Olive oil is good for one year. While some industry experts claim unopened packages of properly stored oil can be good for up to two years after harvesting, we recommend using it within one year for optimal freshness. Even when packaged in our Pantry Pouch, which guards against light, heat, and oxygen, the polyphenols in the oil will naturally begin to degrade approximately six months after harvesting.
Of course, once the oil is opened for use, a new countdown begins. Taking the lid off a bottle of extra virgin olive oil immediately exposes it to light and oxygen, which accelerates the degradation process. With that in mind, most experts recommend using your olive oil within days of opening. Lucky for you, a color inspection, quick sniff, and a simple taste test will let you know.
The freshest olive oil is green. Oil that is degraded by air, heat, and chemicals will lose the green color, often turning yellow and cloudy. Fresh olive oil has a pungent, almost fruity scent. Rancid olive oil tends to smell like wax or putty. Degraded olive oil tastes heavy, musty, and metallic. Fresh extra virgin olive oil should taste lively, slightly bitter, with a hint of grassy flavor and a peppery burn at the back of the throat. This burn, which is similar to the sensation you get from a fresh ginger shot, is primarily due to oleocanthal, a polyphenol that gives EVOO many of its health benefits.
Should you be worried? Not really. That being said, expired extra virgin olive oil does lose all of its nutritional value and health benefits — as well as its delicious flavor. No vitamins. No health benefits. No flavor. Well, you might be surprised. Are you sure you want to remove this item from your Recipe Box? Create a Password Forgot your password? Enter your registered email below! To Save to My Recipe Box. Log In Never created a password?
You are not currently subscribed. It appears your Facebook email address is not subscribed to PureWow. Please indicate how you like to proceed:. I am not currently subscribed to PureWow. I am already subscribed to PureWow. Please log in to your account. Like What You See?
Please accept the terms and privacy statement by checking the box below. Sign up for PureWow Recipes. A valid email address is required. Sign Up. Please enter a valid email address The emails have been sent. Here are some guidelines for the shelf life of different olive oils keep in mind, this is the shelf life for sealed, unopened bottles stored in a cool, dark place —storage conditions are crucial for quality :.
However, olive oil has a much shorter shelf life once the bottle is open. When stored in ideal cool and dark conditions, an open bottle of olive oil should be used within 1 to 3 months , because it begins to oxidize once exposed to air. Keep your olive oil in the pantry or a cool dark cabinet to preserve its quality, and never in a warm place like the counter next to the stove or a window.
Pro tip: Consider marking your bottle of olive oil with the date once you open it to make sure you use it up in time. Can't finish fast enough? Your olive oil consumption clearly needs to go up, but maybe opt for a smaller bottle next time.
But first, you need to know what aromatic and flavor qualities set apart a good olive oil from a rancid olive oil. A fresh, high quality olive oil can range from smooth and buttery to bright and fruity in flavor.
You should also notice a peppery kick or subtle burning sensation in the back of your throat after you swallow the olive oil—it might even make you cough! Bitterness in olive oil is NOT a sign of rancidity, it is an indicator of the presence of polyphenols. So if you taste bitterness in your oil, that is a positive characteristic. It has a thin texture, a pleasant aroma, and a bright freshness. Rancid olive oil, on the other hand, has none of these things. The flavor and scent of oxidization, is quite distinct.
If it smells waxy, like crayons, it's gone. If you're having trouble going by scent alone, swirl a bit in your mouth.
You'll know it's rancid if it's generally unpleasant and overly greasy. There's a difference between rancid olive oil and oil that's past its expiration date.
If it still smells and tastes good, it's fine to use, though it may not be as bright as it was when you opened the bottle. Truly rancid olive oil won't hurt you, but it's not doing much for you either. With its green and often herbaceous flavor profile, it will only add to an existing flavor, whereas old oil can actually mask some flavors and brings no enhancement to food.
The best guide here isn't necessarily the expiration date—which tells you nothing about the age of the oil or when you opened it—but your own nose and taste buds. Many reputable procurers also provide a harvest date on the bottle, which is a much better indicator of an oil's age.
Moon notes olive oil is generally good for 12 to 20 months past its harvest date. Between the two, you should have no problem deciding if an oil has turned.
That's another drawback to old oil. Proper storage is the best way to preserve those health benefits, and that means finding a cool, dark spot. Those pretty bottles may look great on your counter, but it's actually a terrible spot to store olive oil.
If your oil doesn't come in a darkly tinted, opaque bottle—and it should—consider a fusti. These stylish stainless-steel containers are a great way to preserve olive oil, especially if you're buying in bulk.
0コメント