It won't have spoiled but it may have lost it's potency. To find out try soaking it in about a tablespoon of hot water. If it still has some ompf that will bring it out. The water should turn yellow and you will smell the saffron. Drop the saffron water and all into your dish. Good luck!

There was a representative on TV from a spice company that said this - to check for freshness just rub your spices in your hand and if they let off a smell then they are fine to use. You cannot always go by the expiration dates on the bottles. Some of these sice companies want you to toss your spices after 6 months so that you will buy more.

do try the soaking and see if it works

There is only one thing I would do and that's try it and see, I like Jfain's suggestion. Actually 2005 was 3 yrs ago and that is a long time, and spices do turn rancid with their volital oils and such, or they may simply loose their quality over time. If it was stored air-tight and kept in a nice cool cabinet you may just get away with it having lost very little quality! I had a jar of poppy seeds that just sat too long in my cabinet unused I smelled them and it was evident they were a goner so I threw them away. Good Luck with your saffron, let us know the outcome!!! INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW;)

BY THE WAY WELCOME TO SPICE PLACE, HOPE YOU'LL LIKE IT HERE AND BECOME A REGULAR IN OUR LITTLE FORUM "COMMUNITY"

Hi and Welcome!! You can tell how fresh any spice is by the way it smells. :eek: If it has lost its smell it's a goner. Hope this helps. Cookie