Does Lime Juice Go Bad?

Having lime juice in your pantry is a very good idea. A little amount of lime juice can bring a unique freshness to your dishes. Besides using lime juice in the kitchen, it also has many health benefits. It is highly rich in Vitamin C. Some people use it in their daily routine too.

The answer to the question that does lime juice goes bad is, unfortunately, yes. But store-bought lime juice can last way longer than freshly squeezed lime juice. Like most food materials, the shelf life of lime juice also depends on the storing conditions.

How to Store Lime Juice

Storing lemon juice isn’t a tricky thing. There are 2 to 3 ways to store it. But storing lime juice is very important for its shelf life, so we have to be very careful while storing it. You can take apt measures to store lime juice:

In the pantry

An unopened and unused bottle of lime juice can be stored in your pantry. You can store your lime juice at room temperature in a dry place anywhere in your kitchen. The bottle of lime juice will not go bad until its expiry date. The more the place is dry, the better it is for the lime juice.

In the refrigerator

The best place for storing the lime juice is in the refrigerator. Either the bottle is used or unopened; you can store it in the refrigerator. The lime juice lasts longer in the cooler. So store it without any doubt.

Make sure that the bottles of used lime juice are sealed properly and are airtight. Also, there should be no strong-flavored dishes placed near the lime juice. That makes the taste of lime juice gross. You can also store freshly squeezed lime juice in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Away from sunlight

Sunlight makes most of the food materials go bad. The same is the case with lime juice. Due to sunlight, the lime juice turns awful. The taste turns bitter. If the juice is in tin bottles, it may burst. So, it is recommended to store lime juice away from direct sunlight or any heat or light source.

If the bottle is of glass, the sunlight makes the lime juice inside it turns brown. That is not bad for you, but the fresh appearance of the juice disappears. So the darker is the place, the better it is for the juice.

Can you freeze Lime Juice?

If you want to make your lime juice lasts for years, then go for freezing for sure. Freezing the lime juice is the best way to store it. You can use the frozen lime juice for up to a year or even more. The easiest way to store the lime juice inside the freezer is inside ice trays or ice molds.

Put the lime juice, either it is fresh or store-bought, inside the trays. After that, put them in the freezer. The next day take them out, put the cubes of lime juice in any freezer bag or airtight jar, and freeze them again. This is a very convenient way because you can use as much of the amount of lime juice as you want.

How long does Lime Juice last?

The shelf life of an unused, i.e., unopened bottle of lime juice, is quite long. The bottles can remain fresh for a year in your pantry if they don’t meet unfavorable conditions like sunlight. In contrast, opened bottles of lime juice can last for 7 to 8 months inside the refrigerator. All this was about store-bought lime juice.

When it comes to fresh lime juice, it does not last for long. If it is placed at room temperature, it hardly stays good for an hour or two. But if it is stored in a refrigerator, it stays good for 2 to 3 days. Lastly, fresh juice can last for 7 to 8 months if it is frozen.

How to tell if Lime Juice is bad

As we know that lime juice is highly acidic, so it does not get bad quickly until it is freshly squeezed and not stored in the refrigerator. Preserved lime juice can also go bad after its expiry date. Remember that if your juice has turned brown, it does not mean that it has turned bad. Brown lime juice is safe to drink or use.

If you inspect the following symptoms in your lime juice, then it is high time to discard it:

• If the lime juice tastes gross, i.e., sour or other than lime, throw it away.
• Sniff your lime juice and if it smells unusual and gives an off and pungent smell, then waste it right away.
• If the bottle of lime juice is leaking or bulging, then do not use it.
• If there is a sign of mold on the lime juice, toss it out in that case.

Sources

• Can it go bad?
• Does lime juice go bad?
• Go Bad or Not?