Trader Joe Ravioli- Can it really last that long in the Fridge?

November 29, 2023 5:13 PM

Hi- I went to Trader Joe's and bought many things one of which was Trader Joe's Porcini and Truffle Ravioli. This was probably (more than?) 3 weeks ago. Can I still eat it?

The expiry date on the ravioli says something like "Use or freeze by 01 08 24" (I think- I'm reading it as Jan 2024 anyway). I just tried to google around, and some reviews says it smells terrible (regardless of expiry date) so that may not be a helpful cue. Also, I haven't opened it yet - either I will eat it tomorrow or pick up a new type from my less exciting but much closer grocery store.

Can this be true- that it lasts for approximately 6-8 weeks in the fridge? That seems insane.

Thanks in advance. You were recently very helpful to me with a humidifier-related question. (Actually, this fits my "paranoid but lazy" theme...hmm).

posted by bquarters to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

To be clear, you're asking if the use by date on the packet is... a lie?

What value would there be to Trader Joe's in misleading customers about how long it's safe to eat their food? Someone in corporate has a tort kink? Likes getting sued?

Unless you have stored this improperly, or believe it was stored improperly in the shop, there's no reason to think the use by date in Jan wouldn't be legitimate.

(And generally yes, commercially packaged ravioli like this has a long fridge date.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:33 PM on November 29, 2023 [9 favorites]

I'd eat it. They are uncooked pasta sealing in cooked(?) mushrooms, then both in an airtight package. It would surprise me if anything much even taste wise had happened to it.
posted by mark k at 5:35 PM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: We buy, store, and later eat TJs ravioli all the time including this specific variety. The date is correct. Freeze to extend life even further. Date assumes package is unopened.
posted by countrymod at 6:07 PM on November 29, 2023 [3 favorites]

Some people hate the smell of that synthetic truffle oil stuff, which is what the complaint about the smell comes from but it is a very distinct smell and smells like truffle stuff and not like rotten food.

But yes, these packaged pastas can last a surprisingly long time in the fridge.
posted by AlexiaSky at 7:11 PM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

Can this be true- that it lasts for approximately 6-8 weeks in the fridge? That seems insane.

Products with surprisingly long refrigerated shelf lives most often use modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) . Lack of oxygen inside the package slows or prevents many kinds of spoilage. This is why the same food that lasts for weeks in a factory-sealed container may go bad in just a few days if the package is opened. It’s also why it can behave so differently from your experiences with home-cooked food, or with packaged food that didn’t use techniques like MAP.

And commercial foods can also use other fancy preservation techniques like aseptic packaging, high-pressure processing (HPP) and ultrasonic sterilization (US).
posted by mbrubeck at 7:51 PM on November 29, 2023 [18 favorites]

I've eaten a pack of that ravioli past the date on the package with no ill-effect.
posted by dobi at 8:57 AM on November 30, 2023

I've got some costco ravioli in my fridge that has a similarly long expiration/best by date on it. Processed food in air tight packaging does last that long, yes.
posted by soelo at 10:45 AM on November 30, 2023

Response by poster: Well, it surprised me it lasted so long! I cooked it, ate it, and it was great. It also didn't "smell" at all so maybe the overpowering truffle oil smell is similar to the cilantro debate...Anyway, thanks again!!!

(Note: I should be more trusting of best before dates it seems, but things seem to expire quickly in New York (before their dates) due to possibly shipping/handling/storage issues...I've had a lot of spoiled items here, but evidently modern TJ pasta packaging is immune. Thanks again!)
posted by bquarters at 11:41 AM on December 2, 2023