Health and safety experts say that it’s perfectly fine to drink Mountain Dew up to 9 months after its expiration date and it will still have the same taste. The US government does, in fact, deem this product non-perishable, meaning it’s unlikely to go rotten.
Does Mountain Dew expire? Yes, Mountain Dew can definitely expire. It typically has an expiration date that gives it a shelf life of around six months to one year. This doesn’t necessarily mean that drinking expired Mountain Dew will harm you. You just won’t get the full Mountain Dew experience from your favorite soda.
There are some pointers you should follow if you are going to drink an old Mountain Dew. We’ve laid out some advice for you in the below article.
Does Mountain Dew Expire?
Mountain Dew does have an expiry date of less than one year after bottling. Still, people have drunk it months after this point and reported no change in taste or adverse health effects. Some cases talk of people drinking five-year-old Mountain Dew and reporting nothing wrong with it.
While we wouldn’t recommend diving that far into the past, there’s every likelihood that it’s still perfectly drinkable, even if it is a bit flat. There are no ingredients in Mountain Dew that would cause it to go rotten over time and cause any health effects.
There are, however, some circumstances under which experts advise you should discard a Mountain Dew rather than drink it.
Is Drinking Expired Mountain Dew Harmful to You?
I’m sure we’ve all been doing a pantry or refrigerator clear out and come across a forgotten, unopened bottle or can of Mountain Dew tucked away at the back. Well, if you happen to be in this situation, the great news is it won’t do anything to you if you decide to drink it!
In the worst-case scenario, you won’t have the same taste and fizz a fresh Mountain Dew would give you. So you’ll be a bit let-down after your initial rush of excitement from finding a treat when you weren’t expecting to.
Mountain Dew contains high concentrations of sugar, which gives the product a long shelf-life. Any carbonated sodas will lose their fizz at some point, especially if they have been kept in a warm place (like the back of your pantry).
Drinking an old Mountain Dew will not harm you health-wise. It just may not be the sweet fizzy drink you could use at that point in time.
What Happens when Mountain Dew Expires?
Expired Mountain Dew will become decarbonated, making the drink flat. In some instances, the drink will also lose its flavor. The taste can become unpleasant, especially if it has been stored somewhere above room temperature.
Why Does Mountain Dew Have an Expiry Date?
So yes, Mountain Dew is still safe to drink after the expiration date. One may wonder what the point is in even having a best before date on the bottom of the can? The date is there to give the consumer an indication of when the best time is to drink the product is.
The ‘best before’ considers aspects such as taste, carbonization (fizziness), and sometimes texture. Like in all industries, soda companies need to create a brand. Part of that brand is an unmistakable taste that makes people love Mountain Dew so much.
The expiration date is there to ensure that consumers drink Mountain Dew at its optimal time. It also helps supermarkets make sure they’re only selling the best of the best to keep customers satisfied and to comply with health regulations.
What You Should Look Out for if you Drink Expired Mountain Dew
Resisting the urge to crack open a Mountain Dew can be near enough impossible. If you are considering slurping back a Mountain Dew that is past its expiry date, there are a couple of things you should look out for before doing so.
Check Where and How the Mountain Dew Vessel Was Kept
You should check if the expired Mountain Dew was stored in a fridge or somewhere warm. If the Mountain Dew was kept in a warm place, it’s likely the flavor would have changed for the worse. It’s more likely to taste better when kept in a refrigerator.
You should also refrain from drinking Mountain Dew if it has been left open. Firstly, it’s highly likely that the drink would have been contaminated with germs from the environment around it. If anything potentially nasty found its way into the drink, it could make you sick.
Secondly, an open Mountain Dew would have lost all of its carbon so it won’t be fizzy.
Squeeze the Mountain Dew Can or Bottle
Squeezing the can or bottle of Mountain Dew will help you determine whether or not the drink is still carbonated. If the container of Mountain Dew is still hard, then it’s probably fine as there is still carbon in the drink.
If you squeeze and the bottle or can and manage to squash it under the pressure of your hand, it is best that you discard the drink.
Although you may not mind a bit of a flat beverage, a flimsy Mountain Dew can or bottle may mean there is damage to the vessel somewhere. An opening means there is more risk that your drink is contaminated. These unknown bacteria may be harmful to your health.
Does the Same Apply to Diet Mountain Dew?
Drinking expired Diet Mountain Dew is far worse an experience than drinking expired standard Mountain Dew. Sweeteners are put into diet Mountain Dew to make it taste sweet, given that it is a sugar-free drink.
The sugar supplements in a diet Mountain Dew degrade naturally over time. They can go off and make the drink taste bad. Experts recommend that diet Mountain Dew should be consumed within 3 after its expiry date to avoid this.
Final Thoughts
It’s safe to say that you could probably get away with drinking a Mountain Dew that has passed its expiration date. It certainly won’t kill you. Just do the checks we’ve mentioned to make sure there aren’t any other nasties lurking in your fizzy beverage.
The sugar and carbon stop anything from going rotten in a Mountain Dew, so the drink itself is, by and large, always a safe option. Remember this is not the same story for the diet version of Mountain Dew! The sweeteners in there will go bad after a certain period of time.
So, the next time you come across a Mountain Dew that’s gone slightly past its best before date, the chances are you’re free to sit back, relax and crack open its sweet fizziness. Mountain Dew can expire, but it takes a while.