“Best by date” true for bay leaves?

Question

Today I bought a 2 oz (56.7 grams) bottle of Bay Leaves. The "best use by" date is 01/2015. I've read that spices and herbs go "off" after a year or so, depending. Can I believe the 2015 date on these bay leaves?

Answer

Bay leaves lose potency if stored at room temperature. They will last much longer if stored in the freezer. This is based on a Cook's Illustrated magazine article. They did a taste test a few years ago, and were amazed at the flavor difference after 6 months (between frozen and non-frozen bay leaves).

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