How long to store corn oil?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Some time ago I bought a 40 ounce bottle of corn oil and put it in a dark cabinet in our cool cellar until I would need it. Well, the previous bottle is still holding out.

Do you know if corn oil is still healthy past its "use by" date? Does it oxidize if it is in a still-sealed plastic bottle? Does it react with or pick up substances from the bottle?

Of course, I wouldn't use it if it is perceptably "off," but maybe someone knows more about this. Eh?

[disneysteve]

When oil goes bad, it smells bad - that stale, rancid smell. I would expect a sealed bottle stored in a cool, dark place to be fine. Open it and take a whiff. If it smells okay, it should be perfectly fine to use.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Okay, I'll just keep it until I finish my present bottle (which also must be pretty old by now; I did not think to look at its date ). I'll keep it sealed until then.

[disneysteve]

Okay, I'll just keep it until I finish my present bottle (which also must be pretty old by now; I did not think to look at its date ). I'll keep it sealed until then.

I can't say that I've ever looked at a "best buy" date on a bottle of oil.

Keep in mind that "best by" dates are pretty meaningless. They're basically intended to sell more product. They are not expiration dates. Americans throw out billions of dollars of perfectly good food because of a pretty arbitrary date stamped on a package that is still just fine for days, weeks, or months after that date.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Yeah, I try to use use common sense about use by dates and sell by dates. But I understand that some people cannot smell rancidity very well. Not smelling rancid olive oil has has been a topic on a cooking forum I read.

I really don't want to use an oil that is oxidizing or otherwise becoming unhealthy. Cooking oils clearly become gummy on the thin layer that might be on the outside of my bottle. I thought perhaps the same thing might happen throughout a bottle of oil but at a level I might not see, taste, smell or feel.

My unopened bottle says February 2015.

[james.hendrickson]

Up to a year past the expiration date is probably okay, especially if it has been stored in a cool and dry place.

[scfr]

My unopened bottle says February 2015.

Joan - Having had a few bad experiences in my younger years, I now practice a "when in doubt, throw it out" policy because I don't want to get sick from eating a food product that has gone bad. While I hate waste, the risk/cost of getting sick outweighs the cost of having to toss something that may in theory still be OK. Personally, if I had a bottle of corn oil in my pantry that was more than one year past the date on the bottle (assuming it's not the manufacture date which I would guess it isn't) I would not consume it.
Know anyone who makes biodiesel or handmade soap who might want it?

[DaveInPgh]

I agree with scfr. Less than $4 for a 40oz bottle. I would toss it.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

scfr, that is a great idea about giving the oil to someone who makes biodiesel. Cool. I had forgotten that once I gave a bottle of used cooking oil (fish fry) to someone who'd asked on Craigslist.

[Cristen Wyght]

when you open a bottle of cooking oil, such as corn, safflower, canola or peanut oil, it allows air to enter, and the oxygen begins spoiling the oil. It is not like we are going to die from this, but it is one of the hidden causes of disease. some people advise that we refrigerate all cooking oils after opening.

http://www.foodchannel.com/articles/article/how-long-can-i-store-corn-oil/