Aunt Jemima syrup is a classic staple from childhood pancakes onward. It’s found its home on pancakes, waffles, and even bacon. The brand has been around for over a hundred years. While it’s making changes, the syrup remains the same.
Pancake syrup is the most loved condiment in the breakfast world – it beats jam, peanut butter, and even whip cream. But even though it can go with any breakfast food, you can’t eat it every day, so you have to wonder, does it ever go bad?
Does Aunt Jemima syrup expire or go bad? Technically, no, Aunt Jemima syrup doesn’t go bad. The high sugar content makes it difficult for bacteria to grow and spoil it. So, you could keep a bottle indefinitely unless you don’t store it properly.
Keep in mind that Aunt Jemima is pancake syrup, not maple syrup. So while some of the same rules apply, they’re made differently, so they have to be handled differently.
Does Aunt Jemima Syrup Expire?
Much like corn syrup, the high sugar content and little moisture make it very hostile to bacteria growth and act as a preservative. As long as you store it according to guidelines, you should have high-quality syrup that lasts.
There is no expiration date on the packaging, but there is a best before or use-by date. It’s a date that the manufacturer estimates the quality will decline. So, you can still safely use the syrup after the date has passed. It usually lasts up to 24 months at optimal freshness.
Although, even if it starts to decline in quality, it won’t be dangerous to eat. It simply might look and feel a bit different.
How Does Aunt Jemima Syrup Compare to Maple Syrup?
The main difference between maple syrup and pancake syrup is in its production. Maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees. Maple sap is primarily made of water with a small amount of sugar, so to make maple syrup, producers of the syrup must boil down the liquid to remove the water, and only the sweetness is left. That is maple syrup.
Commercial brands of pancake syrup use artificial sugars that allow them to stay on the shelf for a long time.
Because of these differences in production, you can only store maple syrup in the fridge, and it’s more at risk for discoloration and potential mold. Meanwhile, Aunt Jemima syrup can stay in your pantry almost indefinitely.
How Can You Store Aunt Jemima Syrup?
Storing syrup properly maintains its quality longer, so even though pancake syrup is resilient to most conditions, you should store it in a particular way. It should be kept airtight in the pantry in any container. If it gets too exposed to air, you can bring some minor problems.
Maple syrup is a bit more sensitive, and you should keep it in its original glass bottle in the fridge. But as long as pancake syrup-like Aunt Jemima syrup is kept in a cool, dark spot in your pantry, and make sure it stays out of direct sunlight, you can finish a bottle in its entirety with no worries of spoiling.
You can treat an unopened and opened bottle of maple syrup the same way: you can leave it and forget it, and when you’re ready to use it, you won’t have to worry about its quality.
What’s the Worst That Can Happen to Aunt Jemima Syrup?
If you don’t store it in an airtight container, it can have an unusual reaction – it can develop mold. This kind of mold can’t exactly hurt you, though. If you scrape away the moldy parts, you can still use the syrup because it’s a different type of fungus than what we’re used to seeing in fresh fruit. Some mold contaminates the whole product, but the syrup is still safe.
Even if you don’t see mold spores, a decline in quality can affect how it looks. It becomes darker and thicker as syrup ages, but it’s still okay to eat; the flavor will simply be different. If you encounter a mold problem in pure maple syrup, it’s best to re-boil the syrup so it can regain some of its quality.
Food safety is one of the best ways to ensure that your Aunt Jemima syrup lasts. Avoid any cross-contamination with any other products or dirty utensils. And clean up the buildup of crystalized syrup on the lid to make sure the bottle gets sealed tight.
Why Choose Aunt Jemima Over Maple Syrup?
While maple syrup is delicious and authentic syrup, it’s not always the most practical choice. For one, Aunt Jemima syrup is far more affordable. If you’re not making breakfast for people with a specific palate – like kids – you can get away with pancake syrup.
If you don’t make a complete breakfast very often, Aunt Jemima is the better choice because it does last so long. You won’t have to wonder if your maple syrup has crystallized in the fridge because the pancake syrup is less sensitive. It will be ready to use when you’re ready to use it.
Final Thoughts
Aunt Jemima syrup will last you as long as it takes you to drain the bottle. If you store it properly in a cool dark corner of your pantry and avoid any cross-contamination with other foods, you can prevent a decrease in quality.
Even if some discoloration, odor, or texture changes happen, it’s completely safe to eat if the changes do not turn you off. There is not much else that can go wrong.
Aunt Jemima is a classic, and while it’s maybe less authentic than maple syrup, it’s still a suitable alternative. Pancake syrup is delicious, inexpensive, and can carry you through a lot of waffles. Maple syrup may be a nice treat for an occasion, but it’s more expensive, and its quality can decline more rapidly.
So, you’re free to stock up on Aunt Jemima syrup because it’ll never go bad, and you’ll always have a need for it.