Does Cinnamon Go Bad?

When it comes to cooking, good spices can help you get a great flavor in your food, and in the case of cinnamon, this applies to many options, not only to desserts, you can add it to some drinks like tea or even to some meats.

Although cinnamon is a great condiment, you may not use it as often and have it stored for a long time, months perhaps, and you may be concerned about its integrity and wonder if you are keeping it well, calm down. It is almost impossible to damage it. Stay with us to learn more about it.

How to store Cinnamon

Regarding how to keep cinnamon stored, you must remember that it is like the other ground spices. The methods are practically the same; these allow them to remain stored for as long as required without any complications.

The basic rules to follow on how to store spices like cinnamon are almost universal, so you should avoid deviating from the path when following them, that is, if your goal is to last as long as possible. Otherwise, you will pay the price with the gradual loss of flavor of cinnamon, so you must comply well with the following:

Keep it in a cool place.

It is a golden rule to keep almost everything that has to do with food in a dark place, and that can keep everything stored there dry. Those two characteristics allow everything to be fine.

Keep it sealed

Usually, everything you buy will come in its packaging, and this should be enough to keep its contents safe. In case it is not good packaging or has been broken, you can always have an airtight container for this task.

Keep it away from heat sources.

When you allow the temperature of a food to alter, or in this case, spice such as cinnamon, you also allow it to degrade faster. You need to be able to keep fresh at all times what you intend to consume.

When you understand that these simple rules can make a difference to keep the characteristics of foods or spices like cinnamon in the best conditions and prevent them from spoiling and consuming things in bad condition, you will never stop doing them.

Can You Freeze Cinnamon?

Usually, freezing things can significantly increase the amount of time they can be kept. It is not the case for some spices. Cinnamon needs to be kept in a dry environment to be kept in good condition. Otherwise, there is a risk that it will degrade and be spoiled.

Moisture is the number one enemy of ground condiments like cinnamon, you may think that you are doing your best to keep it in good condition by storing it, but in reality, you do the opposite. The environment of refrigerators and freezers allows moisture to reach everything that is stored in them.

How Long Does Cinnamon Last

Cinnamon shares almost all the characteristics of ground spices, and one of the most prominent is that it is almost impossible for them to go bad on their own. That is why they can last for years in storage and be perfectly capable of being consumed without fear of getting sick.

The date indicated on the packaging in which the cinnamon comes does not indicate that it is the deadline to consume it. Instead, it refers to the fact that it is ensured that it will maintain all its potency until that period, but in reality, you can preserve it by some time after that date has passed.

One issue with cinnamon is that it can be ground or stick, which alters its optimal quality period. In general, cinnamon sticks last three to four years, much longer than ground cinnamon, which can last only a year. Do not forget that these dates are only reached if they are stored properly.

How to Tell If Cinnamon Is Bad

Another characteristic of cinnamon is that even though it is not damaged if it tends to lose the power of its flavor and color as time goes by. That is why you may need to use a greater amount of cinnamon than indicated in a recipe to obtain the result you are looking for.

If you want to determine what state the cinnamon is in, you should check its smell and color. To do this, smell it a little; if you manage to get a good aroma, it means that it still retains its touch. If you look at it and retain its natural color without appearing to have lost its tones, then that is still fine.

Despite this, it does not mean that cinnamon is invulnerable to moisture. If you see that it has lumps or something of an unnatural color in cinnamon powder, it is a sign that it is contaminated, and you should not use it. If you see that the cinnamon stick shows signs of mold somewhere or feels soft and wet, it is best to discard it.

Sources:

Does it go bad

Eat by date

Mrs. fields