dry out to the point where most of the flavour has gone, but ginger in syrup doesn't seem to go off at all - the stuff I have seems to go on and on. I have never known powdered/ground ginger lose any flavour at all. Caraway seeds seem to last an awful long time. Can't answer for aniseed or star anise.
But never keep any herbs or spices in any kind of plastic - they can sweat and rot.

[Anngel123]

I still have some carroway that was my mother in law's. She died in 1983. The seeds still impart a good flavour. However, powdered spice definitely loses potency. But there is no harm in using it unless it tastes musty.

[tenrec]

I've still got nutmegs in a tin that says 2d as the price!

[tenrec]

I don't use it much!!!