Creamy, filling, and salty-sweet, peanut butter is a kitchen staple that's perfect for quick snacks and on-the-go sandwiches. But to preserve it for as long as possible, should you refrigerate peanut butter or is the pantry good enough? We consulted food safety experts to find out how to store peanut butter, how long it lasts, and how to know if it's gone bad.
- Jenna Brown is a UK-based food safety expert and environmental health practitioner.
- Ghaida Batarseh Havern is a food safety, maternal, infant, and early childhood health educator at Michigan State University.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/refridgerate-peanut-butter-GettyImages-1094989396-bccb897b471a40518f82349ee7cb67e4.jpg "Do You Need to Refrigerate Peanut Butter? Food Safety Experts Settle the Debate (1)")
Does Peanut Butter Need to Be Refrigerated?
According to food safety experts Jenna Brown and Ghaida Batarseh Havern, commercial peanut butter doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can be stored in the pantry without a problem. However, Brown notes that “refrigerating your peanut butter can help it last longer than three months, although it will be much harder to spread!”
Moral of the story: You can refrigerate commercial peanut butter if you’d like, which will extend its shelf life, but it’s not necessary. As for homemade or natural, preservative-free peanut butter, it may be helpful to refrigerate it so it will stay fresh longer.
Does Peanut Butter Go Bad?
Peanut butter can go bad, but in general, it has a long shelf life. Most store-bought peanut butter contains stabilizers that keep it fresh for longer. Unopened, commercial peanut butter can last up to two years.
Once opened, though, peanut butter lasts about three months. On the other hand, natural, preservative-free peanut butter tends to spoil more quickly, lasting only about one month after opening. This is due to the lack of stabilizers.
As for the jar’s best-by date, Havern explains: “This date is more of a quality date rather than a food safety date. After the best-by date passes, it may still be safe to eat. However, the quality of the product cannot be guaranteed.”
How to Tell if Peanut Butter Has Gone Bad
So, how do you know when it’s time to toss your jar of peanut butter in the trash? The most obvious sign that peanut butter has gone bad is a strong, rancid scent. You want a fresh, nutty aroma, not a bitter or soapy odor.
Other signs of spoiled peanut butter include mold growth and changes in its color or texture. Typically, peanut butter is creamy, but if it's gone bad, you may see a dry consistency. Additionally, a darkening color or sour taste is also a sign your peanut butter is not safe to eat.
Over time, natural peanut butter may show a separation of its oils and solids. This is perfectly normal and caused by the lack of preservatives or stabilizers. Oil separation is not a sign that peanut butter has spoiled.
Best Way to Store Peanut Butter
Storing peanut butter properly can help it last longer. While placing it in the fridge is not a must, it can extend peanut butter's shelf life. The downside is it can be hard to spread peanut butter after refrigeration.
For creamy peanut butter that will still last a while, it's best to store it in a cool spot, like your kitchen pantry. Additionally, keeping the jar's lid tightly closed will minimize its exposure to air and bacteria.
Finally, when making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, don't stick the knife in the peanut butter jar after spreading the jelly. It's best to use clean utensils to avoid cross-contaminating the products, which can make peanut butter go bad sooner.
