Does Corn Masa Expire?(What you need to know!)

expiration date on corn masa

The expiration date on corn masa can be a little confusing

It’s not the same as the date on the package of corn flour you use to bake cornbread.

One is about freshness and taste,

The other is about safety.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t safely use the masa after the date on the bag.

Let’s learn how to read corn masa expirations so you can avoid food waste and ensure you’re buying the freshest corn masa possible.

So, first let us discuss what is “corn masa”.

Well it is a kind of dough of the maize category and that too comes from the ground corn that is extracted by the process of nixtamalized.

It can be used for the purpose of making tamales,pupusas,corn tortillas and similar American dishes.

Corn tortilla is an amazing dish, it can be made by kneading a dough from this corn masa and then baking it at a suitable temperature. It can be enjoyed with any gravy or can be converted into a frankie.

Corn masa flour is often used to make homemade tortillas and tamales.

This tasty flour was historically made from corn that was harvested fresh, and ground shortly before it was used.

The freshness of the corn and the grinding process meant that the masa was always flavorful and fresh.

Nowadays, corn masa is often made from corn that is grown further away, or even from corn that has been sitting on a shelf for months before being ground.

The result is that masa can often be stale and flavorless, which can ruin the taste of any recipe that uses it.

Another popular dish made from corn masa is the nachos, they are eaten and enjoyed by both younger and elderly people.

Why Corn Masa Expiration is Important?

Have you ever bought masa for tortillas and then forgotten about it for months before realizing it was still in the pantry?

It turns out that masa does expire, and quickly, too.

While corn tortillas may be the most common use for masa, you can also use it to make tamales, which are usually wrapped in a corn husk.

Since the corn husks are permeable, they let the moisture from the masa and the filling in the tamale seep through. If you have some masa on your hands, you may as well use it to make tamales before it expires.

How do you know if the masa in your pantry has gone bad?

Is it OK to use if the expiration date is far in the future? Here’s everything you need to know about how to check if masa has expired,

The procedure is somewhat same to the tortilla, first a dough is kneaded and then it is rolled in a thin circle, now start making triangle-shaped cut in the dough and then prick them with a fork and fry them, enjoy with your favorite sauces.

Frankie, as the name suggests is a sort of dish that can be made and enjoyed for the quick hunger, it is made by topping your tortilla with your favorite veggies and then mixing some sauces, just roll it and overcome your hunger.

 

It can also be dried and stored in a powdered form which is known as masa harina or popularly as Maseca. Like it is done for rest materials by mixing them in water to make a dough, it is also mixed with water to form a dough kind of structure.

Now, the question arises whether this corn masa is suitable for keeping up to several days.

The answer is yes, like many other flours, this can also be kept for several days but everything that has to be used for long needs to be kept under proper care. So what can be required measures for this one.

Think!

Have you got some, no.

Things to keep Masa safe from expiring

No need to worry, let me tell since this flour is made from corn by a special procedure so we also have to follow some measures to keep it securely:

  • The flour should be kept in an air-tight container.
  • Sometimes it happens that the flour may contain worms or similar tiny insects so to prevent them, we can sieve the flour on a weekly basis especially in summers and rainy season.

Apart from this, the flour can be kept in containers and can be used for four to five months.

Now let’s shift to our main issue, what is the expiry date for the flour?

Everything whether it is a food item, medicine or a gadget comes with a date telling either it’s time for use or its warranty.

The term expiration is of great concern as one should not consume an expired food item as it may lead to health issues or more serious problems.

So it is an important term to discuss.

We know that the flour does not expire but it can lose its taste and effectiveness if kept for a long time such as for a year, or beyond six months, that is not preferable so the flour should be bought in a quantity that can be consumed as early as possible.

Let me share an instance of my experience, I bought one kilogram of masa flour and due to some reason it did not come into use so I kept it and six months passed.

One day I thought of making nachos so I took out the flour and started making the nachos.

I prepared the nachos and their dip and I started to eat but to my surprise, I did not feel any taste so I took another one, again the same thing no taste, no flavour nothing.

I was a little disappointed but then I came to know that the flour loses its taste after some time.

Conclusion

Every year, a ton of corn masa (dough) is made in the US, much of it goes into tortillas, but it also finds its way into tamales, tamalitos, pupusas, huaraches, and more.

It seems like masa will keep forever – after all, it’s made from corn and corn doesn’t spoil – but it won’t.

Masa is a perishable food item and it does have an expiration date.

So, finally we can make out that a particular thing should be kept and used within a specified time otherwise it loses its taste and quality.

But it does not mean that the cravings and enjoyment must stop, it should be there along with these measures.