In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “Can you get sick from eating expired tortillas?” with an in-depth analysis of “Can tortillas go bad?”.Moreover, we are going to discuss the storage, shelf life and nutritional value of tortillas.
Can you get sick from eating expired tortillas?
You don’t necessarily get sick from eating expired tortillas if they have been properly stored.
Can tortillas go bad?
Yes! tortillas can go bad and you should avoid eating bad tortillas because they can be harmful to your health.
You can know whether your tortillas has gone bad or not by noticing some signs related to their color, texture or odor etc such as;
Molds on the surface of the tortillas:
If you notice any molds grown on the tortillas, it means they are gone bad and you should throw them away.
Stiffness:
When tortillas expire, they become stiff, however, you can eat them if they aren’t necessarily bad.
Slimy to touch:
If on-touch tortillas seem slimy to you, it means they are near to growing molds on them. That’s why you should avoid eating them.
Unusual spots on tortillas:
Bad tortillas also have Unusual spots on them. These spots can be brown or dark in color.
Change in color or decolourization:
Tortillas usually don’t change their color. But if you notice any neon or green color of the tortillas, it means they have grown worse.
Unusual or unpleasant smell:
Any kind of Unusual or unpleasant smell is also a sign of bad tortillas.
What are the problems caused by eating bad tortillas?
You can face health problems by the use of tortillas on which molds have grown or they have gone bad.
If you expose bad tortillas, you can get food poisoning that can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain etc.
What to do if you get food poisoning by eating bad tortillas?
- If you have gotten sick from the consumption of bad tortillas, you should ask for medical help immediately.
- Also, you should increase your consumption of water because you can face dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea.
- If you don’t drink a lot of water, dehydration and Vomiting will lead you towards weakness, dizziness and electrolyte imbalance etc.
How to properly store tortillas?
If tortillas have been stored properly, you can increase their shelf life.
Follow the given instructions to properly store your tortillas;
- Packaged unopened tortillas can be stored in the pantry, kitchen cupboard, fridge or freezer. The shelf life of these tortillas will vary with the storage method.
- Try to keep the temperature of the place consistent where you have stored tortillas. Keep them in a dry, cool place and away from the heat.
- Separate the tortillas and peel them from each other. Put a cloth on them and cool at room temperature.
- Once they are cooled down at room temperature, you can stack them back on each other.
- Place them in an airtight container and put them in the pantry, fridge or freezer.
Can you freeze tortillas?
Yes! You can freeze tortillas and it will keep tortillas fresh for a longer period.
- For this purpose, wrap the tortillas in an airtight container and put them in the freezer.
- Make sure that your tortillas aren’t broken down by the other stuff present in the freezer.
How to defrost tortillas?
To defrost the tortillas follow the ways given below;
- Remove the tortillas from the freezer and let them cool for an hour at room temperature. It will defrost tortillas easily as they are thin.
- However, if you can’t wait for an hour, you can simply heat them in a 7a microwave oven.
- Make sure to properly control the temperature to avoid tortillas becoming soggy at too high or too low a temperature.
What is the shelf life of the tortillas?
The shelf life of the unopened packages of different types of tortillas is as follows;
The shelf life of flour tortillas is as follows;
- In the Cupboard: 7 days
- In the Refrigerator: 3-4 weeks
- Freezer: 6-8 months
The shelf life of the whole wheat is as follows;
- In the cupboard: 7 days
- In the Fridge: 3-4 weeks
- In the freezer: 6-8 months
The shelf life of the corn tortillas is as follows;
- In the cupboard: 7-10 days
- In the Fridge:6-8 weeks
- In the freezer:6-8 months
The shelf life of the Spinach tortillas is as follows;
- In the cupboard:7 days
- In the Fridge: 3-4 weeks
- In the freezer:6-8 months
The shelf life of Homemade tortillas is as follows;
- In the cupboard: 2_3days
- In the fridge:5-7 days
- In the freezer:6-8 months
What is the nutritional value of the tortillas?
The following nutrition value is provided by the USDA for one corn tortilla (19g);
- Calories: 45
- Fat: 0.5g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 0g
- Protein: 1g
Here are the health benefits of tortillas.
Conclusion:
In this brief guide, we answered the question “Can you get sick from eating expired tortillas?” with an in-depth analysis of “Can tortillas go bad?”.Moreover, we discussed the storage, shelf life and nutritional value of tortillas.