I haven’t had any water in it for more than two weeks, despite what other people are saying. It is safe to eat as long as it is free of green mold. Otherwise only a really bad smell would be bad. easily kept in a container with a lid for more than 14 days. Actually, I keep my pasta sauce in a container for the same amount of time. People will insist that you throw away delicious food because they are ignorant or lack awareness. Ive save a bunch of money doing it my way. Like meats for over 2 weeks and fruits and vegatables. It’s still safe to eat if it doesn’t smell bad or have any green spots on it.
Risks of eating expired pasta
If dangerous bacteria are growing on it, eating old pasta could make you sick, and the effects might vary from person to person.
Depending on what’s growing on the pasta you ate, you could have mild to severe food poisoning symptoms.
The most frequent symptoms of foodborne illness are gastrointestinal in nature, causing upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting (7).
One of the most common foodborne pathogens that can grow on old pasta is B. cereus, which can cause cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. In severe cases, this bacteria has even been known to cause death (8, 9).
Eating outdated pasta that contains additional ingredients like meat, eggs, or dairy products increases the likelihood that it will come into contact with common pathogens like Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridium, or Listeria (7)
It’s advisable to adhere to the general shelf-life expectations above, inspect your pasta before eating it, and use the right storage techniques to reduce your risk of contracting a foodborne illness from eating leftover pasta.
After cooking pasta, allow any leftovers to cool completely before storing them in the refrigerator within two hours.
Moisture trapped when warm pasta is sealed up and placed in the fridge can create the perfect environment for bacteria or mold to grow (2, 3).
When storing pasta in the refrigerator, use resealable bags or shallow, airtight containers.
To keep the cooked noodles from sticking too much in the refrigerator, it can be useful toss them with a little olive oil.
Lastly, be sure to keep your refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or lower to preserve cold foods (3).
