How Long Do Pineapples Last? Can They Go Bad?

Pineapples are not very long-lasting. If you buy pineapples, you should know how to store them so that the beautiful fruits don’t end up in the garbage bin.

How long do pineapples last? Whole pineapples will last only a day or two at room temperature. The fridge, however, will make them last for up to 5 days. Refrigerated slices or chunks of pineapples have a shelf life of 3 to 4 days. If you want pineapples to last longer, you should buy them canned. Dried and frozen pineapples last quite long too.

Continue reading for detailed information on how to store pineapples and how to tell if they have already gone bad.

Does Pineapple Go Bad?

 

 

If you have found pineapples at a good price, don’t rush to buy a few if you don’t know how you will be storing them.

Fresh pineapples have a very limited shelf life. If you buy too many pineapples, you may not manage to eat them even if you make fruit salad every day. For this reason, you should know how long pineapples last if you store them properly, and if there are any methods of making them last longer.

Fresh pineapples are the most perishable. To make them go bad as late as possible you should start by picking good pineapples.

When buying pineapples, make sure to check the firmness of the fruit. Soft spots, dents, and bruising are not good signs. Green leaves are another indicator of a good pineapple. If the leaves are brown and dried out, it means that the pineapple is not fresh and may have been picked many days ago.

Picking the freshest pineapples will allow you to keep these fruits for much longer when you bring them home.

How to Store Pineapples?

 

 

Pineapples come in many forms. You can buy them fresh or pre-cut, canned and dehydrated. It is all a matter of preference.

The storage conditions for pineapples differ depending on which kind you are going for.

Whole Pineapple

Pineapples are not typically refrigerated when you buy them from the supermarket. Thus, you may think that this is the best way to store pineapples when you bring them home too.

But you shouldn’t keep whole pineapples at room temperature unless you are going to eat them within a day or two. Whole pineapples look spectacular on the kitchen counter along with other tropical fruits. But this makes the pineapples go bad faster.

The fridge is the best place to store whole pineapples. Put the fruit in a plastic bag making sure you leave the top loosely open. Alternatively, you can make some holes in the bag. This is important as you need to let the fruit breathe.

Pineapples also don’t handle ‘weight’ well. Don’t put any other fruit or vegetable on them to avoid bruising and soft spots.

Cut Pineapple

 

 

You should store cut pineapples in the fridge too. Whether you buy sliced pineapples or cut them yourself, you should always keep pineapple chunks or slices in airtight containers and plastic bags.

While the shelf life of cut pineapples is slightly shorter, many people prefer having them in the fridge instead of whole pineapples. Having pineapple chunks in the fridge all cut and ready is a great way to save time and snack on this delicious and nutritious fruit at any time of the day.

If sugar intake is not a problem for you, you can keep pineapple slices in simple syrup. As you may know, sugar is a natural preservative and will help to maintain the flavor and texture of cut pineapple for a few more days.

Canned Pineapple

Canned pineapples are the easiest option if you don’t want to hustle with providing proper storage conditions for your fruit.

Like all other canned foods, canned pineapples should also be stored in the cool and dark area. The pantry or a kitchen cabinet will work so long as you keep the cans of pineapples away from heat sources and sunlight.

You should discard canned pineapples if the packaging is leaking.

Dried Pineapple 

Keep dried pineapples in an airtight container or plastic bag. You can store dried pineapples at room temperature. However, if it is hot or humid where you live, it is best to store dried pineapples in the fridge.

You can also keep dried pineapples in the freezer if you know you won’t be eating them within the following few months.

Can You Freeze Pineapple?

If you have bought too many pineapples and don’t know what to do with them, freeze them. Freezing pineapples doesn’t require any special skills but it does extend the shelf life of pineapples significantly.

Freeze pineapples after peeling them and cutting into chunks. Put the pineapple chunks into airtight plastic containers or bags and store them in the freezer. When using a bag make sure to squeeze out the excess air.

Keep in mind that the chunks may stick to each other after freezing. To prevent this from happening, freeze the pineapple chunks on a baking tray first and only then divide them into portions and freeze in bags or containers.

To defrost frozen pineapple chunks, simply transfer them from the freezer into the fridge. If you are in a hurry, you can let the pineapple thaw at room temperature.

How Long Do Pineapples Last?

 

 

Whole pineapples stored in the pantry will keep well for only 2 days. If you want them to last longer, refrigerate the pineapples. Whole pineapples stored in the fridge stay fresh for around 5 days.

Cut or sliced pineapples, refrigerated in an airtight container or bag, should be consumed within 3 to 4 days.

The shelf life of canned pineapples, on the other hand, is way longer. They will remain safe for consumption for around 6 months past the printed date.

Dried pineapples have a quite long shelf life too. Stored at room temperature or in the fridge, dehydrated pineapples will keep well for 6 to 12 months. Freezing extends the shelf life of dried pineapples to up to 18 months. They will most likely be safe for consumption for much longer. However, the longer dried pineapple slices sit in the freezer the more they will lose their flavor and texture qualities.

Frozen pineapples can be stored in the freezer for around 1 year. Pineapples will remain safe for consumption after that. However, if you want the best texture and flavor, eat the pineapples within the first few months of freezing them.

Signs That Pineapple Has Gone Bad

Before pineapples go bad, they give you signs that it is high time you ate them. When the leaves start going brown or soft spots start to appear on the sides of the fruit, you should know that very little time is left until the fruit goes fully bad. In such cases, remove the soft parts, peel, and cut the fruit into your desired pieces.

Bad pineapple can be detected by the mushy bottom part. If you see any liquid leaking from the bottom of the pineapples, it should also be a sign for you to discard the fruit.

It goes without saying that if you see mold or any other growth on the pineapple you should immediately toss it out.

In most cases, if things have not gone out of control, you can remove the bad parts and eat the rest. But don’t do this if the bad parts are too big and cover most of the fruit. The chances that the overall taste of the fruit won’t be good are quite high.

If you are not sure whether the fruit is good just by looking at it, cut it through and smell it. If the pineapple looks and smells good, and there are no black spots or bruising on the flesh, you can go ahead and try it.

So long as there are no signs of spoilage, the fruit tastes good, and you haven’t had it for longer than it is recommended, it is safe to eat the pineapple.