How Long Can Spices Last? Shelf Life of Whole, Ground and Dried Herbs, Spice by Spice

How long has that paprika been in the cupboard? Dried spices last for years, but they don’t stay at their best for years; they lose smell and color. The named sources put the best-quality window for ground spices at 1 year (University of California Cooperative Extension, America’s Test Kitchen) to 2 to 4 years (McCormick), and for whole spices at 2 years to 3 to 4 years.¹²³ Those are windows for flavor, not safety dates, and some spices run on a shorter clock: ATK says cayenne loses potency within a few months.⁴

For whether old spices are safe and how to tell a jar has faded, see do spices go bad?. For what to keep them in, see the best containers for spices.

Shelf life by type: the named figures

McCormick also gives a simple rule of thumb: dried seasonings, herbs and spices in jars last about 1 to 2 years.³ Every one of these sources gives whole spices the same or a longer window than ground ones, and America’s Test Kitchen advises buying spices whole whenever you can and grinding them just before use.

These figures are general guidance, not measurements of individual spices in home kitchens. We didn’t find a study that measured shelf life spice by spice under home conditions.

When a source sets a shorter clock

America’s Test Kitchen says the volatile oils in cayenne lose potency within a few months and advises replacing it regularly.⁴ That’s much shorter than McCormick’s 2 to 4 years for ground spices, a category where McCormick names paprika and chili powder. They aren’t measuring the same thing. One is a cook’s freshness advice for a single spice, the other a brand’s best-quality window for a category. So we show both instead of trying to reconcile them.

Salt

Salt is the exception. McCormick lists it as indefinite. Morton says salt itself has no expiration date, but gives its iodized salts a 5-year recommended use-by because iodine can dissipate over time, and 3 years for its natural sea salt without an anti-caking agent, which may cake.⁵ Those are one manufacturer’s figures for its own products. The full table is on do spices go bad?.

Spice by spice

None of the sources above give a figure for a single named spice except by the category it falls into. The ranges below apply each source’s category figure to that spice, so read them as category guidance.

A few notes on particular spices:

• Cinnamon and cloves. Sticks and whole cloves fall in the whole-spice category, with the longer window. If you use them often, buy whole and grind as needed, in line with America’s Test Kitchen’s general advice. See ground cinnamon vs. cinnamon sticks and ground cloves vs. whole cloves.
• Cumin. America’s Test Kitchen recommends buying whole seeds and grinding them yourself when you can, because the flavor is more potent.⁴
• Paprika, chili powder and red pepper. Color is the first thing to go, and you can measure it. In a 1992 lab study, untreated paprika powder lost an estimated 27% of its color in 150 days at room temperature and 15% in the fridge.⁶ The UC Cooperative Extension recommends refrigerating paprika, chili powder and red pepper to keep their color best, especially in hot weather.
• Bay leaves. You’ll see advice to keep dried bay leaves in the freezer all over the place. We didn’t find a named source for it, or one against it.

Fresh ginger is a different product

Fresh ginger is a fresh rhizome, not a dried spice, and it keeps for weeks, not years. Tasting Table says peeled mature ginger lasts two to three weeks in the refrigerator, longer if left unpeeled, and that young ginger is perishable and doesn’t keep well.⁷ We didn’t find a named source for the shelf life of crystallized ginger or frozen ginger. For methods, see how to store ginger and can you freeze ginger?.

What shortens a spice’s life

The UC Cooperative Extension names air, light, moisture and heat as the four things that speed up the loss of flavor and color.¹ McCormick adds that repeated heat is an enemy of spice longevity, whole and ground, and that spices last longer in a dark cabinet.³ In practice:

• Keep spices in tightly covered containers in a dark cupboard or drawer.
• Keep them off the ledge above the stove and away from the dishwasher, microwave, sink and heating vents.
• Use a dry spoon, and don’t sprinkle straight from the jar over a steaming pot.
• Buy small containers until you know how fast you go through a spice.

Write the date on the lid when you open a jar. McCormick and America’s Test Kitchen both recommend labeling jars, and McCormick prints a best-by date on its own lids.

How to tell a spice is past its best

Smell it. The UC Cooperative Extension says that if a spice smells strong and flavorful, it’s probably still potent. Crush whole spices like peppercorns or cinnamon sticks first. For dried herbs, America’s Test Kitchen suggests crumbling a little between your fingers. If the smell and color have faded, it’s time to restock. A faded spice is still usable. You’ll just need more of it for the same effect.

Not yet measured

• Shelf life measured spice by spice under home storage. Every figure here is category guidance.
• Whether freezing helps or harms dried spices like bay leaves.
• The shelf life of crystallized ginger.

Related

• Do spices go bad?
• The best containers for spices
• How to store nutmeg, how to store saffron, how to store sage
• Dried herbs vs. fresh
• Cloves vs. cinnamon
• Too much cumin?
• The master list of herbs and spices