Expired pink cure

[shoprat53]

I found A couple packets of pink cure unopened and have been stored in my basement that are expired by about 6 months do you think they are still good.

[twilliams]

shoprat53 yes, never knew salt to expire.

[Jamieson22]

twilliams said in Expired pink cure:

shoprat53 yes, never knew salt to expire.

Sodium nitrite does indeed degrade to sodium nitrate has a shelf life of 2-3 years.

[twilliams]

Jamieson22 shoprat53

[cdavis]

twilliams very interesting . Thanks for sharing.

[Jamieson22]

https://www.wardsci.com/store/product/8887878/sodium-nitrite

Sodium Nitrite
(No Reviews)
CAS Number: 7632-00-0
Formula Weight: 69.00
Formula: NaNO2
Hazard Info: Oxidizer, Flammable, Explosive, Toxic
Density (g/mL): 2.17
Freezing Point (°C): 270
Solubility: Water and Alcohol
Synonyms: Nitrous Acid Sodium Salt
Shelf Life (months): 36
Storage: Yellow

[processhead]

Just my humble opinion, but I think that some or the shelf life advisory on items like this is corporate lawyer-ese speaking.
Almost all of what I am reading about cure #1 shelf life is that if it is stored in a sealed container, in a cool, dry place, it is ok.

Neither sodium chloride or sodium nitrite, alone or together, are reactive unless there is something else added for them to react with.
If someone has information to the contrary, I would like to learn more about it.

[glen]

The following in quotes is a reprint from an article questioning the longevity of curing salt

“Expiration dates are a legal label requirement and for something like this has no relationship to any deterioration. I am an analytical chemist and used to set dates for products based on shelf life testing but for something as stable as this it is usual just to go for 3 or 5 years, really to allow for poor packaging, contamination if it is opened many times. So as long as you have kept it well packaged should be ok for some time.”

I don’t know what “some time” means but in this case they obviously mean more than 5 years
I too am very much interested in more info/data from an expert

[craigrice]

if you keep it that long you either stock too much or not making enough sausage lol

[shoprat53]

Thank you all for the good information will keep it and use it next batch of sausage I make.

[calldoctoday]

glen Be nice if we could just get the details, all the details, the whole truth, & nothing but the truth rather than all the legalese. What a wonderful simple world it would be, pipe dreams I suppose.

[glen]

calldoctoday Total agreement!

[Jonathon]

processhead Is probably on to something there!

[mrobisr]

I have some Morton’s Sugar Cure that ranges from 12-17 years old and all it has done is absorb a little atmospheric moisture. How do I over come that, I either dry it or just measure by volume, for me I just measure by volume and call it a day. How do I know its still good, well my meat still turns pink and/or red depending on what I’m curing and for how long I’m curing it, so yes it still works.

[zbigjeff]

processhead Thanks for putting that “sensible” hat on sir. I agree with YOU!!!