When it comes to familiar ingredients that are essential in every family’s kitchen, cooking oil is definitely the first name mentioned. Cooking oil is mainly used in frying, deep-frying, and stir-frying dishes, bringing delicious flavors and certain nutritional value to humans.
Unlike other spices that need to be poured into separate containers for storage, with cooking oil, users just need to open the bottle and use it directly when needed. However, there is a problem that many people are not really aware of, which is related to the shelf life of cooking oil or the question: “How long can cooking oil be used after opening?”.
Cooking oil is a familiar ingredient, present in most households (Illustrative image)
In reality, not many users pay attention to this issue. The common habit is to open and use cooking oil until the bottle is empty, then discard it. However, experts advise that cooking oil also has a specific shelf life, starting from the moment the bottle is opened, and users should pay attention to it.
How long can cooking oil be used after opening?
Answering the question of how long cooking oil can be used after opening, many experts have explained. RL King, a chef and owner of a restaurant in New York, USA, told Insider: “Unopened and properly stored cooking oil in a dry, cool place can have a shelf life of up to 2 years. However, after opening, users should ideally use it within 2-3 months. With high-quality cooking oil and good preservation, ensuring the cap is tightly closed, it can last up to 1 year.”
In addition, experts also state that storing cooking oil in glass or plastic bottles does not change, prolong, or shorten its shelf life. Therefore, the belief that restaurants often store cooking oil in glass or plastic jars will make it last longer is completely wrong.
The shelf life of cooking oil starts from the moment it is opened and exposed to air (Illustrative image)
Using cooking oil based on its shelf life will ensure the quality of the oil and better protect the health of humans. In addition to referring to the advice given by experts as mentioned above, to be sure, when buying cooking oil, users can also refer to the specific information written on the product packaging.
However, in reality, there are still cases where cooking oil becomes rancid before its expiration date. At this point, users should not continue to use it, but instead replace it with fresh cooking oil immediately.
Signs that cooking oil has gone bad
So how can users recognize the signs that cooking oil has gone bad? Laurence Edelman, a chef and owner of the Left Bank restaurant in New York, USA, stated that the easiest signs users can notice are that the oil has an unusual taste, smell, or color.
Firstly, concerning the color. Normally, good quality cooking oil or suitable cooking oil for regular use has a light yellow color. However, if you notice that your cooking oil gradually turns to a darker yellow color, even light brown or black, and is no longer transparent but more cloudy, it means that the quality of the oil is deteriorating. It may even be close to its expiration date.
Cooking oil with abnormal, dark color is likely to be spoiled (Illustrative image)
Next, concerning the smell and taste. Basically, cooking oil should not have a strong smell or taste. Users can notice a different, unusual smell compared to normal cooking oil. Cooking oil that is about to or has gone bad often has a slightly rancid smell, similar to the smell of spoiled food. Experts recommend that even if the cooking oil has not changed color but has a strange smell or taste, it is best for users not to continue using it. The agents that cause the oil to have an odor can be certain bacteria.
“Spoiled food not only loses vitamins but also has the potential to develop into harmful compounds,” emphasized Eric Decker, head of the Food Science Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.
Illustrative image
Most spoiled cooking oils, even before their expiration date, are mostly due to the way they are stored by users. As mentioned above, after use, users should ensure that the lid of their cooking oil bottle is tightly closed and store it in a dry, cool place. Below are some additional notes on the storage and use of cooking oil provided by experts.
– Do not mix new and used cooking oil: When finishing a cooking cycle and there is still a certain amount of cooking oil left, if the cooking oil is still clean enough for reuse, users should pour it into a separate dish, cover it tightly, and store it. Used cooking oil is also recommended to be used only 1-2 more times.
– Refer carefully to the manufacturer’s storage instructions: Currently, there are many types of cooking oils on the market, made from various ingredients. These include animal fat, vegetable oil, soybean oil, olive oil, sesame oil, etc. Depending on these types of cooking oil, there will be different optimal storage methods. Some may even be recommended to be stored in the refrigerator.
According to Trí thức Trẻ
How long can an open bottle of cooking oil be used for? Many people overlook this, resulting in bad-tasting food.
Once the lid of cooking oil is opened, its expiration date is significantly shortened compared to when it is unopened. However, we often overlook this fact.
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