We’ve all been there at one time or another. You’re cleaning out the pantry or the refrigerator when you stumble upon a can of soda that’s been there for months, or longer. In such cases almost everyone has the exact same reaction "I wonder if I can still drink it". It seems a valid concern since all sodas these days have an expiration date stamped somewhere on the can or bottle. So, if you come across a can of Sparkling CBD Soda in your fridge that’s a month past its expiration date can you drink it? Or more importantly, is it safe to drink it? Read on to find out.
Background
Unbeknownst to most people, expiration dates - or "freshness" dates - are not mandated for sodas by the government. The process of labeling sodas with an expiration date was actually dreamed up by the marketing team at Pepsi in 1994. At that time Pepsi sales were flattening out and executives were desperately searching for an angle they could use to add some buzz to their marketing campaign.
They came up with the idea of adding a "freshness date" to the bottom of each can and then invested heavily in advertisements that claimed that, while the freshness dates proved they cared about consumers, other soft drink makers obviously didn't. Officials at the FDA did a big yawn and shrugged it all off, but the idea took hold amongst the people, and soon all soda makers were adding expiration dates because, well, why not?
Are They Necessary?
Here’s the thing about soda: it doesn’t include anything that is going to kill you if it sits around, even for a few years. What happens with soda - even our Sparkling CBD Soda - is that over time it will eventually lose its fizziness as well as some flavor and become a flat, tasteless version of itself. And who wants to settle for flat and tasteless when you can just crack open a fresh can and have the full flavorful, refreshing experience?
Also, it’s estimated that more than 98% of all soda is consumed before it hits its expiration date. That makes sense because soda has always been an immediate kind of thing. You’re hot and thirsty so you buy a soda and drink it the minute you step outside the store. Even if you buy our CBD beverages in quantity, chances are you, your family members, and friends are going to go through them all well before the freshness date comes to pass.
Does the Government Have Any Opinion on the Issue?
The USDA has weighed in on the topic and stated that there are no health issues related to drinking soda that's past its expiration date, as long as the soda has been kept sealed. The agency has said that drinking regular soda that's up to nine months past its freshness date is not a problem. For diet drinks, they shorten that to three months due to the fact that artificial sweeteners used in most diet sodas tend to lose their sweetness faster than natural sweeteners. But again, it's a taste issue, not a health issue. They're saying that if you drink a soda months past its expiration date it's probably not going to taste very good.
What About Soda That’s Been Opened?
If you open one of our CBD drinks it's best to finish it in a single sitting. Of course, if we're talking about one of those humongous 2-liter tubs you get at the supermarket, you'll need to seal it tight and put it back in the fridge pronto.
But why? Why drink it all in one fell swoop or reseal quickly and get it back in the fridge? Because once a can or bottle of soda has been opened the clock starts ticking on the carbonation. At best you’ll have three or four days from the moment the soda is opened to the time when it will start tasting flat. And that is as true for CBD Sparkling Soda as it is for our rival Coca Cola.
The Bottom Line
You can drink soda past the expiration date, but even our delicious Sparkling CBD beverages will, after several months, start to lose their fizziness and flavor.