Margarine is a buttery spread that has less fat than butter, which makes it a great option to use on breads or vegetables. Margarine is actually made from water and vegetable oil. Many of us may have huge tubes of margarine in refrigerators, but there is a question if margarine can go bad. Is it a good idea to keep large amounts of margarine in refrigerator?
Unfortunately, we have bad news for you. It is not good to keep huge tubes of margarine in your refrigerator, because margarine can spoil quickly after opening. If you see that your margarine has change in color or it has a foul smell, it means that it has gone bad. It is recommendable to buy only the amount of margarine that you need.
The shelf life of margarine depends on many factors, such as the method of its production, its sell by date and the way it is stored. But, there are some simple things that can help you to increase the shelf life of margarine.
How To Increase the Shelf Life of Margarine?
The simple way to increase margarine’s shelf life is to buy margarine in tubby containers and to avoid buying margarine quarters. When you use a margarine quarter from paper or aluminium wrapping and when you stick it back in the refrigerator it will probably change in color, flavor and texture, because it’s not properly sealed up.
If you use margarine from a stick form, then you should store it in an airtight container. It is known that unopened stick of margarine can stay fresh only about a week. Because of that, it is best to buy margarine in tubby containers which can seal up tightly and stay fresh for up to a month. But, if the tubby of margarine is not opened, it will be fresh for up to 5 months, if you keep it in the refrigerator. Proper refrigeration at 40ͦ F is the most important. It is also recommendable to store margarine on the interior shelf, not in the door of the refrigerator.
Can We Eat the Margarine After the Expiration Date?
It is best to use margarine before the expiration date. But, if your margarine hasn’t change in texture or color, it should be okay to use it even after the expiration date. It is okay to use margarine after the expiration date, if it has been stored in a freezer, because the freezing process can keep it fresh much longer.
But, if it’s been a few weeks or a few months since the expiry date, then it is best to purchase new fresh margarine.
Conclusion
As you have seen, it is best to use margarine fresh within the few weeks of buying it, while margarine has the best creamy butter flavor and texture.
If margarine is spoiled, you should change it with new margarine. If you buy the amount of margarine that you need, you will not have to worry if it is good or not.