{"id":785757,"date":"2026-07-26T16:41:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T16:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/785757\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T16:41:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T16:41:12","slug":"does-peanut-butter-go-bad-heres-how-to-tell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/785757\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Peanut Butter Go Bad? Here\u2019s How To Tell"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is there a better snack than a spoonful of creamy, nutty peanut butter or a more decadent dessert than Peanut Butter Brownies<\/a>? If you\u2019re nodding your head, then you know nothing is worse than pulling out a jar of peanut butter only to be met with an empty container or worse a taste you don\u2019t recognize.<\/p>\n

Does Peanut Butter Go Bad?<\/p>\n

Yes, peanut butter does technically go bad, but the chances of consuming rancid peanut butter is low because it\u2019s a relatively shelf-stable pantry item<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Because peanut butter has a high-fat, low-moisture content, it does not \u201cgo bad\u201d in a traditional sense, notes Jerry Lanuzza, MS Ed., CHE, Associate Professor, College of Food Innovation and Technology, Johnson & Wales University.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fat may become rancid after prolonged storage, which will give off a metallic aroma, an unpleasant taste, and \u2018not usual\u2019 appearance,\u201d Lanuzza explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As far as making you sick, like if you ate spoiled food, Lanuzza says the risk is extremely low.<\/p>\n

\u201cRancid peanut butter generally would not make a person sick if consumed, but the experience would not be enjoyable,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"\"How Long Does Peanut Butter Last After It\u2019s Opened?<\/p>\n

About 3 to 6 months in your cupboard if it is covered tightly, kept away from heat, and away from sunlight, says Lanuzza.<\/p>\n

It will last up to 9 months if stored in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed container.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not store it in the cupboard above your stove and or microwave,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Does Peanut Butter Need To Be Refrigerated?<\/p>\n

Peanut butter doesn\u2019t need to be refrigerated, but it can be. Because peanut butter has a high-fat content and a low-water content, it can be safely stored outside of the fridge.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you do choose to store your peanut butter in the refrigerator, you should know that it will be more difficult to spread onto your bread, crackers, waffles, or whatever you choose to carry your peanut butter,\u201d says Lanuzza.<\/p>\n

What Is The Shelf-Life Of Peanut Butter?<\/p>\n

If you are wondering how long a jar of peanut butter will last, there\u2019s good news: You have time. According to the USDA<\/a>, \u201cYou can keep peanut butter in the pantry for six to nine months (unopened) and two to three months (opened).\u201d<\/p>\n

Where To Store Peanut Butter<\/p>\n

Conventional peanut butter should be stored in a cool, dry, and\u00a0dark place. According to FoodSafety.gov<\/a>\u2019s Food Keeper App, unopened natural peanut butter can last up to a full year in the refrigerator.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read the original article on Southern Living<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Is there a better snack than a spoonful of creamy, nutty peanut butter or a more decadent dessert…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":400672,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269],"class_list":["post-785757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=785757"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785757\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/400672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=785757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=785757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=785757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}