Expired Gels

bach13

posted: 10/27/2009 at 7:28 PM

I just bought some gels at my local running store and didn't realize that some of them are expired. One expired a couple of months ago so I figure no big deal, but the other expired in December 2007! I am surprised that they would keep them on the shelf for that long. Have any of you consumed expired gels?

2010 Goals: Run 1500 miles Sub 22 minute 5K Sub 37 minute 8K Sub 1:45 HM Complete a marathon

GST

posted: 10/27/2009 at 8:42 PM

Quite possibly, I don't check. It's sugar. I bet the worst that will happen is it tastes stale or the texture might be a tad off. It's like candy.

E_rainrun

posted: 10/27/2009 at 8:48 PM

I have talked to the gu rep, as well as carboom rep. Basically they are required to put an expiration date on the gel, but it is still ok after that date.. The only number they gave me was at least 2 years... I've eaten older...hehehe... It's sugar, so it really wont go bad. Accel gel which has protein in it, that might actually expire.

Soprano

posted: 10/27/2009 at 8:49 PM

Often there is a 1.800 number or website on the gel. If I end up with an expired product I usually call the company and they give me the low down on whether to toss it because it's bad or whether they just don't recommend it because it won't taste as good (has lost effectiveness, etc.).

Many companies will offer to send you coupons to replace an expired product. I don't always go for that one though as I don't want to be on a mailing list!

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 10/27/2009 at 9:17 PM

I've found that some of my old packs of Carb Boom are kinda grainy...but the taste is otherwise fine. I can't imagine that they would make you sick or anything, the texture just might be kinda unpalatable.

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

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PerfesserR

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 10/27/2009 at 9:17 PM

If it's Honey Gel it's OK. Honey doesn't spoil unless exposed to the atmosphere. In fact, honey discovered in tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs was perfectly edible.

OTOH that modern stuff should be thrown out.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

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xor

posted: 10/27/2009 at 9:24 PM

Oh I've eaten old Honey Stingers. I'm sure they weren't spoiled, but they had gone through that crystalization thing that honey can do, and they were pretty funky texture-wise in the middle of a race. Bleh.

LiliGo

posted: 10/27/2009 at 10:01 PM

I've been taking some Power Gel that I found from my last Marathon (2006) that expired in 2007, Didn't notice any difference, OR maybe I've just found the reason for my recent bout of extreme slowness (not that I was fast before).

bach13

posted: 10/28/2009 at 7:57 AM

Quote from PerfesserR on 10/27/2009 at 9:17 PM:

If it's Honey Gel it's OK. Honey doesn't spoil unless exposed to the atmosphere. In fact, honey discovered in tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs was perfectly edible.
OTOH that modern stuff should be thrown out.

Yeah the one I bought I think consists of brown rice syrup (Clif Shots).

2010 Goals: Run 1500 miles Sub 22 minute 5K Sub 37 minute 8K Sub 1:45 HM Complete a marathon

Doug B

posted: 10/28/2009 at 8:51 AM

just lay them on a table at some ultra trail race and walk away. those people will gnaw bark off a tree when hungry so they'll eat anything.

^{In an infinite universe, the one thing sentient life cannot afford to have is a sense of proportion}

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bach13

posted: 10/28/2009 at 9:35 AM

Quote from Doug B on 10/28/2009 at 8:51 AM:

just lay them on a table at some ultra trail race and walk away. those people will gnaw bark off a tree when hungry so they'll eat anything.

Hahaha yeah I am reading Born to Run right now so I am learning a lot about the types of people who do ultras!

2010 Goals: Run 1500 miles Sub 22 minute 5K Sub 37 minute 8K Sub 1:45 HM Complete a marathon

Aimster

Mitch & Pete's Mom

posted: 10/28/2009 at 11:22 AM

I had one a couple of weeks ago. I squeezed a plain GU into my mouth and thought, huh, that taste a little funky, even for a plain GU. Sure enough, the expiration date was 7/09. I didn't have any tummy trouble.

Although last week I tried a red vine because I was out of everything else, even honey. I got sick as dog and lost 6 lbs.

Carlsbad 1/2 marathon 1/26.

peterb

posted: 10/29/2009 at 11:28 AM

I had some expired powergels a while back...they were lumpy and the gel came out in chunks. Makes me gag just thinking about it.

Holly S.

Marathon Maniac #957

posted: 10/29/2009 at 2:55 PM

Quote from Aimster on 10/28/2009 at 11:22 AM:

Although last week I tried a red vine because I was out of everything else, even honey. I got sick as dog and lost 6 lbs.

Can you send me some of those?

Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

Aimster

Mitch & Pete's Mom

posted: 10/29/2009 at 3:15 PM

Quote from Holly S. on 10/29/2009 at 2:55 PM:

Can you send me some of those?

Because you like red vines or for their apparent weight control features (at least for me)? I wouldn't reccomend them for weight control, I had horrible cramps in the last mile of my run.

Can't wait to steal the kid's halloween mini-twizzlers.

Carlsbad 1/2 marathon 1/26.

Expired Gels (Read 2754 times)

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