Some coffee pods for coffee machines will conveniently have the expiration date printed on the individual pod. However many brands of coffee pod will print the expiration on the outer container box of pods. (Which often gets thrown away.)
The ‘best before’ date is usually around 1 year from the date it was created. Coffee capsules are hermetically sealed to protect the coffee from light, oxygen and moisture. A coffee pod will remain fine to drink for years after the ‘best before’ date, which is there to indicate a period of optimal freshness.
However, if you have coffee pods where the foil has dipped or collapsed into the capsule, then air may have gotten in and the pod may not be suitable for use.
The other way to test if an expired coffee capsule is suitable for use is to push gently against the silver membrane. If it offers resistance, the capsule can still be used.
Many coffee machine brands, including Nespresso use a ‘best before’ date, as opposed to an expiration date. This means that the coffee pod can be used after the date printed, it just may not be as fresh and provide the perfect cup of coffee. Check out our top picks for the best capsule coffee machine.
If a capsule contains milk, such as for a Tassimo latte, the milk will be UHT (ultra heat treated) so will last a very long time if kept in a sealed container.