What does an expiration date mean for fermented food products (Kimchi, Kombucha, Natto, etc.)?

Question

It doesn’t really spoil, does it? What’s the purpose of the expiration date?

In: 7

Answer 1

Fermented foods can still spoil.

Fermenting is kinda a “controlled spoiling” where you let the food get infected with a germ that you know is safe. This will keep other germs out for a while, but after long storage your original germ can die and be replaced by something else that is less benevolent.

How long that takes is hard to predict and depends on how you store it. So the expiration date is kinda a “at least lasts this long” estimate.