Freshness test
A quick check: crush a pinch and smell it; a weak scent means a spent spice.
Also: smell test, rub test, is my spice fresh
To test freshness, take a pinch of the spice, rub it between the fingers or crush it with a thumb, and smell. A fresh spice has a strong, clean and characteristic aroma within seconds. A faint, dusty or flat smell shows it has lost oil. Look at colour too: paprika should be vivid red, not brown; turmeric bright gold; saffron deep red threads with a darker tip. Taste a little: a stale spice tastes of little but heat or bitterness. Whole spices should snap or crack, and be heavy in the hand. Musty smells or clumping suggest moisture and mould, and the spice should be discarded.