These 15 Regular Foods In Your Fridge Could Be Deadly!

Have you ever gotten a particular ingredient that you needed for a recipe only to forget about it after the dish was cooked?

We all have stuff we use on daily basis for our favorite dishes, but there might be some items hiding in the fridge that aren’t used as often.

And some of them can be extremely dangerous to your health.

So read on to find out if you have any of these in your fridge, because you might need to do an urgent inspection today. Pay extra attention to items 9 and 14.

1. Baking Powder

This is a necessary ingredient in many baked dishes to cause them to rise during the baking process. It has a lengthy shelf-life of up to 2 years but only if it’s been properly stored.

The longer baking powder sits once opened, the less effective it will be in your baked goods. Factors like moisture from prolonged exposure to the elements will hinder its freshness.

It’s vital that this ingredient remain tightly sealed and kept in a cool place away from moisture to maintain its integrity.

If you’re unsure about the freshness of your baking powder you don’t necessarily have to toss it out just yet. Do this to determine freshness: add one teaspoon of baking powder to a container of really hot water to see how much it bubbles.

If it produces a lot of bubbles, you are safe.

2. Whole Wheat Flour

Unlike your all-purpose white flour, the whole grain flour can deteriorate rapidly. In fact, it has half the shelf-life as white flour!

To keep your whole wheat flour from spoiling, store it properly in an airtight container that is resistant to water and heat such as the fridge or freezer.

3. Opened Spices

Spices and dried herbs can add a significant flavor punch to a dish, but once opened they’re prone to losing their strength and flavor intensity.

To preserve their freshness keep dried herbs and flavors closed tightly and stored in a dry place away from heat. Besides spices themselves, pay attention to what  cans they are stored in. Plastic kitchenware may be dangerous by itself.

4. Nuts

The natural oils contained in most nuts might cause them to deteriorate pretty quickly and will affect their taste.

Nuts that have a naturally higher fat content can go bad almost as quickly as you can eat them. You may wish to opt for lower-fat containing nuts such as almonds and pistachios to satisfy that occasional nut fix. Naturally, that will help you maintain your body-fat low and even get that flat belly we all desire.

Reduce the odds of your nuts going bad by keeping them sealed in a container that is kept in a cool place.

5. Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs can go stale after being opened for a period of time, affecting its color, texture and taste. Keep them in a container tightly sealed away from humidity and heat once they’ve been opened. Give them the smell test to check for an off odor before using.

6. Chocolate

If you’ve been holding off on eating that holiday chocolate for some time you may be in for a grainy distasteful surprise.

Chocolate needs to be stored in the fridge at a regulated temperature and wrapped in plastic wrap or bag no more than two months past its expiration.

7. Cereal

A bowl of stale cereal is a great way to start your day. Once you open that box of cereal put it in a tightly sealed container, rather than keep it in the box, to prolong its freshness for up to two weeks.

8. Instant Mashed Potatoes

Dried potato flakes are a convenient way to serve up your favorite side dish but can quickly go bad if they are exposed to moisture or humidity. It’s best to keep stored in a cool place like the fridge if not using all at once.

If you’re uncertain as to how long those instant taters have been in there follow the old saying ‘throw it out when in doubt’.

9. Lager

Beer is best served cold and likewise should be stored that way. In glass bottles, beer that is left at room temperature will taste very unpleasant so keep that in mind when buying or storing. And well, as usual with this kind of beverage, keep the volumes small to stay healthy and fit.

10. Dinner Rolls or Biscuits

Bread of any kind is vulnerable to becoming stale from the moment it’s exposed to air so keep it well-sealed with as minimal exposure to air as possible.

11. Nut Spreads

The natural oil content in nut butters and spreads can subject them to going rancid after some time.

They do not have to be kept in the fridge and will keep for up to 3 months at room temperature but must be closed tightly in between use to preserve freshness.

12. Olive Oil

Once opened, olive oil can keep for as long as 6 months under the right conditions. Opt for a brand that is sold in dark bottles for longer viability.

It is also recommended that you choose a bottle size accordingly by how frequently you intend to use it.

13. Brown Sugar

Brown sugar can go from sticky and light to hard and dry in no time if not kept properly. Once opened, transfer the remainder of your dark colored sugar in airtight container or bag that is resealable.

14. Canned Veggies

Whether you can your home-grown or buy commercially, vegetables can become undesirable after a long period of time. Avoid canning or buying more tinned vegetables than what you would use within a year.

15. Whole Grains

Light and air are the biggest culprits when it comes to whole grains so it’s best to keep sealed in a non-porous container and away from light.