How to preserve olive oil at home?

Many connoisseurs of healthy nutrition are wondering: how to store olive oil at home? We will tell you how to keep the maximum of useful properties of the product after it is opened.

Basic storage rules

Olive oil is a perishable product. The expiration date indicated by the manufacturer on the label usually refers to a closed product, and should not exceed 2 years. According to experts, the shelf life in a closed bottle is no more than 9 months.

After opening the container, the shelf life is significantly reduced and is only 3-4 weeks. After this time, the oil does not become harmful or dangerous to human health, but loses its benefit. In order for it not to change its taste and properties even earlier, it is important to observe storage conditions.

To maintain maximum vitamins and minerals, you must remember the basic rules.

• The negative effects of the sun and oxygen, which oxidize the product and change its taste.
• It is not recommended to store olive oil in the refrigerator, and in no case should you resort to freezing it.
• Do not buy oil in reserve: it is better to purchase small volumes that you can quickly use.

Olive oil selection

When choosing olive oil, it should be remembered that the higher quality product you get, the more likely it will be really useful and will not change its taste too quickly. Therefore, when choosing, you should pay attention to several points.

• Shelf life. Look for a product that was packaged no earlier than 6 months ago.
• Country of Origin. The leaders among manufacturing countries are Greece, Spain, Italy and Tunisia. Ideally, production and packaging should take place in the same country.
• Class. Extra virgin olive oil is usually labeled “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”. This is unrefined first cold pressed oil in which there is a maximum of nutrients.
• Appearance. The product should be without sediment, turbidity and white flakes, have a light gold or dark green color. Also, the container in which it is sold must be hermetically sealed.

Sometimes on sale you can find a product that is offered to be purchased on tap. It will not necessarily be of poor quality: most often it is oil from large cans. However, purchasing such a product is still not recommended for a simple reason: you do not know how much time has passed since it was opened and in what conditions it was stored. Such an oil could have long lost its beneficial properties, and, accordingly, there is no point in using it.

Container selection

Good oil can be found on sale in two packaging options - glass bottles and cans. If you saw goods in a plastic bottle in the store, it is recommended to refrain from purchasing it. A high-quality product is never bottled in a plastic container: it is either a fake or a mixture of two vegetable oils - olive and sunflower. There can be no talk of any useful properties of such a product.

• Glass bottles

Most often on the shelves we see olive oil in the glass. This is usually an extra-class product - it has high quality and the best taste. The ideal option is dark glass containers with a sealed lid. Such a bottle protects the product from exposure to light and provides the longest shelf life - 1.5–2 years.If you purchased olive oil in a transparent bottle, it is recommended to wrap it in foil or a dark cloth: due to sunlight, the product may become rancid.

It is very important that the lid is tightly closed without passing oxygen. Of course, it is impossible to avoid contact with air when using oil. That is why it is recommended to purchase bottles of small volume, without stocking up for future use.

Tip

If you bought a large volume, it is recommended to transfer the product into smaller containers. In many hardware stores you can find small glass bottles that are great for storing oil. Such containers are usually equipped with a sealed plug, which will definitely not let air in. So the bulk of the product will be in contact with oxygen much less.

• Tin containers

Many manufacturers pour their product into cans. Such oil is usually a class lower than oil in glass, but also of good enough quality. In tin cans, olive oil can also be stored for a long enough time - up to 1 year - provided that the container has not been opened.

Tin cans are well suited for long-term storage of the product, but they are not very convenient for daily use. Most often, after purchase, the oil is poured into a glass container. If you decide to leave olive oil in a can, make sure that after each use the lid is tightly closed.

Temperature mode

We are all used to storing them in the refrigerator to extend the freshness of the food. Many act on the same principle with olive oil - and make a mistake.

Low temperatures lead to the formation of a white precipitate, which will disappear when heated. Also, often the chilled product becomes cloudy, changes its color. Such metamorphoses adversely affect its taste and nutritional value. In this regard, it is not recommended to store it in the refrigerator, and even more so in the freezer.

Important!

The optimum storage temperature is + 14 ° C to + 18 ° C. Do not expose the product to frequent temperature changes, otherwise it will quickly acquire an unpleasant bitterness.

Storage space

How long the oil will remain tasty and aromatic directly depends on the place for its storage. When choosing where to place the bottle, please note that the storage temperature should not exceed + 25 ° C. For the sake of convenience, many people put the product near the stove, which is fundamentally wrong: under the influence of heat it will quickly lose its taste.

Given all the above facts, we can conclude that the place for storing olive oil should be cool and protected from sunlight. A cabinet with opaque doors located away from household appliances is best suited. If you do not neglect these recommendations, the open product can be stored for about a month. Shelf life of olive oil in sealed containers - no more than 2 years.