Does soda go bad if unopened?

[Kelemvor]

I have some soda in my fridge that has expired according to the date on the bottom of the can. However when I open it it still tastes that asme as it should. Does soda actually go bad if it's in an unopened can?

 

[stonecold3169]

if it's been in the fridge it will last long past the expiration date.

The main reason that cans will go bad is that if left out specifically at room temperature, the can will allow some small degree of gas tranfer through the can, allowing oxygen into the can, and c02 out. In a fridge, this doesn't happen as fast, however, you may still notice a taste difference from the can itself.

 

[JonnyStarks]

Remeber back when Episode 1 first came out and Pepsi had those cans with the characters faces on them?
Well, I figured just like action figures the cans would be worth more if I left the pepsi in them.
Well, apparently there is somethin goin on in there over time, because at night I could hear a faint hissing sound, and freaked myself out that it was some sort of gas leak until I realize it was in fact one of the cans leaking out of the bottom through a tiny pinhole.
There was a terrible puddle of sticky Pepsi all over my desk so I immediately emptied out all of the other cans, when I found that there was a whole lot more pressure in them than if they were new.

So something definately does happen to them, likely something along the lines a what stonecold said. It is a little disconcerting to think that the Pepsi possibly ate though the can though.

 

[thatsright]

Well if you leave a glass in the fridge of Pepsi, it's not going to taste the same after a week. Pretty flat I'd say. I talked to a CSR rep at Pepsi, and they said the only things that kill the taste of Pepsi/ cause it to 'go flat' is prolonged heat exposure, and exposure to light.

Just my $0.02

 

[Lars]

Originally posted by: JonnyStarks
Remeber back when Episode 1 first came out and Pepsi had those cans with the characters faces on them?
Well, I figured just like action figures the cans would be worth more if I left the pepsi in them.
Well, apparently there is somethin goin on in there over time, because at night I could hear a faint hissing sound, and freaked myself out that it was some sort of gas leak until I realize it was in fact one of the cans leaking out of the bottom through a tiny pinhole.
There was a terrible puddle of sticky Pepsi all over my desk so I immediately emptied out all of the other cans, when I found that there was a whole lot more pressure in them than if they were new.

So something definately does happen to them, likely something along the lines a what stonecold said. It is a little disconcerting to think that the Pepsi possibly ate though the can though.

I used to collect Coca Cola cans from all over the world with most of them still being full. It really got messy after a few years when they started to leak out.

 

[AndrewR]

If it's diet soda, you don't want to drink it. The artificial sweeteners do go bad after the expiration date (sometimes before), and they taste ABSOLUTELY NASTY. We have constant problems over here because they ship from the States all the soda they sell on base so the diet stuff tends to be very close to the expiration dates.

 

[nageov3t]

it will last a long time past the expiration date, but even in the fridge, it will go bad after a few years.

I drank a Diet Pepsi 2 years after its expiration date (didn't check the date before drinking; it was in my parents' fridge and looked new). it was absolutely wretched.

 

[0roo0roo]

no, it doesn't go bad. from what i've read, the exp date is just a reminder to drink before it becomes stale. the taste can probably go stale.

 

[Pandamonium]

In your case, you're likely fine.

Expiration dates and best when used by dates are now used interchangeably. AFAIK, there's nothing in soda that will rot. If the CO2 dissolved in the soda leaves, you'll be left with flat soda. There are too many chemicals in the soda to promote bacterial growth.

As for the sodas eating through the cans, that's pretty freaky. Didn't one urban legend claim that coke or pepsi coated its cans to prevent corrosion?

 

[Rapidskies]

Up to 6 months past the expiration date it should be "ok" but any longer than that and I wouldn't drink it as it can taste nasty. My mother in law tries to push off her year expired pop on us and I once drank it and it tastes like acidic carbonated water. I now check the cans expiration date everytime I'm offered a pop at her house so I'm now qualified as an expert.

 

[Amused]

I had some unopened soda cans around too long. After a while they started to hang out with the wrong crowd, steal things, and raid my liquor cabinet. They corrupted my orange juice and milk, too.

So yeah, they go bad. It seems you have to open them to let the evil out.

 

[Dufman]

I sure wouldnt drink my can of Crystal Pepsi

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Dufman
I sure wouldnt drink my can of Crystal Pepsi

not many people drank crystal pepsi when it was fresh!

 

[XZeroII]

Diet Pepsi definately goes bad. My grandma bought a whole bunch when it was on sale years back. Many years later, she was still handing it out to us when we came over. It was soooooo nasty. So much in fact that everyone stopped drinking soda when they went to her place because it was all so old that it tasted bad.

I kept some LiveWire from last summer and drank it at the beginning of this summer. It was still great

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Dufman
I sure wouldnt drink my can of Crystal Pepsi

not many people drank crystal pepsi when it was fresh!

It wasnt that bad... In fact I rather liked it.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: XZeroII
Diet Pepsi definately goes bad. My grandma bought a whole bunch when it was on sale years back. Many years later, she was still handing it out to us when we came over. It was soooooo nasty. So much in fact that everyone stopped drinking soda when they went to her place because it was all so old that it tasted bad.

I kept some LiveWire from last summer and drank it at the beginning of this summer. It was still great

yea live wire is pretty sweet
did you know they came in cans ?
I never knew I always bought the 2 liter and the 24oz bottles.

 

[Nebor]

I have a can of Pepsi from 1980 that has slowly emptied to about 1/3 full....