Shelf life
How long a spice keeps its flavour: years for whole, months for ground, weeks for fragile blends.
Also: spice freshness, how long spices last, best before
Spices rarely spoil in a dangerous way, but they lose flavour. Whole hard spices, such as pepper, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves and coriander, keep three to four years if stored well. Ground spices fade in about six months to a year, and ground blends sooner. Leafy herbs, saffron, paprika and chilli powder lose colour and aroma. Oil-rich seeds such as sesame and poppy can turn rancid. Dates on packs are estimates, not safety limits. A simple test is to rub a pinch in the palm and smell: if the scent is faint, the spice is spent. Buy in small quantities and label jars with the date.