Does Soda Go Bad
Soda can go bad because of its lower-quality flavor and texture. Canned soda lasts for a year after its production date. However, loss of carbonation doesn’t always mean the soda has gone bad, but it’s better to get rid of it if it happens.
If you are wondering whether or not your favorite soft drink, whether or not it is Mountain Dew, Mirinda, Dr Pepper, or whatever else is truly your drink of choice, could get worse, the answer is that, absolutely, it could. Just because your favorite sparkling beverage is past its best-by date does not mean that soda has gone bad, especially if it is not opened. Soda can be kept long after the sold-by date, but although it may be safe to drink, the quality of it will degrade as long as the beverage is past the recommended best-by date.
By the way, if you’re interested in Can Jam Go Bad, check out my article on that.
Instead, it comes with a Best By Date, meaning even after the date listed on the package, the drink is still probably fine. Soda is quite a durable beverage, and as long as it is kept unopened and in proper conditions, it will likely remain good well after its expiration date. Even if you do end up with expired soda, there is still a good chance that it will still be good to drink as long as it is in an undamaged bottle and stored correctly. There may be cases where you are drinking expired soda that does not taste good, so the shelf life depends on the particular situation.
| Storage | Shelf life |
| Canned soda | For a year |
| Unsealed can or bottles | 9 months |
Of course, refrigerating is always going to be your best method of keeping the taste of the soda good and enjoyable long after its expiration date. Carbonation and flavors eventually diminish, and throwing out an unsold soda past its expiration date is likely to be your best option.
If you have unsold soda and see it is past the expiration date, you may want to hold onto it a couple of months longer. This means unsealed cans or bottles will keep your soda drinks drinkable up to nine months, whether or not you refrigerate, while drinks from open cans and opened bottles will remain drinkable for different amounts of time. As long as a can or bottle is unsealed, the inside soda is protected, and it may keep longer.
Typically, a opened can lasts for twelve to twenty-four hours, refrigerated or not, while the beverage in an opened bottle will last for two to five days, refrigerated, and for one to three days, unrefrigerated. Once you have opened the aluminum can of your soda, move it into a sealed bottle to store in your fridge. If you have leftover soda from the can, the best choice is to transfer it into a bottle with a tightly-sealed cap, then store in the fridge. If you are a heavy drinker, and you end up with an open, two-liter bottle of soda, you can preserve your drinks freshness by pouring them into smaller bottles, replacing the lid, and storing them refrigerated.
To learn about Can Hummus Go Bad, check out my article where I cover everything you need to know.
When you are planning on serving or drinking your soda at a later date, do not hesitate to chill the soda in a refrigerator if you would rather it stay cold. Once you have opened a bottle or can of soda, the leftover contents are best kept refrigerated, but you should aim to consume within 4 days before the beverage starts losing its distinctive taste. To keep the soda from losing carbonation and becoming flat, it is best to consume the contents of a can or bottle either during one sitting or as soon as you are able after opening.
Opened soda, on the other hand, will last about 4 days in the refrigerator before losing all of its carbonation and becoming flat. You just have to keep in mind that, even though soda will lose fizz, it is still drinkable, but at the expense of losing all flavor. Diet soda is going to get worse and worse the further away it is from the expiration date, and also after being exposed to the open air for some time.
Since the expiration date is wiped out once the soda is opened, you only have a relatively short period to consume the soda before it goes flat and tastes worse. A half-finished, but re-sealed, bottle of soda will only be good at room temperature for just over 24 hours before you notice the flavor and carbonation degrade. The shelf life of bottled soda is shorter, typically having a best-by date of 3 months, as carbonation is lost rapidly through the plastic seal.
The carbonation levels in the soda in plastic bottles drop more rapidly than in soft drinks that are packaged in cans. By decreasing the amount of room in an open soda bottle, the rate of carbon dioxide escaping the bottle is reduced. In other words, a lower volume means that there is more gas that can get trapped inside the opened soda bottle, helping it to maintain its fizz for a longer period after the bottle is opened. When you keep your soda cans around room temperature, this allows for a few tiny amounts of gas to move around in the can.
You will want to keep your temperature as stable as possible, as fluctuating it too much will impact your sodas carbonation. Be warned, large temperature fluctuations, like if your bottle or can of soda is melting, can drastically alter the flavor and fizziness of your beverage.
It is to your advantage to store sodas in the refrigerator, which certainly extends its shelf life as temperatures will not fluctuate. Also, even if you forgot to remove your soda, and the can has not burst, always place it in the refrigerator a couple hours before opening it so that it can thaw.
Sometimes, you may open a can of soda that is been expired for more than a year, but it may still be fine. You may come across a can of soda two months after the expiration date, and it is lost all the fuzz.
Unopened cans and bottles of soda hold up better because they are protected from air and other factors that may speed up the degradation process. Soda rarely gets so bad it will spoil, and even when soda does, it cannot cause food poisoning in anyone brave enough to drink it. Soda mostly just does not taste like what it used to, but you are not in danger of getting a stomach ache or anything.
How to know if soda is still good?
The easiest way to test an old baking soda is to take a Spoon of it into a bowl. Add a few drops of an acidic liquid, such as lemon juice or vinegar. The solution will start to fizz immediately and vigorously. It means that the baking soda will still work well for baking recipes.
How do you know if soda is bad?
Throw the beverage away if the bottle is broken or leaky. The liquid inside the can or bottle should be alright if everything about it appears to be in order. Once the beverage has been opened after the labeled expiration date, check for usual spoiling indicators such as an odd scent or changed color.
Is it OK to drink a dented soda can?
Food should be okay to consume if it is in a can with a slight dent but is otherwise in good condition. Cans with significant denting should be discarded. You can stick your finger into a dent that is deep. Sharp tips are typical of deep dents.