‘Best By’ Date Versus ‘Expiration’ Date
Don’t Toss That Jar (Yet): Nut Butter Shelf Life Explained
You’ve just made an almond butter & jelly sandwich when you notice the ‘Best By’ date was several months ago, and panic sets in. You’ve already taken a bite of the sandwich and it tasted fine, but now you’re wondering if you should just toss it in the trash.
This is a pretty common scenario with food items, especially natural nut butters. Continue reading to learn more about food safety, how to identify spoiled nut butters, and the difference between the ‘Best By’ date and the ‘Expiration’ date.
Knowing this information can help you save money, reduce food waste, and keep your family safe.
‘Best By’ Date
So, what does the ‘Best By’ date mean?
‘Best By’ refers to the peak quality, but not the safety of the food item. Food quality characteristics like taste, texture, and flavor degrade with time for any food item. The ‘Best By’ date is simply a date that is provided by the manufactures to inform consumers that the product may not be at its peak quality anymore. For the best quality nut butter, you’ll want to eat it before this date. East Wind Nut butters can still be safe to eat for weeks, months, or even years after this date as long as it hasn’t been opened, but you’ll want to monitor the aroma, texture, and flavor.
Things to look for:
● Normal smell
● Smooth texture (oil separation is normal)
● No visible mold
Yep, you can continue eating that almond butter & jelly sandwich you just made, provided the almond butter looks, smells, and tastes normal.
Expiration Date
But, what about if it’s past the ‘Expiration Date’?
The simple answer is that the expiration date refers to the safety of the food item. If an item, like milk, is past their expiration date then it becomes more likely to have an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and mold-related toxins, like, aflatoxin. Consuming rancid products can cause effects ranging from mild digestive upset to food poisoning.
You should monitor any and all products with an expiration date for signs of spoilage, especially leading up to and after the expiration date.
Things to look for:
● Sour, bitter, or chemical-like smells
● Oil separation that smells bad
● Visible mold spores and/or color changes
● Texture changes, including clumping.
Best Practices for Nut Butter Storage
Because natural nut butters do not contain chemical stabilizers to increase shelf life, the key to maintaining peak quality and safety of your nut butters is proper storage.
If you haven’t opened your jar of East wind Nut Butter yet, here are three simple tips for proper storage to maintain the quality and safety:
Store in a cool, dark place away from heat and direct sunlight
Refrigeration slows down the spoilage process
Always use clean utensils to avoid contamination
Pro tip: store your jar upside down and flip it every week or so to help minimize separation.
If you have already opened the jar and don’t plan to consume it all within the next month or two we recommend keeping it in the refrigerator.
Thanks for reading! And if you have any questions about our products please feel free to contact us or email us directly at customerservices@eastwindcrafts.com
Sources:
https://www.cozymeal.com/magazine/does-peanut-butter-expire
https://eathealthierfoods.com/expired-food/can-you-eat-expired-nut-butter/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-peanut-butter-go-bad#shelf-life