Chinese herb folks give shelf life of herbs…?

[SharonStudent]

Wanted to bounce this off you guys since I am in the process of going thru my herbs that I haven’t gotten around to tincturing (either into formulas or as simples) yet.  This info comes from 1stchineseherbs dot com:

What is the shelf life of herbs and spices?

While herbs and spices generally don’t spoil, they will lose their potency over time. How the herbs and spices are stored will play a large role in how long they retain their potency. If stored in airtight containers, such as glass jars, and kept in a cool, dark, dry place, whole herbs and spices can last up to 3-6 years and ground herbs and spices can last 1-4 years. While the FDA final GMP rule for dietary supplements does not require the establishment of product expiration dates, it does stipulate that a company that chooses to display an expiration or best before date, on any product, is required to have scientific, stability testing results that support the published shelf life of that product. Western bulk herbs are in polyfoil, barrier-sealed bags, which protect the contents from exposure to light and moisture, to preserve the freshness, aroma, and potency of our products.

Why are there so many dates given for herb shelf life?  Seems like the Chinese might know what they’re talking about – but then, Doc knows what he’s talking about!  Why such radical differences in the info.  Not meaning to doubt Doc by any means, but I hate like everything to throw out herbs that “according to some” still have quite a bit of time left  but at the same time, I don’t want to make lousy medicine.  I’m confused {head blowing up}.

• This topic was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by Sharon.

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