Is it safe to store dried spices in old plastic containers indefinitely?

What's actually in it

Dried spices (paprika, cumin, cinnamon, coriander) contain their own aromatic essential oils. Those oils are the reason spices have flavor. They're also efficient solvents for plasticizers. Storing spices in plastic jars, especially in warm cabinets near the stove, slowly moves phthalates out of the plastic and onto the spice surface.

A brand-new plastic jar with a two-week-old spice is not the main problem. A decade-old plastic container that's been repurposed for spices, cycled through dishwasher heat, and kept near heat is worse.

What the research says

A 2026 study in J Hazard Mater ran non-target screening and in silico toxicity prediction of substances migrating from plastic and paper food contact materials. The migration varied with container age, temperature, and the oil or fat content of the stored food. Oily dried goods (spices, tea, coffee) were flagged for higher migration than neutral dry goods (flour, sugar).

A glass spice jar (Ball jelly jars, screw-top apothecary jars) costs pennies each and lasts indefinitely. A metal tin works too for larger bulk quantities. Store spices in a cool, dark cabinet away from the stove, not above it. For tea and coffee, glass or ceramic canisters are better than plastic. Transfer bulk spices out of plastic bags into glass within a day or two of purchase.