Frequently Asked Questions

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Check below for answers to many questions about Durkee® products!

You may want to ask your local grocery store manager about the possibility of ordering it for you. If he/she can, it is by far your easiest and most economical option. However, if you are still unable to locate the product, most of our items are available through Pantryful. 

For additional information, Pantryful can be contacted at 1-877-453-1638. Their hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

Most of our items are available through Pantryful. For additional information, Pantryful can be contacted at 1-877-453-1638.

To determine the year and month when a spice was packaged, look for a series of black numbers and letters printed on the bottom or side of the spice container. This is not the UPC code and it is usually printed directly on the container, not the label. On dry packet mixes, the numbers and letters are pressed or indented into the edge of the package. The first number indicates the year of the decade. For example, if the first number is 9, this means the product was packaged in 2009. The second letter refers to the month. “A” stands for January, “B” stands for February, “C” is for March, and so on. So, if an item was packaged in March of 2009, the code would begin with 9C. (Other numbers and letters will follow, but the first two digits indicate when the product was packaged).

While dry spices don’t necessarily spoil, we recommend for OPTIMUM flavor that ground spices be used within 2 years of packaging. Usage after this time frame is safe, but some loss of flavor may be noticeable. We strongly recommend replacement by the Best if Used by Date (available on some products), due to diminished flavor and visual characteristics. 

The recommended shelf lives of some of our other products are as follows: 

 

  • Durkee Pure and Imitation Extracts 3-4 years 
  • Durkee Lemon Pie Filling 18 months 
  • Durkee Coconut 1 year 
  • Durkee Famous Sauce 1 year 
  • Durkee Gravies and Dry mixes 18 months

Proper storage of spices will ensure maximum flavor and color retention. Heat, light and moisture are all enemies of dried spices. Heat causes flavor loss, light will fade the naturally bright colors and moisture can cake ground and powdered spices. Don’t measure or shake spices over open boiling pots. Keep spices in a cool, dry, and dark cupboard away from the range or any source of intense heat. Any of the red spices retain their color and are best protected from insects if stored in the refrigerator or freezer. These include paprika, chili powder and red pepper, among others.

This is a very common problem, due to the nature of these two products. Unfortunately, garlic and onion are very prone to absorbing any moisture. The product is still useable if you can break it up with a knife or re-pulverize in the blender.