Proper storage of nuts is very important so that the ingredients retain not only their taste, appearance and aroma. So how do you store them properly so that they last as long as possible?
How long do nuts stay fresh?
Nuts and dried fruits stay fresh for about 3 to 8 months, depending on the method of storage.
The durability of raw materials is affected by temperature, humidity, sunlight or the quality of the packaging.
It will definitely make a big difference whether you put the ingredients right away without opening the package, or you couldn’t resist having to taste what good you bought. Opened packages usually last a little shorter.
How to recognize rancid nuts?
You don’t have to be a magician to know if your nuts aren’t completely fresh. All you need is two things that everyone has, and that is smell and taste.
Healthy walnut has a beautiful clean natural hazelnut scent, but rancid walnut rather stinks. If you feel something like this, you will definitely not want to eat it.
When you bite into a healthy nut, you will usually feel a slightly sweet taste and a beautiful buttery and crunchy texture. Spoiled walnut tastes bitter.
Are rancid nuts dangerous?
Double bonds in acids can transform in contact with oxygen and subsequently form undesirable substances such as peroxides, aldehydes and ketones.
Rancid nuts can cause a variety of problems such as flatulence, diarrhea or abdominal pain.
In short, it can torment our digestive system, but it happens to us when we eat a lot of nuts. If you only get a few pieces of rancid nuts, nothing will probably happen to you.
How to store nuts and dried fruits?
The basis is to store nuts and dried fruits in a dark and cool place, such as a pantry, at a temperature of 15-25 ° C.
It lasts the longest in airtight containers. If you have made a bigger purchase or you just can’t keep up so fast, you can extend the shelf life of nuts and dried fruit! How to do it?
If you put them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator, they will last you up to 2 months longer.
Still not enough? So put them in the freezer, where they will last up to 1 year.
But be careful when defrosting! Thaw the nuts slowly to maintain their crunchiness, taste and aroma.
The biggest mistakes when buying nuts
The biggest mistake is to buy nuts from large plastic trays, which you will definitely find in almost every supermarket.
The containers, although they have a plastic lid, are constantly exposed to oxygen (air), which impairs their freshness and speeds up the rancidity process.
The best solution is to buy the ones that are in resealable packaging, they will be the most fresh.
Tips and tricks for proper nut storage
- Unsalted nuts last longer than salted ones (they then last a little over half a year).
- Cashews and almonds are the least prone to spoilage.
- Pecans, peanuts and most walnuts are more prone to rancidity.
- Try adding rosemary extract to the nuts, it is said to increase their durability. It contains the substance hexane, which improves the stability of fats and slows down the oxidation process.
- Whole raw nuts stay fresh longer than pieces or flour, because they release oils by chopping and are exposed to a large amount of oxygen, thanks to which they turn rancid and spoil faster.
- To maintain the quality of the nuts, keep them away from onions and other foods with a higher odor. Nuts tend to take on the smell of things around them.
- Keep the nuts in the pantry in an airtight container. Natural nuts will last you up to 2 years after harvest.
So now you know everything about proper nut storage. So hurry to the garden, it’s the time of the Walnuts. And if you don’t have nuts at home, be sure to buy them in the fall. It is a great goodness that will give you a lot of energy in this dry period.
