Danger in Expired Cake Mixes- Who Knew?

I always thought that “old” mixes that were past their expiration date would just not rise/bake correctly.  This is scary!  Note that it’s confirmed on Snopes.

Somebody wrote:

Before my surgery I bought quite a few Duncan Hines cakes mixes that were on sale.   A couple of months ago I decide to use one, I checked the expiration date and found it past, all the boxes were passed the expiration date.  I phoned Duncan Hines to ask if the one that was only two months passed if it was OK.  She told me in no uncertain words to throw them all out, she even said to open the boxes and throw the mix in the garbage, just in case someone picked it up and used it.

According to Snopes:

This is confirmed on Snopes http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp
A student at HBHS (high school) had pancakes this week and it almost became fatal. His Mom (registered nurse) made him pancakes, dropped him off at school and headed to play tennis. She never takes her cell phone on the court but did this time and her son called to say he was having trouble breathing. She told him to go to the nurse immediately and proceeded to call school and alert the nurse. The nurse called the paramedics and they were there in 3 minutes and worked on the boy all the way to the hospital. He came so close to dying. Evidently this is more common then I ever knew. Check the expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time develop spores. Apparently, the mold that forms in old mixes can be toxic! Throw away ALL OUTDATED pancake mix, brownie mixes, Bisquick, cake & cookie mixes, etc., you have in your home.

Tell this to your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and anyone else who keeps these types of mixes in the cupboard.