Canned biscuits have a relatively long shelf life so you can always rely on them whenever you’re short on time.
Nevertheless, if you don’t store them properly, canned biscuits will eventually expire even if they were unopened.
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect them to be good for about a few weeks after their expiration date.
However, it’s best to check the quality of the biscuits before cooking them since the chance of spoilage increases after their best-by date passes.
Do canned biscuits expire after their best-by date?
The best-by date on most food items including canned biscuits serves only as a guideline about their quality.
Similarly to expired parmesan cheese, canned biscuits will remain good for a long period of time after their expiration date.
This is mostly due to the fact that the biscuits are sealed in a pressurized can that reduces the exposure to air.
As a result, harmful bacterial microorganisms or fungi can’t get through the package and spoil the dough.
This means that in theory, canned biscuits should last indefinitely as long as their package is intact.
However, that’s not entirely true since they begin to lose moisture and become more sticky as time goes by.
And while you’ll still be able to cook the biscuits safely, they’ll taste stale and have a weird consistency.
For this reason, it’s best to avoid eating canned biscuits or dough that are more than a week out of date.
It’s also worth pointing out that you should keep the biscuits refrigerated at all times.
If you leave them unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, there’s a high chance that the can will burst when you try to open it.
Which can give you some pretty nasty injuries.
How to tell if canned biscuits are bad?
Even though canned biscuits can last for a fairly long time after their expiration date, you should always check if they have gone bad.
The first thing you should look for when you’re inspecting your biscuits for spoilage are signs of discoloration.
If you notice any green or black spots on the surface of the dough, then you should toss the biscuits out because they’re probably contaminated with bacteria.
In case everything is fine, then you should proceed to check the dough for any unusual smells or odors.
When canned biscuits begin to spoil, they usually emit a noticeable sulphuric odor that’s caused by the breakdown of amino acids.
Therefore, you should avoid eating the biscuits if they smell funky.
The last thing you should check is the texture of the biscuit dough. If the dough has a sticky or slimy texture, then it’s spoiled and you shouldn’t use it.
Can you freeze canned biscuits?
Most brands of canned biscuits usually carry a label that warns against freezing the dough.
Producers use this label to discourage us from freezing the dough since freezing alters the texture of the biscuits.
So if you aren’t bothered by a slight change in texture, you can safely freeze canned biscuits for up to two months.
The biscuits can be stored in their original package, so there’s no need to unwrap them.
If you have already opened the package, then you should put the biscuits in a ziploc bag before stashing them in the freezer.
Make sure that you leave about an inch of space between each biscuit so they don’t stick.
Once you’re ready to use them, you’ll simply need to defrost them in the refrigerator overnight.
Don’t thaw the biscuits on your countertop as the drastic change in temperature can cause the tube to explode.
My short recap
Canned biscuits offer you a great way to save some time whenever you’re too busy or you feel drained from work.
However, you should always remember to check if they haven’t gone bad before cooking them.
Even though you can eat canned biscuits past their expiry date, their quality will start to deteriorate after the first week they’re out of date.
If your biscuits have been sitting in your fridge for a longer period of time, it would be wiser to get a new can.
