Orange juice is the liquid extract obtained from the fruits of orange tree and it is made by squeezing the fresh oranges. But, some commercial orange juices are made by drying and rehydrating the juice, as well as by concentrating the juice and adding water to it. You can also prepare fresh orange juice at home and it is certainly the healthiest option.
Orange juice is rich in vitamin C and other nutrients and it has many health benefits. Not only is orange juice healthy, but it is also delicious and it is favorite juice of many people.
If you also have orange juice that has been stored too long and if you are not sure whether this juice is still safe to drink, read on this article. You will find out more about orange juice and its shelf life and we will show you how to store the orange juice properly. Also, we will help you to tell if your orange juice has gone bad or it is still safe to use.
What Is The Shelf Life Of Orange Juice?
The shelf life of orange juice is pretty long if the juice is unopened. If orange juice is opened, it goes bad quickly, even when it is stored properly. But, the shelf life of orange juice depends mostly on the kind of the juice. If it is a freshly squeezed orange juice, it will last for a couple of days, if you store it in the fridge.
But, if you have bought orange juice in a store, in a bottle or in a can, it will last for a year or even a year and a half. Of course, its shelf life will be that long if it is unopened and if you store it properly. These commercially canned or bottled orange juices are normally stored unrefrigerated.
How To Store Orange Juice Properly?
Proper storage of orange juice also depends on whether it is a freshly squeezed juice or it is a commercially bottled orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice should be stored in the fridge, while commercial orange juice can be stored in the pantry, if it is unopened. It is important to store it in a dry and cool area, but it is not necessary to keep it in the fridge. It doesn’t mean that refrigerating is a bad idea. On the contrary, it is recommended to keep orange juice in the fridge, because it can extend its shelf life. Commercially bottled or canned orange juice has a pretty long shelf life because it contains preservatives. But, if you open the bottle of orange juice, then you need to put it in the fridge.
Also, it is important that the bottle of orange juice is tightly closed. This way, opened bottle of orange juice will stay fresh for a couple a days. Aside from orange juice that is sold unrefrigerated in a store, there is also an orange juice that is sold refrigerated. In this case, it is important to store it in the fridge, because this kind of orange juice contains only a small amount of preservatives and it can go bad quickly. It is necessary to store it in the fridge and to drink it within a week.
Also, those juices often have a best by date and they should be consumed until the date on the packaging. Remember that whatever juice you buy, when you open it, it must be stored in the fridge. Otherwise, it will go bad within only several hours.
How to Tell if Orange Juice Has Gone Bad?
It will not be difficult to tell if your orange juice has gone bad. If you have a bottle of orange juice somewhere in the fridge or in the pantry and you are not sure whether this juice is still good, then you should examine the appearance of the juice first. It is best to pour orange juice into a glass and to see if there are any changes in the color of the juice. If it is a little darker than usually, it is okay, but if the color has significantly changed, then your juice is spoiled.
Also, if there are any signs of mold or if it smells bad, it has certainly gone rancid. When you taste orange juice you will be sure if it is spoiled or not. In this case, you should toss the orange juice and buy a new one. Have in mind that the orange juice which is opened and stored a couple of days has probably gone bad and it is better to discard it.
Summary
As you should know by now, orange juice can go bad. If it is opened it goes bad very quickly. But, don’t worry, you will easily notice if your juice is off.
