Safety of old, unopened bottles of ketchup I just found two bottles of unopened ketchup dating back several years. One says "Best used by September 19, 2008," and the other says "Best used by May 10, 2010." I think I should throw them both out, but I wonder if there is any chance they could be used in making a barbecue sauce which calls for boiling the ingredients together for 30 minutes. What about in baked beans or other such recipes which are baked? Would that kill botulism or other dangerous organisms?
Assuming that there are no apparent problems with it (either from storage method or upon opening and inspection), I am one to agree with StillTasty in this case and say that you would not likely encounter any problems making barbecue sauce. They say twelve months, though.

For the sauce though, not only will the long, slow boiling help; but the ketchup is likely chock full of high-fructose corn syrup (which acts as a preservative), and you will be suspending more sugar (again, a preservative) in it.