How Long Does Cranberry Juice Last? Does it Go Bad?

Cranberry juice is used in various households because it is healthy.

People buy them in large quantities as they are included in their daily diets.

However, there is a significant problem faced by people, and that is the storage period.

They do not know how long one can store these bottles or do cranberry go bad.

This juice has high acid content, which increases its shelf life and makes it last longer as compared to other juices.

But just like all other juices, cranberry juice also goes bad after a certain period of time.

Thus one should finish the juice before that goes bad, as drinking sour cranberry juice can lead to stomach issues.

What is Cranberry Juice?

This is a juice extracted by pressing or crushing cranberries that is sweet and sour in taste.

The juice is also used as salad dressings and added to many recipes.

The beverage is bright red and contains a pigment called anthocyanin.

This pigment is tart, including acidity, and has less amount of sugar.

The health benefits included in the juice make it more appealing to people.

These can reduce the number of free radicals which cause oxidative damage to the body.

This helps people fight any age-related problem as it prevents aging.

Besides this, it is effective in dealing with the diseases like cancer, diabetes, and digestive issues.

One can also improve heart health because they are high in chemicals such as polyphenols.

Thus it is rich in antioxidants which deal with low-density lipoprotein that is bad cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart diseases.

How Long Does Cranberry Juice Last? Does Cranberry Juice Go Bad?

When buying or storing cranberry juice, you should know about its actual shelf life so that you can finish the juice when its quality is superior.

When you have an unopened bottle of cranberry juice, then be sure not to store it at room temperature because its quality and flavor will decrease over time.

Therefore one must keep their juice bottle in the fridge as they can preserve it for a couple of weeks after the best-by date.

One can increase their life if they desire by putting their cranberry juice in the freezer, which will keep this safe for more than 8 to 12 months.

No matter what type of cranberry juice you have, it preserves its quality till this time.

Suppose you are someone who is not planning to use the juice within some time of opening and keeping its lid closed.

That is because once the lid of the juice is opened, then it’s hard to save it from contamination.

An opened pack of cranberry juice can serve you for 2 to 3 weeks if you refrigerate it.

If the juice is unrefrigerated, you should preserve it at room temperature or freezer.

By storing it in the pantry, you can keep it for 6 to 9 months and in the freezer for up to 1 year.

How to Tell if Cranberry Juice Have Gone Bad?

• Puffy or Bulgy Bottles

When you are buying to find an old stored bottle of cranberry juice, then you should have it immediately as it can make you sick.

Therefore you should look for bad signs to find bad cranberry juice.

For that, one can examine the bottle because when it gets in excess heat or moisture, it gets puffy.

This means that it is infested with bacteria, and the juice has gone bad.

• Formation of Air Bubbles

Another change that is easy to notice is the formation of air bubbles.

One just needs to take out some juice in a clear glass.

Be sure to notice that there is any formation of bubbles when you are pouring the juice into the glass.

If bubbles are forming, then you should avoid having the juice.

This signifies that the juice has been fermented and may contain toxins and harmful bacteria.

• Sour or Off Smell

If the bottle is fine and there is no formation bubble, then you can do a sniff test.

Here you just need to sniff the juice and see if it still has the aroma like the fresh one or not.

Moreover, as you store the juice, it will begin to lose its scent and absorb the odor of surrounding items; thus, if the juice gives you a smell, discard it immediately.

How to Store Cranberry Juice?

• Do Not Sip Directly From the Bottle

When you plan to store the juice for an extended period, then be sure to use it correctly.

One must avoid sipping the juice directly from the bottle as it can transfer bacteria and contaminate the juice.

Thus be sure to use a glass for drinking juice.

• Keep Away From Sunlight

As mentioned earlier, sunlight is your biggest enemy, as it can make the bottle of juice bloated if it is stored in direct sunlight for an extended period.

Besides this, because of the high temperature, the juice will oxidize faster than before.

So always find a cool and dark place to store cranberry juice.

• Use Sealed Container

There are times when you do not transfer the juice to a different jar, and the original bottle has openings.

Because of this, the juice gets bad in no time as air and moisture have continuous exposure to it.

One needs to use a tight seal container to avoid any contact with outer elements that can make juice bad.

Conclusion

When you know the juice is contaminated but has not developed the above-provided bad signs, you store it in the fridge.

Storage at room temperature makes this process quicker.

If you know that the juice is even slightly bad, avoid its consumption, as it can lead to several stomach issues, illnesses, and sometimes even food poisoning.