Best before dates on energy gels/energy smoothies?

[oreo_muncher]

I purchased some short-dated energy smoothie gel packets and their best before date is September, will they still be okay to use after that October-November or have they essentially gone off by then?

 

[winjim]

They won't be at their best, but they'll essentially be fine.

The only date to worry about on food is 'use by' which means the food might actually make you ill. 'Best before' just means it might have lost a bit of its flavour or texture or whatever.

 

[Jenkins]

I'm part way through a box of SiS gels that have a best before date of Jan 2020 with no problems.

 

[Blue Hills]

Since they are made of satan's sperm I have always assumed they will outlive us all.

 

[winjim]

Was it someone on this forum who described them as like giving a blow job to a teletubby?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I've used gels that were a year out of date, and last year I fairly regularly used energy powder that was more than 2 years out of date (it was an enormous tub and I hadn't used it too often), and both were fine. The powder starts to clump together a little bit but it still dissolved, it tasted good still, and it still did the job. I didn't get any iffy effects.

I also found some gels recently that were 5 years out of date, I opened them up to have a look just out of interest and the glucose / sugar had started to solidify a bit. That was interesting I suppose, I doubt I'd consume one that old but it hadn't gone slimy or smelly or anything.

A few months out of date wouldn't ever bother me with these products.

 

[Notafettler]

You will die

 

[youngoldbloke]

I've unearthed a stash of gels and energy drink powders with best before dates 2015/18. Should I use them? I've used out of date gels and powders before but 6 years seems just a little bit too long, maybe?

 

[Milkfloat]

I've unearthed a stash of gels and energy drink powders with best before dates 2015/18. Should I use them? I've used out of date gels and powders before but 6 years seems just a little bit too long, maybe?

If you are lucky they may have started to ferment. I have used gels that were 5 years out of date before, I don't often use them but one day really needed one so if came out of my saddle bag where it had been hiding for a long time. It did the job, just slightly crystalized.

 

[youngoldbloke]

If you are lucky they may have started to ferment.

I don't drink alcohol! Would that be a problem?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I've unearthed a stash of gels and energy drink powders with best before dates 2015/18. Should I use them? I've used out of date gels and powders before but 6 years seems just a little bit too long, maybe?

See my reply at #6 above, I've had a look at gels that were 5 years out of date. They didn't look great.
I'm confident that powders are likely safe if kept dry and if sealed, whether it tastes of much 5 years past the expiry date is another matter.

A year or two past the best before, I've used them and i would again. But 5 years? I'd bin them and treat yourself to a fresh lot.
Aldi, Holland and Barrett and Halfords often do a High5 selection box (energy gels, snack bars, zero tabs, energy drink powder, protein powder plus a free High5 drinks bottle) for a low price. Currently Halfords have them for 7.99. The bottle is one of the best cycle bottles going and is worth nearly a fiver on its own, it's a steal.

 

[stephec]

I've used SIS caffeine gels that were a year out of date, I was a bit worried that they might make me 'go' a bit faster, but they just worked as normal.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Was it someone on this forum who described them as like giving a blow job to a teletubby?

How did they know?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Some of the drink powders are getting a bit 'crunchy', I think I'll bin them. I may keep one or two of the gels 'for emergency use only'. The Halfords pack looks good value, especially as I have some gift tokens due to expire soon, though I certainly don't need any more bottles.

 

[tyred]

I've drank fifteen year old whiskey without issue....