Do dried pulses go off?

[Iluvspikey]

I had rather a meaty chicken carcass left over, and a cold coming on, so I had the idea to make soup. I went into the 'cupboard next to the cooker' where the sandwich maker, George Forman grill, bread maker, fancy finger - sorry vegetable slicer and any other un-used kitchenalia that seemed like a good idea at the time lives and bought out my box that holds stuff I've no room for in the pantry, eg essences, dried fruit, nuts, ice cream wafers, spices and pulses. I have an opened but well re-sealed pack of 'country soup and casserole mix, consisting of dried peas, red and green lentils, pearl barley and harriot beans, they must be about two years old - would they be safe to use do you think?

[boxtops]

If they don't smell musty, and there is nothing crawling about in them, give them a go!

[boxtops]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/464366

[Iluvspikey]

thanks boxtops! further investigation in said cupboard has revealed in one of my many washed and reused ice-cream tubs, I opened the first one and found all my Christmas cake decortions, and the second one a bag of pearl barley and some red lentils, both in date so I'll use those instead. Got a feeling if I went to the very back of the cupboard, I'd end up in Narnia!

[boxtops]

LOL, I bet you can't beat my 1998 jar of Marmite.... :-(

[Kiki-frog]

I'd certainly give them a go if they smelled OK, Iluvspikey. As long as they're not mouldy, they should be fine. After all, boxtops eats Marmite from the last century, and it's not killed her, so what harm could a few aged lentils do

[taichiperson]

Older pulses might need to be cooked for longer, particularly the larger pulses - red lentils almost always cook to mush, but maybe not the green ones.