Got some myvitamin energy gels and i noticed they expired in july 2015. Will they be ok or is it likely they have broken down? They seem to look and smell ok and a little taste seemed fine, i never really fear using expired foods but 9 months might be pushing it.

Ha. July 2015? I’ve had bars and gels that are years out of date. The bars dry up a bit, the gels don’t seem to change at all

If it is ‘best before’ rather than ‘use by’ you’ll be ok

As long as it gets you up those hills,worry about it later 😉

Are they the Cream Soda or Rhubarb ones that they did on special about a year ago by any chance?

If so then they’re absolutely fine as I’m still working my way through mine after buying a couple of boxes of them 😀

You’ll be fine. Anyone down wind from you however…

I think it might be a best before but would have to check that. That could be good news then as i have 50 of things sat in the garage!
Fasthaggis – could be dangerous once i reach the summit and my body relaxes if you catch my drift. I guess it will most likely bother those directly behind me so not my problem 😀

Most of ours are 5-10 years out of date and still seem ok.

Notmyrealname – yeah its the cream soda ones. Thats good to hear as i quite like the taste of them, didnt manage to get hold of rhubarb one’s.

The gels are sealed in a laminated pack so can’t dry out and I’m sure they must contain preservatives. Just about the only thing that might degrade is the flavour but even that needs oxygen.

I did (die…that is.I’m haunting the forum now).

I accidentally stood on one of the rhubarb gels on my parent’s doorstep two years ago now. Despite lots of scrubbing the black stains on the brickwork continue to enlarge, so who knows what’s growing in there..

I had some strange Italian ones a while ago made by a company called +watt (not sure they thought through what it would look like to an English speaker).

I consumed them about a year after the sell by date and they had weird crystals in them. Very strange sensation in the mouth.

I did not die.

Despite lots of scrubbing the black stains on the brickwork continue to enlarge, so who knows what’s growing in there..

Have you seen District 9?

Eventually, yes.

You might also die eventually, regardless of the gel. 😆

Apparently, the texture becomes more jiz-like the older they get.

Hmmmm. We’ve got a few Nectar gels and they’ve swollen and expanded (some enough to leak), so I’d guess maybe the sugar is fermenting? Sounds like an experimental ride is needed…

It should be possible to make wine out of energy gels.

I thought they were mostly maltodextrin with sugar and flavouring? Something like a sweet version of Bisto gravy granules?

Edit: Here y’are, this is High5: “Glucose, Water, Maltodextrin, Fruit Juice (Lemon, Lime), Acidity Regulator (Tri Sodium Citrate), Sea Salt, Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate), Natural Flavouring.”

They can go out of date?

I thought they had the same half-life as Uranium?

My MiL had some powdered ginger that was 21 years (seriously) out of date. I’ve eaten it. I’m still alive.

We had some SIS with nitrates and a couple of months after the use by date they really expanded and bloated the sealed packet. They tasted v musty and went in the bin