Do pickles go bad? Pickles are a perfect combination; from adding them to your cheeseburgers, or cocktails, or enjoying them as a stand-alone snack. Their sour, crunchy, and salty taste makes them the top tier in every kitchen.
Many thanks to pickles for containing a wealth of vitamins that offer numerous health benefits, particularly aiding with digestive problems and contributing to cancer reduction.
When it comes to storing in bulk, you might ask yourself questions like; What if they go bad or how to store them?
Do Pickles Expire?
So, do pickles expire? The typical answer to it would be maybe or eventually but before they go bad, you might have had all of them! In simpler terms, they stay well for a long time regardless of their best-before date.
Pickles are a hard nut to crack! They stay fresh in both refrigerator and pantry for as long as you keep them. You must be wondering how so.
The main reason is the pickling process. This process makes pickles highly acidic and the salty nature makes it impossible for bad bacteria to grow.
The question remains, How does a pickle always stay fresh? If you bought a jar of dill pickles and kept it in your pantry for more than 2 years there is a possibility of low shelf life if you do not reseal properly.
How Long Do Pickles Last?
The shelf life of pickles depends on determiners like the process of making, best-before dates, how they are stored, and whether the can is opened or unopened.
Most pickles you buy from markets have their expiration date mentioned on the jar. This data helps in giving an estimate of best use. However, pickles can last as long as you want if kept in a cold, dark place. Similarly, pasteurized pickles can last for about 3-6 months. Since they have preservatives, extra care needs to be taken once the can is opened.
Pasteurized pickles can last longer if you put the opened can in the refrigerator. Lastly, homemade pickles, usually don't have an expiry date. You can put them either opened or unopened in your pantry for a year or two. However, try utilizing the opened can within three months.
| Types of Pickles | Refrigerator | Pantry |
| Homemade unopened | Up till 2 years | Up to 1 year |
| Homemade opened | Two to three months | Risky (use within best before date) |
| Pasteurized opened | Three months | Risky (use within best before date) |
| Pasteurized unopened | Three months | Three to six months |
| Commercial opened | Three months | Risky (use within best before date) |
| Commercial unopened | Three months | Risky (use within best before date) |
How To Tell If Your Pickles Have Gone Bad?
Here’s how to tell if pickles have gone bad. The signs to look out for to make sure you when they are no longer fit for consumption. If you see any of the following signs, it’s time to get a new jar of pickles.
Smell
If your pickles smell bad, they are fermented. Fermented pickles are not suitable for your health. The bad and rotten smell indicates that there must be bad bacteria present. This bacteria can potentially harm your body. So if your pickles smell off, change them!
Mold
If your pickles are going bad, you’ll notice their texture changing. Either your jar will have black or brown spots indicating fungal infections. If molds are formed at the bottom, they will eventually destroy the whole container. Similarly, if you see your fluid changing into pale yellow, cloudy, and slimy. It means your pickles are going bad.
Protruding lid
Protruding lids mean that there are bubbles in the jar. These bubbles usually come when no one has shaken the jar before opening the lid. The presence of lids indicates either the pickles were stored improperly or the acid present in them created a lot of pressure. This pressure results in a dome-shaped container. Once your jar is dome-shaped, you need to throw it away.
Change in taste
Fresh pickles taste heavenly. So if you ever open the jar and your pickle tastes different, either tasteless or bitter, know that it has gone bad.
Do Pickles Need To Be Refrigerated?
Most pickles do not need to be refrigerated because of their extended shelf life. The main purpose of refrigerating pickles is for preservation.
As pickles have poor acidity, higher temperatures can affect their smell and taste. Often making them withered and soft. However, when you store them in lower temperatures they are likely to stay for longer. So the optimum temperature for refrigerating pickles is 32-34 Fahrenheit, your pickles can last for one to two years in this temperature.
Another factor that determines whether to refrigerate pickles, is the type and method of preservation. For example, if you buy a jar from the store's refrigeration section; you will have to refrigerate it at your home too. However, if you buy it from a regular shelf, it may not need to be refrigerated.
Similarly, fermented pickles have a different story. By freezing these pickles, you are slowing the process of fermentation. It will result in them being brittle and trifling.
Note: Once you defrost pickles, always remember they can only be used as an ingredient in dishes rather than as a snack!
FAQs
Are pickles bad for you?
Pickles have numerous health benefits like helping in preventing cancer-causing agents. However, if you have it every day, it can mess up your digestive system leading to discomfort gas, and nausea.
Why do dill pickles go cloudy?
Dill pickles are usually fermented pickles. The process of fermentation results in the bacteria growing which can cause a pickle to become cloudy. To avoid cloudiness, you can use an adequate amount of salt while preserving pickles.
What happens if you drink pickle juice every day?
Drinking pickle juice is considered an effective therapy for reducing weight. The presence of vinegar results in the burning of extra fat as it is acidic.
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