Past this date, if it's unopened it's still perfectly good. Opened, peanut butter will slowly develop off-flavors of rancid nuts over the next five or so years before it'll taste so bad not even the most peanut butter-obsessed child will go near it. But it's still very unlikely to make you sick.
Peanut butter can go bad. And when it does, you definitely shouldn't eat it. Eating rancid peanut butter can lead to tummy troubles like cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting. In severe situations, it can also give you Salmonella.
Once opened, it should last five to eight months past the best-by date. If your peanut butter has been in the fridge for a while, it might be time to create an excuse to eat more peanut butter!
You can keep peanut butter in the pantry for six to nine months (unopened) and two to three months (opened).
Low moisture content and high levels of fat give it an extremely long shelf life. But it will eventually go rancid due to its high fat content. Food that has gone rancid likely won't get you sick, but you probably won't want to eat it, as the taste and texture will be very unpleasant.
Past this date, if it's unopened it's still perfectly good. Opened, peanut butter will slowly develop off-flavors of rancid nuts over the next five or so years before it'll taste so bad not even the most peanut butter-obsessed child will go near it. But it's still very unlikely to make you sick.
You'll be able to tell fairly quickly tell if your peanut butter has turned rancid: It will have a metallic, bitter and almost stale smell. It may also be darker and dried out in appearance. If it's natural peanut butter, it may be moldy. Any of these features signal it's time to throw away your jar of peanut butter.
Health-wise, however, rancid peanut butter is not something to really worry about. “It won't hurt you if you eat it — it will just taste bad,” says Maribeth Cousin, a professor of food science at Purdue University in Indiana.
Refrigerated butter should last up to a month past the printed date if it's unopened. If the butter has been opened, it can last up to two weeks past that printed date. If you're storing the butter longer term, unopened butter stored in the freezer can last anywhere from nine months to a year past the date.
If you buy all-natural peanut butter — these are the ones that are unrefined and likely made with just ground peanuts and salt — you'll want to store jars in the fridge after opening, since the oils can go rancid very quickly.
“Technically, peanut butter can be eaten after its expiration date,” says Le. “However, peanut butter will become rancid over time due to exposure to oxygen in the air, which can create bitter, metallic and off-flavors that make eating peanut butter unappetizing.”
If you don't plan on finishing your jar of natural peanut butter within a month or so, or if you live in a hot climate, consider refrigerating it. The oils in the peanuts can go rancid if it's not kept cool.
WHAT ARE THE WHITE SPOTS/COATING ON THE SURFACE OF MY NUT BUTTER? If you find this in our Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter,Chocolate Hazelnut, or Chocolate Almond Butter jars, it is called cocoa bloom. This happens naturally when the cocoa butter separates, solidifies and rises to the surface of the jar.
Small bits of peanut skins attached to the peanut when it is ground can cause these dark spots. The dark spots in our PB Bites look like chocolate chips. They are not peanut skins (which are reddish in color).
Peanut butter also provides many micronutrients and is a good source of vitamin E. Additionally, it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make serotonin and melatonin . Both melatonin and serotonin help regulate the sleep-wake cycle and promote quality sleep .
In fact, "best by," "use by," and "sell by" dates can all indicate the time by which the item might be past its peak freshness, but it doesn't mean that the food has gone bad. Butter is perfectly safe to eat even after the expiration date has passed, so long as it still looks and tastes normal.
The first thing to do is, not panic as old butter cannot kill you or give you food poisoning. The worst that can happen is a stomach ache. Also, rancid butter can lower your vitamin E and vitamin B stores.
Most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely. In fact, canned goods will last for years, as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling). Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, cookies) will be safe past the 'best by' date, although they may eventually become stale or develop an off flavor.
Unopened peanut butter can last for months or even years after the “best by” date, depending on how much preservatives it contains. What is this? Opened peanut butter, if stored in the fridge, can stay fine to use for at least a few months past the date on the package.
A peanut sensitivity is a digestive issue in which your body will produce an inflammatory response to the particular proteins in a peanut which can lead to discomfort, even severe, without the need for immediate medical attention.
Peanut butter does not tend to cause constipation, and the fiber it contains may actually help to relieve it. However, the type of peanut butter and a person's hydration level and general diet are essential to maintain regular bowel movements.
An open jar of peanut butter stays fresh up to three months in the pantry. After that, it's recommended to store the peanut butter in the fridge (where it can maintain its quality for another 3-4 months).
You Can Still Use Watery Peanut Butter
The good news is that you can still use your watery spread as long as it has not expired. If you dislike the watery texture, you can give it a good stir to mix the oil and butter before consuming or cooking with your spread.
Dogs can eat – and many really enjoy – peanut butter. But beware, some peanut butter brands contain an ingredient called xylitol, which is toxic to dogs and even eating small amounts can be fatal. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is often used in foods to keep the product sugar-free.