Do Ramen Noodles Expire?

You’re hungry and crunched for time. Where do you turn? A cup of instant ramen. Loved by college students, office workers, and those looking for an easy meal, ramen is consumed around the world. Plus, you can buy dried ramen noodles in bulk, making them a cheap and versatile ingredient. But having bought a pallet of the stuff, you have to wonder, do ramen noodles expire?

Time to find out.

Table of Contents

• What is the Shelf Life of Ramen Noodles?
  • Dried Instant Noodles
  • Wheat Ramen Noodles
  • Fresh Ramen Noodles
• Why Do Dry Ramen Noodles Last So Long?
• What Makes Ramen Noodles Go Bad?
• How to Tell Ramen Noodles Have Gone Bad?
• ​How to Properly Store Ramen Noodles
• Can You Freeze Ramen Noodles?
• ​Risk of Eating Expired Ramen Noodles
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What is the Shelf Life of Ramen Noodles?

Does ramen expire? If you are looking at the expiry dates printed on the packaging, the answer is yes. Those best by dates are recommendations from the manufacturer. Consuming the product before that time means you will get the best flavor.

Let’s look at some ramen varieties:

Dried Instant Noodles

Think Maruchan packs and Cup of Noodle ramen. Dried instant noodles often contain preservatives that help stabilize the ingredients and give them a long shelf life. Though the “best by” date is usually a year from the time of production, these noodles can last much longer than that.

Wheat Ramen Noodles

This form of noodles is dried out, so the shelf life is long. You will see that the shelf life runs between 12-18 months from the point of production. That said, you can eat dried wheat noodles up to 6 months past the expiration date.

Fresh Ramen Noodles

Picked up a pack of ramen noodles from the refrigerated section? You may notice they have a short shelf life and shouldn’t be placed in the pantry. These noodles keep for about 2-3 weeks in the fridge but will last longer when kept in the freezer.

Check out this nifty table on ramen noodle shelf life:

Noodle Type	Pantry Shelf Life	Fridge	Freezer
Instant/Dry	8 months to 10 years	3 months	Up to one year
Fresh	Best kept refrigerated	2-3 weeks	2-7 months
Cup Noodles	3-6 months	3 months	Not safe
Wheat	12-18 months	3 months	4 months
Cooked	N/A	Up to 7 days	2 months

Now while many instant or cup noodles will have an expiration date of 6 months past the time of production, that doesn’t mean those noodles are inedible. Sell-by dates and expiration dates do not always mean that something has gone off, in this case. Here are some ideas on what to serve with chicken noodle soup.

Around 18 months past the expiration date, instant ramen noodles will taste more like cardboard than anything. Yet, they are still safe to eat.

This isn’t the same for fresh and cooked ramen noodles, which will spoil much faster.

Why Do Dry Ramen Noodles Last So Long?

The World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) states that the dehydration process gives instant noodles their long shelf life. During processing, the noodles, vegetables, meats, and seasoning are dehydrated. Then the ingredients pass through another high-temperature treatment to remove any remaining moisture.

Most ingredients, including the fat in the noodles, are selected for oxidative stability. This prevents the noodles from going rancid and losing nutritional value.

Instant and cup noodle packaging is also designed to limit exposure to factors that would accelerate aging, such as oxygen, humidity, and light.

What Makes Ramen Noodles Go Bad?

There are a few reasons ramen noodles end up spoiled. Although dried and instant noodles can last many years without going bad, these packages often contain the ingredients for sauces or vegetables that have a shorter shelf life than the noodles. Once these ingredients start going bad, the noodles are also affected.

Part of the reason the dehydrated vegetables and spices go bad is because they can absorb moisture.

For fresh ramen that is stored in the refrigerator, the reasons are similar. The moisture in the fridge could cause condensation on the packaging that interacts with the noodles.

Contamination from improper storage, humidity, and pests cause the most damage to ramen noodles. Exposure to sunlight or extreme heat could also damage the packaging and, eventually, lead to expired ramen noodles.

How to Tell Ramen Noodles Have Gone Bad?

There are several signs how to tell if ramen noodles have expired:

• Unpleasant odors coming from the contents or the package
• Strange flavor
• Odd textures
• Mold
• Discoloration
• Tears in the packaging
• Pests or the presence of insects

Fresh noodles have some of the most telling signs of spoilage. You will see mold and also note a stench. Both fresh and dried noodles shouldn’t have a smell.

Obviously, if any of your ramen cups smell or have gone moldy, you should not eat it. Throw it away immediately. The only instance where old ramen noodles are good to eat is when the packaging is intact and the noodles look and smell fine. Dried noodles might crumble when past the expiration date, but they are generally safe to eat (though the texture will be lacking).

​How to Properly Store Ramen Noodles

Prolonging shelf life means devoting some time to proper storage. Dried, instant, and wheat noodles should always be kept somewhere dry, dark, and cool. Your pantry or cupboard shelves are perfect. As long as you avoid exposure to heat or light, your noodles will keep for many years.

If you make a package of ramen but don’t use the entire block, put the remaining portion in an air-tight container or resealable bag. Return it back to the shelf. Since the packaging on dried and instant ramen noodles can be delicate, it’s best to store the noodles in containers to keep pests at bay. Here is how to get pest free home

Fresh noodles, on the other hand, are not as shelf-stable as their dried counterparts. Immediately put fresh noodles in the refrigerator. Between uses, keep the noodles in an air-tight container to keep them fresh.

Can You Freeze Ramen Noodles?

Being that moisture is one of the reasons ramen noodles go bad, you should avoid putting any cup or package of dried or instant noodles in the freezer. Dried foods should never be exposed to moisture.

That said, fresh noodles, which are already damp, can be frozen. Unopened bags of ramen can be placed directly in the freezer. Opened bags should be double-bagged or wrapped in aluminum foil. Once unfrozen the ramen noodles could be a great side dish for orange chicken.

​Risk of Eating Expired Ramen Noodles

Expired ramen noodles are safe to eat in most cases. Few risks are involved with eating ramen noodles that are past the expiration date. In a survival situation, this could be a game changer. What you need to look out for are the signs of ramen noodles gone bad. Since consuming black and green mold can have dangerous effects on your health, steer clear of any ramen that is discolored or moldy.

Since expired ramen is going to taste a little bland, it’s recommended that you mix it in with soups, meats, and other rich flavors.

Conclusion

Do ramen noodles expire? Yes. While ramen noodles don’t last indefinitely, they have a long shelf life of about 2-5 years. Fortunately, dry ramen noodles that are expired can still be eaten, as long as the packages haven’t been damaged. Conversely, fresh or cooked ramen will not stay that good for long and shouldn’t be eaten once it has shown certain signs.

FAQs