You can give your cooking, baking, and frying foods an extra nutty flavor with peanut oil.
Do you know what makes it even better?
With phytosterols and unsaturated fats, peanut oil is a healthier alternative to vegetable oil.
Plus, unlike vegetable oil, peanut oil contains no cholesterol or trans fat. Hence, you will have a lesser chance of suffering from heart disease.
So, does peanut oil go bad?
Here’s the short answer: peanut oil can last a long time, as it has a shelf life similar to other oils.
How To Tell If Your Peanut Oil Has Gone Bad
Unlike other food items, peanut oil is not prone to the same level of spoilage. You can check the condition of the oil with the following indicators:
- Unusual Odor: Peanut oil is prone to going rancid, which is when the fats oxidize with the oxygen in the air. You should check the smell to ensure the oil is not rancid. If you sense any unpleasant odor, it’s best to chuck the oil away.
- Discoloration: If you find a slight change in the oil color after use, you can use it. But, if the color goes significantly darker, get rid of your oil.
You should be careful with keeping the oil after use. The more times your peanut oil is used, the more the quality drops.
Word to the wise: you should toss the oil after using for a few times.
How To Store Your Peanut Oil For A Longer Life
So, the big question is: how do you store peanut oil?
Well, you can store peanut oil just like vegetable oil. It would be best to close the oil container tightly and then keep it in the pantry.
It gets better. Store it in the refrigerator, and it’ll stay good to go all year.
Pour used oil into a glass or plastic bottle after it cools down. If you’re going to use it again, then store it in your pantry and use it within a few days.
Otherwise, allow the oil to cool and solidify, then chuck it in the trash.
Whatever you do: don’t pour your peanut oil down the drain. It will cause blockages!
How Long Is Peanut Oil’s Shelf Life?
Here is the deal: If you want to know how long the oil will stay at its top quality, you should follow the use-by or best-by date on the container label. That will probably be about 12 months from the date of purchase.
That said, you can keep your peanut oil good for a few months past the best-by date if you store it properly (in a cool, dry, dark place).
Once your peanut oil is opened, it will only last for about six months. Use your common sense on this one – if you opened your peanut oil on the best-by date, don’t expect it to last for another six months.
You can extend the quality of your peanut oil up to nine months once opened if you store it in the refrigerator.
Key Takeaway
So, what’s the bottom line?
As long as you’ll store the oil decently and don’t open it until you need to use it, you’re likely to use your peanut oil well before the best-by date.
You should use refined oil to enjoy a higher shelf-life. Just remember, if you use the oil a few times, the quality will still diminish over time, whatever type of oil you use.
One last thing: remember to prolong the life of opened peanut oil by storing it in the refrigerator, where it should stay good for up to 9 months!
