Lime juice usually contains more citric acids, fragrant, and sugar content than lemon juice. But, does lime juice go bad? And how long does lime juice last?
Well, both are popular queries. Today we are going to give answers to all questions about storing process, lime juice shelf life, signs of bad lime juice, effects of drinking expired lime juice.
Does lime juice go bad?
Fresh Lime juice goes bad for sure if you leave it out at room temperature overnight. It can also go bad if you don’t preserve it right ways, place, and time.
The contact of air, light, and temp can spoil your lime juice fast. Normally, being highly acidic, it takes a longer time to go off lime juice at room temperature.
High acid contents deter bacteria from growing fast than any other fruit juice. If you buy a store-bought lime juice bottle and sit it out at room temperature after opening, it could go bad sooner.
Does lime juice go bad if not refrigerated?
Yes, homemade fresh lime juice goes bad if not refrigerated a few hours after the extraction. You need to refrigerate lime juice for preventing it from going off soon.
When you squeeze lime juice and leave it out of the fridge for a few hours or overnight, bacteria grows and spoils the juice fast.
Normally, the temperature of most of the refrigerators on the market is between 35° F -38° F which is ideal for preserving lime juice for short periods.
However, store-bought lime juice needs to be refrigerated after opening. Store-bought lime juice slowly goes bad if you don’t refrigerate after opening once.
Make sure to refrigerate it in an airtight bottle or container and crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
Keep it away from the refrigerator’s door and don’t open the door often.
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Can you freeze lime juice?
You can freeze lime juice to extend juice’s shelf life. Freezing lime juice keeps bacteria deactivated for longer periods and restores all-natural nutrients for more extended periods.
Though the freezing process could degrade the flavor and nutritional value of lime juice a bit, still, you can freeze large batches of it.
But, how to freeze lime juice getting longevity restoring natural color, flavor, and nutrients? Well, follow the steps below carefully.
- Squeeze juice from fresh lime using a lime squeezer.
- Pour every slot of your ice cube tray with lime juice.
- Freeze the ice cube tray until getting solid.
- Once frozen, transfer all lime juice’s ice cubes into a freezer-safe bag, write down the date, and send the bag in the freezer again.
- Use them after thawing at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also use the cubes directly with different dishes or cocktails.
- In the case of store-bought lime juice, preserve the bottle after drinking it every time.
How long does lime juice last?
Freshly squeezed lime juice is in peak quality for up to 6-10 hours in the pantry. After these periods, if you sit it out of the fridge, it gets worse gradually and becomes bitter in taste. But, fresh lime juice lasts in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. You can preserve it in the freezer for up to 2-4 months.
The shelf life of unopened store-bought lime juice is labeled with a best-by date or expiration date.
It means in that period, lime juice will have the best quality. You can still use unopened bottled lime juice a few months after passing the expiration date.
Once you open it to drink, the juice shelf life will degrade. You can keep unopened bottled lime juice at room temperature for up to 12-18 months depending on the best-by date. Once opened, you can refrigerate it for up to 1-2 months and freeze it for up to a year.
How to tell if lime juice is bad?
There are several signs that tell you that your lime juice has already expired. The obvious signs of spoilage of lime juice that tell whether lime juice is gone bad or not are as follow-
- Mold growth on lime juice which is like fungus.
- Smell it if you get an off-smell or sharp pungent and rancid smell, chances that it’s already spoiled.
- Taste it if you get a sharp rancid flavor, it is an indication of expired lime juice. Discard it right away.
- Notice the color if you see it turns into brown or darken color; it could be a sign of bad lime juice. Note that, browning in color is not always a sign of bad lime juice. it’s a natural process.
- If you see your store-bought bottled lime juice is bloating, it could be a sign of expired lime juice.
What happens if you drink bad lime juice?
You can get sick if you drink bad lime juice like any other expired juice.
When your lime juice goes bad, one kind of harmful bacterium called pathogen grows fast which is responsible for many foodborne illnesses.
If you consume bad lime juice, it could cause stomach aches, headache, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. If you feel any illness after drinking expired lime juice, call your doctor immediately and take proper treatment.
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