After storing mooncakes for a year, the first step is to check their expiration date. In most cases, the one-year limit has far exceeded the edible time of the mooncakes. Whether in sealed packaging or traditional oil paper wrapping, mooncakes typically have a shelf life of only 1 to 2 months; fresh meat mooncakes have an even shorter preservation period. Consuming expired mooncakes may lead to health issues such as dizziness and nausea.
Therefore, the best practice is to consume them as soon as they are bought, avoiding long-term storage. If mooncakes are forgotten and stored for too long, they should be discarded promptly to avoid adverse effects on health after consumption.
It is worth noting that even with sealed packaging, long-term storage may render the preservatives in mooncakes ineffective, and the packaging itself may become damaged. In high-temperature and humid environments, the fats and sugars in mooncakes may undergo spoilage reactions. Especially for mooncakes wrapped in oil paper, which has poorer sealing properties, they are more susceptible to bacterial invasion, leading to spoilage, characterized by the appearance of white or green mold on the surface and a loss of their original sweet flavor.
