Refrigerating olive oil is necessary for preserving its taste, color, and nutrients.
Refrigeration helps keep the oil in its freshest state by slowing down the oxidization process that causes rancidity in oil.
But how long does olive oil last in the refrigerator?
Refrigerated olive oil can usually last up to two months after opening. However, there are many variables that contribute to how long it will last.
What Factors affect refrigerated olive oil’s shelf life?
There are many variables that affect how long olive oil will last in the refrigerator.
A few of these variables include the type of oil, bottle size, storage temperature, and how long it remains unopened before being opened for the first time.
When refrigerating olive oil, these factors should be taken into consideration to make sure that the oil remains safe to use for cooking.
What type of olive oil refrigerates best?
The best types of olive oil to refrigerate are extra virgin olive oil and the cold-pressed fruit juice of olives.
They taste best when they are fresh and have a faint fruity flavor.
They are also typically less acidic than other varieties of olive oil.
Refrigerating olive oil preserves the full flavor and nutrients in the oil.
Olive oil typically has a shelf life of two years when stored properly in a cool, dry place away from direct light.
Refrigeration prolongs the shelf life of the oil by slowing down this oxidation process, which can cause olive oil to go bad.
How refrigerating olive oil affects its shelf life?
Refrigeration slows the oxidation process that turns oil rancid.
Olive oil typically has a shelf life of two years when stored properly in a cool, dry place away from direct light.
The dark bottles with high concentrations of extra virgin olive oil can help prevent exposure to light.
Does olive oil last longer in the fridge?
Refrigerating olive oil has been a hot topic of debate for a long time.
Some people swear by storing their extra virgin olive oil in the refrigerator to keep it fresh, while others believe this makes no difference.
Truthfully, the answer is yes and no. Refrigerating your olive oil will make it last longer, but it will also negatively affect the flavor of your cooking oil.
The best way to store your extra virgin olive oil instead is in the pantry, at room temperature, and out of direct sunlight.
By keeping your olive oil at room temperature, you can easily drizzle it onto salads, bread, pasta, and more without any difficulty.
Related Article: Can You Refrigerate Olive Oil?
Should you freeze olive oil?
Freezing olive oil is a common concern that home cooks have.
Personally, I do not recommend freezing olive oil because it could change the flavor and could also potentially decrease the shelf life of the oil.
Although freezing olive oil can help it to be preserved, it detriments the overall quality of the oil.
You can refrigerate olive oil, but you’ll need to let it come back to room temperature before using it for cooking or baking.
How long will olive oil keep once opened?
If you purchase a large container of olive oil, particularly if it is the extra-virgin variety, chances are you will not use it all before it goes bad.
Refrigeration is one answer to this problem, but how long can olive oil be stored in the refrigerator?
An opened olive oil will last for about six months in the refrigerator.
Refrigerating your olive oil will retard the aging process, which helps to preserve its quality.
Refrigerating olive oil will help to maintain its quality if you are not able to use all of the containers before the taste and quality begin to degrade.
It is best to use a small amount of refrigerated olive oil at a time, and keep the rest in an airtight container.
Refrigerating olive oil is a simple way to prolong the time you have before you need to replace it on your pantry shelf or in your refrigerator.
Refrigerating olive oil will also help you avoid the frustration of having to throw away spoiled olive oil.
How can you tell if olive oil has gone bad?
Olive oil that has gone bad can take on a rancid taste.
Here are some practical tips to help you know when your olive oil has gone bad.
1. Smell
Olive oil that has started to go bad will have a much stronger smell than fresh olive oil.
The smell we associate with olive oil is the rich, fruity aroma that comes from the olives.
It is supposed to be fragrant, not rancid. If your olive oil has turned it will smell like strong cheese or butter.
2. Taste
Olive oil that has gone bad will have a rancid taste.
While some people enjoy the taste of olive oil you shouldn’t enjoy the taste of spoiled olive oil.
If you take a sip of your olive oil and it makes your throat burn, or if it is really bitter and unpleasant, then the olive oil has gone bad.
3. Appearance
Olive oil will become cloudy when it is bad.
This is because when oil turns rancid it separates into different components, and the cloudy part in olive oil is usually the second component.
Sometimes this change in appearance is still barely noticeable, so you’ll have to judge by smell and taste if it has turned bad.
4. Shelf life
You can usually tell if olive oil has turned by its printed expiration date.
Olive oil is generally good for at least a year, but after about six months it starts to become stale.
You can check the date by looking for an “enjoy by” or expiration date on the bottle.
If you see some of these signs, then the olive oil will not be safe to use.
Final Thoughts
If you have more olive oil than you can use in your recipe, there is nothing to worry about because you can always place it in the refrigerator.
Olive oil can last in the refrigerator for up to two months as long as you store it correctly.
I hope this post helps you figure out how to store your olive oil in the fridge successfully.
Thank you for reading.
