Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Expiration of chelators and BHT?

  • Expiration of chelators and BHT?

    Posted by Margaret on November 25, 2021 at 6:45 pm

    Hello people,

        I am skeptical of BB dates of ingredients, since a seller is motivated to SELL, not to necessarily be truthful, if it means lost sales, SO here are my questions:

      I have some sodium phytate, that according to the original package expired 6 months ago. This item is currently in a dark brown plastic bottle that used to have vitamin D tablets in it (if this needed info.). It was always kept in our coolish basement. SHOULD I DISCARD IT, since it’s supposedly expired?

        Disodium EDTA: does it need to be discarded if it’s old? Again, I sadly do NOT know what its expiration date is/was. This info. is hard to obtain from re-packers of cosmetics ingredients, sadly.

       Tetrasodium EDTA: same question as directly above. 

       I also have some BHT. I never did know its expiration date. It is in a glass jar, in a cardboard box, cool basement. The crystals are YELLOW. They do form clumps, but I just break them up before weighing it out.  I don’t recall if it  was yellow when I got it. SHOULD THIS BE DISCARDED?

       

      Thanks so much for any advice you can provide. 

    chemicalmatt replied 3 weeks ago 6 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Microformulation

    Member
    November 26, 2021 at 5:30 pm

    Yes, best practices will dictate that you destroy “expired” or “outdated” materials. It is that simple.

  • Pharma

    Member
    November 26, 2021 at 7:08 pm
    If it’s for personal use only, then you may use EDTA and phytate longer, considerably longer. However, excess stock you’re not going to use for a while is best kept in the fridge or even freezer.
    BHT is an antioxidant and tends to degrade over time tuning from colourless and transparent to a deep yellow and later orange/red/brown. Best to not use it even if a small percentage of oxidised BHT suffices to turn it visibly yellow.
  • Margaret

    Member
    November 26, 2021 at 9:39 pm

    Thanks for the help people!  I shall sadly have to throw out my stuff…sigh…

  • MRS.Rob

    Member
    April 10, 2024 at 7:08 am

    From one Margaret to another, 💓 many expired products have great other uses! I’ve made some lovely furniture waxes, butters, and many other furniture working mediums. As long as they’re not horribly expired or visually affected. Many oils break down adhesives and are great for other around the house uses. These products I don’t sell, mind you. I just use them in crafting. I had a 16oz bottle of pure hemp oil expire and dixie bell sells their hemp oil for what…? IDK something ridiculous I’m sure. Sad that those companies don’t have the ingredient disclosure standards we do.

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 10, 2024 at 8:22 am

    To your general concern, ask the supplier to share their stability data. To EDTA -an ex date is not very useful. The stuff is pretty damn stable.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    April 10, 2024 at 3:19 pm

    I agree with @PhilGeis here, EDTA is very stable. I’ve used 7 year old material before, no problem. That BHT on the other hand? It was white originally and may form nitrosamines with certain amino-functionals when decomposing like that. Toss it.

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