How Long Does Grape Seed Oil Last? Can It Go Bad?
Grapeseed oil is known for its miraculous work to health and beauty. It is known for its healthful and nutritional benefits because it contains vitamin E, and it has high amounts of polyunsaturated fat – the good kind of fat.
Grapeseed oil is extracted or pressed from the seeds of the grape fruit left after making wine. Because of the nature of its process, this mild and nutty grapeseed oil is recognized as an eco-friendly food product. In making the oil, the process involves the use of different chemicals.
But did you know that grapeseed oil can also do wonders in your kitchen? For most, this oil is best used for salad dressings. But with its moderate to high smoke point, you can use grapeseed oil for dishes that need to be stir-fried, sauteed, seared, roasted, or grilled.
Some people often mistook or misheard grapeseed oil for rapeseed oil. It is a little funny because they almost sound and spell nearly the same. Forget the letter “G,” and that becomes rapeseed oil. However, both oils are entirely different from each other. Grapeseed oil is produced from grapes used in winemaking, while rapeseed oil is made from the rape plant’s grains used to make animal feeds and vegetable oil.
Here’s an example of a cooking situation. You just saw and remembered you already opened a bottle of grapeseed oil some time ago, and it has been sitting there in your storage for a while. You just happened to forget about it since you were switching with different cooking oils from time to time. You want to use the grapeseed oil this time, but you have read on the label that it has already passed the date.
If you wonder how long grapeseed oil can last, or ask yourself how to know if it has gone bad, and what you should do to retain its quality for a more extended period, this post will give you the answers. Just read on!
How to store grapeseed oil?
Grapeseed oil must be kept in an airtight container or in a dark-colored or opaque bottle and stored in a cool dark place. Your food pantry or kitchen cabinet would be the best place to store your grapeseed oil.
Notably, it is best to keep grapeseed oil at temperatures not beyond 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm storage temperatures will only spoil your grapeseed oil sooner.
Dark-colored or opaque bottles are the best containers to store your grapeseed oil. Why should the bottle be colored, though? That is to help protect your oil from getting spoiled due to direct light exposure.
However, you can also find grapeseed oil that is already in a container like this. But, if ever you only bought the ones that come in a plastic bottle or clear glass container, there’s nothing serious to worry about too. Just make sure you keep it away from any source of light.
To extend your grapeseed oil’s shelf life for a longer time, store it in the refrigerator. An environment that is cool and always dark is the best storage condition for your grapeseed oil. If you don’t use it so often, place it at the farthest part of the refrigerator to minimize its exposure to temperature changes. Why? The fridge’s temperature frequently fluctuates every time you open the door. If your grapeseed oil is somewhere near the door, you’re just increasing its chance to oxidize.
Can I freeze grapeseed oil?
Unfortunately, it is not advisable to freeze grapeseed oil. Freezing it will only make it unstable once you put it out at room temperature. If you didn’t know this beforehand and already had your grapeseed oil frozen, thaw it at room temperature and consume the oil within a week. Never put it back in the freezer.
Does it go bad?
Like any cooking oils, grapeseed oil can actually go bad. The rancidity of oil is caused by oxidation. Grapeseed oils are unsaturated fats that have double carbon bonds. Light, air, or oxygen exposure can oxidize the double bonds making it spoils or rancid. If that happens, this rancid oil will lose most of its healthful benefits. Instead, it will only create a negative impact on your health if you persist in consuming it over an extended period.
Keeping grapeseed oil at the best storage condition will help prevent it from oxidizing and extending shelf life.
How long does it last?
The “best by” date or expiration date will tell you how long you can retain its freshness. Manufacturers set an expiration date on their oil products to inform the consumers that they get to enjoy their peak quality within that time frame. Typically, any product that has passed its expiry is expected that its flavor and texture will not be at its best quality anymore. So, what are you waiting for? You have to use the product before it expires. It would be such a waste of money if you just let it be.
An unopened bottle of grapeseed oil can last up to three months past its expiry when properly stored. If you have it refrigerated, the shelf life can be extended to up to six months in the refrigerator.
Once you open the bottle of grapeseed oil, it will be subjected to air, light, or heat exposure, and its shelf life will be reduced. If you store it at room temperature, it will stay up to three months only. If refrigerated, it will reach up to six months.
Remember these three things: light, oxygen, and heat, accelerates its chances of oxidation. Before giving your dish a splash of grapeseed oil, always check them for signs of spoilage before cooking.
How to tell if it has gone bad?
Here are signs that you should check if your grapeseed has already gone bad. Just to the following:
Smell. Smelling the oil is the best and quickest way to test if it has already gone bad. Just pour out a small amount of rapeseed oil in a small dish and smell it. If it smells unpleasant, then you should not use it anymore.
Taste. Measure a teaspoon of grapeseed oil and taste it without swallowing it. If you sense something unpleasant, or a slightly sour taste, then it’s rancid.
Oils do not usually mold or rot like many perishable foods. If you have noticed that your grapeseed oil becomes cloudy or chunky after storing it in the fridge for a long time, that does not indicate that it is already spoiled.
That is just the grapeseed oil’s natural reaction to cold storage conditions. Just thaw it at room temperature, and your grapeseed oil will return to its normal consistency.
To retain the quality of your grapeseed oil, see to it that it is kept in the best storage conditions.