How long a shelf life do brownies have

[email hidden] (kathy) wrote in news:32b17c7c.0401030809.434f89a8
@posting.google.com:

Quoted message said:

Someone sent me some brownies on November 19, and I've just received the box. They were sealed in
Ziploc plastic bags inside the box. They look and smell okay. How long a shelf life do brownies
have when shipped by mail? They haven't been refrigerated, but they probably have not been exposed
to high temperatures, either. They still feel relatively soft.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to make them and I'd hate to throw them out. At the same time,
though, I can't really afford to be sick for two days from eating something that has spoiled. What
do I do?

What sort of spoilage occurs in baked goods, anyway? I know that things like bread and cookies get
stale and stiff, but do they ever get hazardous to eat?

thanks,

kathy

Due to their high sugar content they should probably be fine. Baked goods can go moldy but that's
usually obvious.

Wayne

In rec.food.cooking said:

Someone sent me some brownies on November 19, and I've just received the box.

Call your local department of public works and find out when the next pickup of hazardous waste will
occur. In the meantime, get them out of the house, preferably sealed in an airtight metal container.

--
...I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

On 3 Jan 2004 08:09:20 -0800, [email hidden] (kathy)

Quoted message said:

Someone sent me some brownies on November 19, and I've just received the box. They were sealed in
Ziploc plastic bags inside the box. They look and smell okay. How long a shelf life do brownies
have when shipped by mail? They haven't been refrigerated, but they probably have not been
exposed to high temperatures, either. They still feel relatively soft.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to make them and I'd hate to throw them out. At the same time,
though, I can't really afford to be sick for two days from eating something that has spoiled.
What do I do?

What sort of spoilage occurs in baked goods, anyway? I know that things like bread and cookies
get stale and stiff, but do they ever get hazardous to eat?

It's your summer now - is it humid? Do they have any mold? I sincerely doubt they will spoil on
you... but they will get stale and should be very stale by this time.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

I know you didn't mean it this way, but you've asked a sort of trick question. No one can tell you
the brownies are safe to eat because then you might get sick, and we'd be at fault. On the other
hand, brownies aren't really a highly volatile food. If they look and smell O.K., they probably are
fine. Then on to the third hand, how valuable are a bunch of home made brownies? If you're worried,
toss them. The peace of mind will be worth it.

If it were me, I'd go with the reasoning on the third hand. Any time I'm not sure of food, I throw
it away instead of worrying about it.

But then, I wouldn't be worried about the brownies in the first place. Baked goods might get stale
which means they don't taste good, but they're not usually poisonous. Baked goods sometimes get
green mold on them, but then you can see it; you don't have to guess. I wouldn't worry about
brownies the way I'd worry about unrefrigerated chicken or seafood where the food might taste fine
but make the eater dreadfully sick later.

--Lia

kathy said:

Someone sent me some brownies on November 19, and I've just received the box. They were sealed in
Ziploc plastic bags inside the box. They look and smell okay. How long a shelf life do brownies
have when shipped by mail? They haven't been refrigerated, but they probably have not been exposed
to high temperatures, either. They still feel relatively soft.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to make them and I'd hate to throw them out. At the same time,
though, I can't really afford to be sick for two days from eating something that has spoiled. What
do I do?

What sort of spoilage occurs in baked goods, anyway? I know that things like bread and cookies get
stale and stiff, but do they ever get hazardous to eat?

thanks,

kathy

sf said:

It's your summer now - is it humid?

Not in Europe (where I live). It's moderately humid outside, but quite cold. Warmer inside but much
less humid.

Quoted message said:

Do they have any mold?

I dunno. What does mold look like?

Quoted message said:

I sincerely doubt they will spoil on you... but they will get stale and should be very stale by
this time.

So they are safe to eat, but probably won't taste good? They still feel soft through the plastic.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Mxsmanic said:

sf said:

It's your summer now - is it humid?

Not in Europe (where I live). It's moderately humid outside, but quite cold. Warmer inside but
much less humid.

? <[email hidden] (kathy)> ? You moved?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Do they have any mold?

I dunno. What does mold look like?

Here's what it looks like: cheesy-wotsits.co.ukbreadexpday7.htmOpen ↗

Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Mxsmanic said:

sf writes:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's your summer now - is it humid?

Quoted message said:

Not in Europe (where I live). It's moderately humid outside, but quite cold. Warmer inside but
much less humid.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Do they have any mold?

Quoted message said:

I dunno. What does mold look like?

You'll know it when you see it. Lots of white/dark blotches.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I sincerely doubt they will spoil on you... but they will get stale and should be very stale by
this time.

Quoted message said:

So they are safe to eat, but probably won't taste good? They still feel soft through the plastic.

At worse, they'll be stale. Try one and see how it tastes.

"kathy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Someone sent me some brownies on November 19, and I've just received the box. They were sealed in
Ziploc plastic bags inside the box. They look and smell okay. How long a shelf life do brownies
have when shipped by mail? They haven't been refrigerated, but they probably have not been exposed
to high temperatures, either. They still feel relatively soft.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to make them and I'd hate to throw them out. At the same time,
though, I can't really afford to be sick for two days from eating something that has spoiled. What
do I do?

What sort of spoilage occurs in baked goods, anyway? I know that things like bread and cookies get
stale and stiff, but do they ever get hazardous to eat?

thanks,

kathy

You're kidding right?

You've has some home made Brownies since November 19th?

Shame on you.... ;-)

If they have no mold and small OK they are probably OK.

Hurry.

Dimitri

Dimiri said:

You've has some home made Brownies since November 19th?

No, they didn't arrive until December 29 or so.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.