A Walmart shopper has sparked concern on TikTok after discovering something unusual about a pack of Great Value bagels she purchased. The bagels, which were well past their expiration date, still looked perfectly fine—raising questions about what might be in the food.
TikTok user Kristen (@kanddplus3) shared her surprising find in a video posted on Sept. 14. She explained that she had bought the six-pack of bagels eight weeks ago, which had expired on August 12.
But when she opened the package, she was shocked to see that the bagels showed no signs of mold, even though it had been a month since their “best by” date.
“There should be mold all over these bagels,” Kristen said in the clip, showing viewers the still-fresh-looking bagels. “When should bread get mold? Like, six days, right?”
How Long Should Bagels Really Last?
Typically, freshly baked bagels last about five days before they start to go stale or develop mold. However, pre-packaged bagels often contain preservatives to keep them fresh longer on store shelves.
These preservatives prevent mold from growing before the product is sold, but they’ve also raised concerns among consumers about their potential health impacts.
@kanddplus3 Really though, this isn't normal #mold #usafood #americanfood #youarewhatyoueat #bagels ♬ Spooky, quiet, scary atmosphere piano songs – Skittlegirl Sound
In her TikTok, Kristen suggested that preservatives were the reason her bagels were still looking edible weeks after their expiration date. But for her, this was alarming, leading her to wonder, “WTF are they putting in our food?”
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Concerns Over Preservatives
Kristen isn’t alone in her concerns. Her video, which has been viewed over 59,600 times, sparked a lot of reactions from other users who shared their own experiences with foods lasting much longer than expected.
“I had hot dog buns that weren’t moldy after like two months,” one viewer commented. Another person recalled, “Left a loaf in my camper for 8 months…no mold and looked like I just got them.”
Some viewers, like Kristen, had similar experiences with Great Value bagels. “We had them opened for about three months and never saw the first sign of mold,” one commenter shared.
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Is U.S. Food Different?
One user from Germany also chimed in, expressing surprise at how long certain food products last in the U.S. compared to Europe.
“Most of the food in the US is banned in Europe,” they noted, suggesting that American food may contain ingredients that are prohibited elsewhere.
Another commenter pointed out how much things have changed, writing:
“I remember when bread barely made it seven days before it was covered in mold. Milk even lasts longer now, so they are doing something bad to our foods.”
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A Growing Concern
As more people take notice of how long some pre-packaged foods seem to last, questions about the ingredients and preservatives being used are becoming more common.
While preservatives help keep food from spoiling quickly, many consumers are wondering what the long-term effects on health might be.
Kristen’s video has certainly raised awareness about this issue, leaving many to rethink what’s really in the foods they buy.