Expiry date of (Wilton) Royal Icing Mix? Plus, how do I make my own without (dried) egg whites/meringue powder?
Hi! I have a box of the Wilton Royal Icing Mix that I've never had a reason to use... until now. The thing is, I have no idea whether I bought it 1 year ago, or two. I stored it in a dry place and it is completely sealed. It's almost all sugar but I'm worried about the dried egg whites in there.
Would you still use it? How do I find out if it's still good, the only thing on the box is the serial number (13064).
I don't live in the U.S. so I can't just call, it's Easter anyway.
The other question is, how could I make my own icing that is similar in its properties (smooth, forgiving) but does not include egg whites? Where I live, there are no pasteurized egg whites, no meringue powder and no egg white powder. The only option I'd have are raw egg whites and I don't want to give people stuff with raw egg whites.
Any ideas?
The U.S. does not have a uniform system of coding expiration dates on food products as of 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The federal government only requires expiration dates on baby foods and infant formula. Other dating on food products is voluntary. Open dating uses calendar dates and closed, or coded, dating is a process used by manufacturers to help with managing inventory. Closed coding is used on products with longer shelf lives, such as canned and boxed foods. The USDA notes that while closed codes could refer to manufacturing date, the codes are not intended for consumer use and no single translation source exists.