When you hear "expired," a few things may come to mind: Clumpy milk, moldy bread, and meat with a concerning hue. These sights are what most expiration dates intend to save consumers from. While it depends on the manufacturer, expiration and "best by" dates for tea are most often concerned with the quality of the tea.
Since tea tends to go stale rather than spoil, these dates signal that it is at least past its prime. However, over time, depending on how they are stored, the tea could become unsafe to drink due to bacteria or mold growth. The true expiration of tea is marked by a change in aroma or the growth of mold.
A quick whiff of your tea leaves or bags would normally reveal a lively aroma, whether floral, minty, or earthy. If this defining trait is long gone, it is a sign that your tea is at the end of its shelf life. If the aroma has faded, loss of flavor and nutrients are not far behind.
While expired tea is still safe to drink most often, tea at the end of its lifespan loses many of its defining characteristics. Losing scents and gaining new ones The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service FoodKeeper Data reports that unopened boxes of tea bags can last 18-36 months, instant tea can last two to three years, and loose-leaf tea can last two years. Once removed from their original packaging, each of these forms of tea can only last six to 12 months.
However, this lifespan is for the quality of the tea and not its ability to be consumed. While tea is frequently brewed .
