A foodbank volunteer did a double take sorting through donations when they found a jar of sauce that went out of date a quarter of a century ago.

Volunteers couldn’t believe the June 1998 best before date on the jar of Uncle Ben’s cheese and onion dauphinoise sauce – meaning it expired almost 26 years ago.

It was among the normal donations that came in to the County Durham and Sunderland Foodbank’s Chester-le-Street warehouse yesterday (January 23) and is the oldest item they’ve ever had.

The Northern Echo: The jar went out of date on June 9, 1998.The jar went out of date on June 9, 1998. (Image: COUNTY DURHAM AND SUNDERLAND FOODBANK)

Warehouse manager Jonathan Conlon said: “From the outside its in good condition – the label is pristine.

“It’s gone from nice creamy yellow colour to a yucky grey so we’re definitely not going to open it.

“I think we’ll keep it somewhere safe for now.

The Northern Echo: Jonathan Conlon with the decades-old jar.Jonathan Conlon with the decades-old jar. (Image: COUNTY DURHAM AND SUNDERLAND FOODBANK)

“Normally when food comes in it’s a case of checking the item isn’t damaged and checking the date. The volunteer did a bit of a double take.

“This takes the biscuit as the oldest item we’ve had. We’ve had unusual items before like pickles octopus and sometimes get items a year or two out of date when people have been clearing out their cupboards.”

The jar is so old Uncle Ben’s, now Ben’s Original, no longer make the sauce.

The Northern Echo: The sauce was a 'new' product when the jar was bought.The sauce was a 'new' product when the jar was bought. (Image: COUNTY DURHAM AND SUNDERLAND FOODBANK)

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The foodbank helps more than 3,000 people a month from its 38 sites across the region, and has reassured the jar’s won’t end up on anyone’s plate.

Jonathan said the foodbank does well for donations, but asked anyone who can donate to consider doing so.

A list of items currently in dwindling supply can be found on the County Durham and Sunderland Foodbank’s websites.