I always assumed that since its shelf-stable, coconut oil cant go bad. Boy, was I wrong. Coconut oil can spoil, and believe me when I say that youll know when coconut oil has gone rancid. Your once-beautiful, translucent white coconut oil will turn a pale yellow, and itll get all chunky, almost like curdled milk. Rancid coconut oil has a strange smell. Oh, and those green or brown dots on the top of your old coconut oil? Thats probably mold, and if you find it, your entire jar of coconut oil is totally unusable and needs to be tossed, which is a shame because coconut oil can be expensive. So whats the best way to store coconut oil in order to extend its shelf life?
The good news is that coconut oil has a naturally long shelf life: about two years. If you dont remember exactly when you bought that last jar of coconut oil, dont worry. Most jars of coconut oil in the United States come labeled with a “Best By” date, so you know when its time to replace your stash.
The other bit of good news—or bad, depending on how you look at it—is that there really arent any special tricks to storing coconut oil correctly. You just have to keep it a room temperature in a sealed, ideally airtight container. Thats because oxygen will break down coconut oil quicker than even heat will.
But heat isnt necessarily a bad thing for coconut oil storage, and if your coconut oil turns into a liquid, that doesnt mean its gone bad. Coconut oil has a relatively low melting point—about 76°F, according to experts at Nutivia, which manufactures coconut oil—so it will almost definitely turn to liquid on your shelf in the summertime. And though you might be tempted to store your coconut oil in the fridge, that actually makes it harder to use because the coconut oil turns rock hard when refrigerated.
Really though, the best way to keep mold from growing on your coconut oil is to seal it up tightly and use it up quickly. Given that there are so many great ways to use it, that shouldnt be much of a problem. `
You don’t need to store coconut oil in the fridge, even when your jar or tub has been opened. The rule of thumb for all edible oils is to store them in a cool, dark place to keep them fresh and retain any nutritional values.
Really though, the best way to keep mold from growing on your coconut oil is to seal it up tightly and use it up quickly. Given that there are so many great ways to use it, that shouldnt be much of a problem. `
But heat isnt necessarily a bad thing for coconut oil storage, and if your coconut oil turns into a liquid, that doesnt mean its gone bad. Coconut oil has a relatively low melting point—about 76°F, according to experts at Nutivia, which manufactures coconut oil—so it will almost definitely turn to liquid on your shelf in the summertime. And though you might be tempted to store your coconut oil in the fridge, that actually makes it harder to use because the coconut oil turns rock hard when refrigerated.
I always assumed that since its shelf-stable, coconut oil cant go bad. Boy, was I wrong. Coconut oil can spoil, and believe me when I say that youll know when coconut oil has gone rancid. Your once-beautiful, translucent white coconut oil will turn a pale yellow, and itll get all chunky, almost like curdled milk. Rancid coconut oil has a strange smell. Oh, and those green or brown dots on the top of your old coconut oil? Thats probably mold, and if you find it, your entire jar of coconut oil is totally unusable and needs to be tossed, which is a shame because coconut oil can be expensive. So whats the best way to store coconut oil in order to extend its shelf life?
The good news is that coconut oil has a naturally long shelf life: about two years. If you dont remember exactly when you bought that last jar of coconut oil, dont worry. Most jars of coconut oil in the United States come labeled with a “Best By” date, so you know when its time to replace your stash.
The other bit of good news—or bad, depending on how you look at it—is that there really arent any special tricks to storing coconut oil correctly. You just have to keep it a room temperature in a sealed, ideally airtight container. Thats because oxygen will break down coconut oil quicker than even heat will.
The last time my mom visited her native Philippines, she came back with water bottles full of coconut oil.
This is the dried meat of a mature coconut with all the natural oils. You’ll find it flaked or shredded to varying degrees, unsweetened or sweetened.Coconut Flour
There’s debate as to which oil is better and you’d be hard-pressed to tell them apart by taste, but both are generally considered higher quality than refined oil, which is usually extracted with chemicals and high heat.
Depending on how warm it gets where you live, your oil might go from solid to liquid in the jar. That’s normal. No need to do anything about it, says Saulsbury.
This is the potassium-rich liquid in the center of an unripe green coconut. (Saulsbury refers to it as “natural Gatorade.”)
How do you store coconut oil?
FAQ
Does coconut oil go bad if not refrigerated?
How do you know if coconut oil has gone bad?
Does coconut oil stay solid at room temperature?
What can I do with old coconut oil?