Suitable storage may help the peanut butter shelf life to be increased. By keeping the jar in the fridge, you will surely enhance the flavor.
You may have forgotten about the jar of peanut butter you put in the back of the cabinet for a few months. Then you may have wondered how long peanut butter stays fresh. The following part gives you some information about peanut butter and its shelf life.
Whether you’re creating a midnight snack, preparing a post-workout sandwich, or incorporating it into a variety of various dishes, peanut butter is one of the spreads that will turn out excellent.
If you take your time finishing your jar of peanut butter, you could find yourself wondering how long it stays fresh and whether or not it is safe to consume it after the expiration date has passed.
When stored in the pantry, natural peanut butter has a shelf life of up to one month, while when stored in the refrigerator, it has a shelf life of up to two months.
However, peanut butter that has been commercially produced has a shelf life of three to four months in the pantry and six months in the refrigerator.
As a result of the presence of beneficial fats, in addition to minerals and vitamins, peanut butter is a wonderful source of critical nutrients.
On the other hand, there are variants of peanut butter that are created commercially and have extra preservatives in order to have a longer shelf life. Continue reading to discover more about the shelf life of natural and processed peanut butter, as well as how to determine if it is time to throw out your peanut butter and when it should be thrown away.
Here is what we discovered after conducting research on a variety of websites pertaining to food safety and consulting with nutritionists.
How long does peanut butter stay good after it’s been opened?
Peanut butter, in contrast to many other kinds of spreads, often has a very long shelf life. The primary reason for this is that peanut butter has a high proportion of lipids and a relatively low amount of moisture. These substances assist inhibit the formation of germs, which frequently shortens the product’s shelf life.
The peanut butter’s shelf life is affected by a number of different elements. For instance, industrially produced peanut butter typically contains additional components such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, stabilizers, and sodium benzoate.
While the preservatives are there to lengthen the shelf life of the butter, the stabilizers are there to make the texture better and stop the oil from separating.
When stored unopened in the pantry, natural peanut butter has a shelf life of two to three months; when stored in the refrigerator, it has a shelf life of three to six months. Natural peanut butter, once opened, has a shelf life of up to two months.
Peanut butter that has not been opened can be stored for up to a year in the refrigerator and for up to a year in the pantry. Past the expiration date indicated on the jar, crunchy peanut butter that has been processed will remain edible for an additional year if stored in the refrigerator or pantry.
On the other hand, natural peanut butter that has been opened can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six months. After the expiration date indicated on the jar, peanut butter that is smooth and crunchy and was created commercially can be stored for three to four months at room temperature, and for six to eight months in the refrigerator after it has been opened.
The production of powdered peanut butter, which includes squeezing the majority of the oils from roasted peanuts, is becoming increasingly popular among producers. After some time, the peanuts are crushed into a powder. The shelf life of powdered peanut butter is approximately one year if it has not been opened, and approximately six months if it has been opened.
Is There a Time Limit on the Shelf Life of Peanut Butter?
The expiration date is printed on the majority of jars of peanut butter. This is the date that the producer promises that the product continues to fulfill the criteria that have been established, but this does not guarantee that the product is still safe to ingest beyond that date.
If it has been stored correctly, you should still be able to use the peanut butter even after the sell-by date has passed.
What Signs Should You Look for to Determine That the Peanut Butter Has Gone Rancid?
Peanut butter is very low in moisture, yet it contains a significant amount of both protein and fat. Because of this, it is much more difficult for bacteria and fungus to thrive in the butter.
Even while eating peanut butter beyond its sell-by date probably won’t get you sick, the lipids in it may oxidize and become rancid, giving it a taste that is more unpleasant than it was when it was fresh.
There are additional ways to know if your peanut butter is still safe to consume a number of months beyond the expiration date, in addition to checking the product’s best by date, which is printed on the jar.
Some of the things that you should watch out for include the following:
TEXTURE
The texture of freshly made peanut butter is described as being creamy and supple. On the other hand, peanut butter that has gone bad has a texture that is dry and hard, which makes it difficult to spread on toast. Additionally, its hue may get darker.
SMELL
Peanut butter that has gone rancid or gone bad will have a sour scent and should be thrown away.
TASTE
The peanut butter should be thrown away if it has a flavor that is a little bit sour or bitter since it may have gone rancid. Some jars of butter will have a flavor similar to soap, which is a sign that the butter has gone bad.
Note that because natural homemade peanut butter doesn’t contain any substances that act as a stabilizer, it may have an oil separation. This is perfectly normal. After you have mixed the oil back in, you may proceed with using your peanut butter.
Exists an Appropriate Method for the Storage of Peanut Butter?
If you want to ensure that the peanut butter you buy from the store will have a longer shelf life, there are a few things you can do in addition to purchasing powdered peanut butter. Purchasing powdered peanut butter will give you a shelf life of up to 15 years.
Investigate the Components of the Peanut Butter.
When you are shopping for peanut butter, look for brands that include the full amount of fat, since this makes it more difficult for germs to thrive.
When opposed to smooth peanut butter, chunky or crunch peanut butter has a greater tendency to oxidize slowly and will not rapidly become rancid. Choose peanut butter that is stabilized with hydrogenated oil rather than peanut butter that is stabilized with maize or palm oil.
Place the peanut butter in an area that is cool and dry to store it.
A rancid state might develop in your peanut butter if the temperature is too high. Put your peanut butter away in a cool, dry area and keep it away from any sources of heat.
Additionally, the location needs to be dry so that there is no risk of moisture seeping in and leading to the formation of mold.
Although some people might recommend freezing peanut butter, doing so might cause it to taste rancid and make it smell like the refrigerator.
In addition, be sure that the area in which you intend to store it is dark since exposure to UV radiation accelerates the oxidation process.
Place Your Peanut Butter in Jars Made of Glass.
Glass jars are a superior alternative for storing peanut butter since they don’t let as much oxygen in as plastic containers do. However, plastic containers remain a common choice for storing peanut butter.
Plastic containers include microscopic openings that allow for the passage of air and moisture, which can foster the growth of germs.
Jars made of glass are superior in terms of airtightness, making them an excellent choice for long-term storage.
When spreading the peanut butter, be sure to use utensils that are clean.
When spreading peanut butter, you should always use a knife that has been thoroughly cleaned. Cross-contamination, which might hasten the process of spoiling, will be avoided in this way.
Maintain the inverted position of the peanut butter jar.
When you store peanut butter for an extended period of time, an oil coating may develop on the surface of the peanut butter.
Even while this is typical, reintroducing the oil into the mixture can be rather a messy process. You may lessen the impact of this by storing the jar in an inverted position. This makes sure that the oils are distributed evenly, and it also keeps you from having to deal with the mess.
