Depending on the quality of the olives used to produce a bottle of olive oil, the oil itself can last for upto 4 years in your pantry. Apart from the quality of the olives, factors like the production process, and the standard followed by a brand also have an effect on the shelf life of olive oil.
But it isn’t just these factors that influence the shelf life. Your storage prowess pre and post opening the bottle also make a whole lot of difference to the shelf life of the oil.
Thus, a half-open bottle of extra virgin olive oil, stored in the right away, will hold for quite a few months. However, if the storage of the half-open bottle has not been stored properly, then the chances of it going rancid are high.
The Shelf LIfe:
Most of the olive oils in the market come with a 2 to 4 year shelf life. This ofcourse depends on the brand and the production process as well. More often than not, post the said expiry time, olive oil does end to stay fine at least a few extra months too.
Now, let us talk about the shelf life of olive oil when it comes to an open bottle. An open bottle of olive oil will stay okay for at least 6 to 8 months, sometimes even longer. This of course depends on the quality of the oil, the date printed on it, and the way it is stored.
The “Expiration”
We are sure that you would have noticed by now that all the olive oils have what is a “best-by” (or “best before”) date on their labels. This clearly states that, technically, it isn’t an expiration date. Thus the whole expiration theory isn’t applicable here as the “best before” date indicates more towards the quality, rather than the safety.
The bottom line of this is that the brand is essentially telling you that by storing the bottle well the oil will end up retaining its quality and properties till the date mentioned on the label. This date is not about when the product can go bad.
An Opened Bottle
Most of the olive oils available in the market usually retain their quality for a minimum of 6 months sometimes longer.
What you also need to remember is that the longer a bottle has stayed in your pantry, unopened, the shorter its life span will be post opening. A fresh bottle of olive oil will keep for a year or longer., but olive oil that has been living untouched in your pantry only has 3 to 4 months of good quality left in it.
The bottom line of this is that you could easily continue using olive oil till the time you feel its flavour and colour intact. The moment you sense something different, you can rest assured that the oil is going rancid.
The Spoilage
Though olive oil has a decent shelf life and doesn’t go bad quickly, it will not last forever either. Essentially what you get is 2-3 years of a good quality oil. Post this, the flavour of the oil deteriorates gradually eventually going rancid.
The Rancidity
Three things, in particular, contribute to the spoilage of olive oil; air, light, and heat. This is why it is better to store olive oil as far away from all these factors as possible and try limiting its exposure to them. Of course despite this, oxidation of the oil does occur naturally, making the olive oil go rancid eventually.
How to know if your olive oil has gone rancid:
● An off-putting smell that smells like old paint, or other chemicals.
● The taste is bitter instead with little hint of freshness or olives.
This is a slow process and you will only start to notice this when the smell or taste of the olive oil have changed. What starts off as a mild change, will eventually get more and more pronounced over time.
Tips to Store Your Olive Oil:
Knowing how to store your olive oil in the right manner can go a long way in determining its shelf life and its freshness. Here are a few tips that can help you do just that.
● Your olive oil should not be anywhere near any sources of heat. These include the sunlight and even the heat from the stove.
● Stay away from the light. This is why most olive oil companies use dark-tinted bottles for storing their olive oils. That helps limit the exposure of the oil to light itself. This, in turn, helps increase the shelf life of the oil.
● Don’t let it air out. Olive oil has oxidative properties so keeping an opened bottle of olive oil away from air is important. Ensure the bottle is sealed tightly and make sure you close the lid of the oil every time after you have used it.
The Bottom Line:
We hope you have been able to figure out more about the shelf life of olive oil. Remember, apart from the brand and the manufacturing process, the way you store the oil in your pantry, makes a whole lot of difference regarding its shelf life. If stored well, and in the right place, olive oil can last up to quite a few months easily.
