Thanks to their sweet-tart flavor and satisfying texture, jams and jellies are staples in the kitchen. It also doesn't hurt that they pair well with a wide range of foods, from plain toast to vanilla ice cream. But like many essential ingredients and condiments, these fruity spreads aren't something you finish right away—which means you need how to store them correctly to ensure they stay fresh in between uses. Here, food scientists explain whether or not you need to refrigerate jams and jellies—and share how long you can expect them to last before and after you've opened them.
Your Section-by-Section Guide to Storing Foods in the Fridge, From the Upper Shelves to the Crisper Drawers
To protect the shelf-life and quality of your jams and jellies, it's best to store them in the refrigerator. The cold temperature will significantly slow down the growth of microorganisms, according to Alvin Lee, Ph.D., associate professor of food and nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology.
Storing Jams and Jellies at Room Temperature
You can technically store opened jams and jellies at room temperature—but only in a cool, dark place and for about a week after opening, says Lee. Here's why: Jams and jellies have high sugar and acid levels, which protect against spoilage. But there are still certain microorganisms, called osmophiles, that are resistant to these conditions and can cause spoilage over time, he explains. So, jam and jelly will deteriorate quicker when stored outside the fridge. This is especially true if the ambient (air) temperature is high, which can cause rancidity or separation of ingredients.
It's worth noting that different products will degrade at different rates at room temperature. Those with more sugar (which, again, acts as a preservative) will deteriorate slower than low-sugar versions, says Lee. Jams or jellies made with high-acid fruits (think lemon or lime) will also last longer than low-acid iterations, as the acidity provides another barrier to stop microorganisms from growing.
According to the USDA, an unopened jar of jam or jelly can be stored in the pantry for up to 12 months. This long shelf-life is due to the sugar content in the product, which acts like a preservative, says Lee. Essentially, bacteria need water to grow—but during the manufacturing process, sugar binds with most (if not all) of the water, making it unavailable to the bacteria. Plus, the production of jams and jellies usually involves heat, which also kills some microorganisms, says Lee.
After about 12 months in the pantry, the quality of unopened jams and jellies will likely degrade, says Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D., a food consultant and the author of 150 Food Science Questions Answered. That's because the sugar-resistant yeasts and bacteria will start fermenting the sugars into alcohol and other flavors, he explains. However, the jar of jam or jelly will still be safe to eat, so long as it wasn't opened.
Homemade Jams and Jellies
The exception is homemade jams, which can vary greatly in terms of preparation and ingredients. A product that was correctly canned can last for about 12 months, but if another method was used, it will have a shorter shelf-life.
How Long Jams and Jellies Last After You Open Them
An opened jar of jam or jelly will last for about six months in the refrigerator, per the USDA. But it's still a good idea to eat it as soon as possible, says Lee. "Once opened, jams and jellies will be exposed to air, which contain mold and bacterial spores. These will grow over the six-month time period in the jam [or] jelly," says Le. And while most of these microorganisms are harmless and only degrade the quality of the product, some can cause illness or produce toxic compounds, he says. What's more, potentially harmful microorganisms can enter the jam or jelly from non-sterile utensils.
Signs Jams and Jellies Have Gone Bad
Regardless of the type of jam or jelly you have on hand, it's important to know the signs of spoilage. According to Lee, this may include yeasty off-odors, fermented alcohol-like flavors, and mold growth, which may appear as white fuzzy patches inside the jar or on the product itself. Another tell-tale sign is the separation of ingredients, which means the sugar and water in the product have broken apart, says Lee. If you notice any of these signs, toss the spread to be safe.
Sealed jars of homemade preserves can also be stored at room temperature. Once the jam or jelly is opened, however, it is best to refrigerate them. Richard explains that this prevents mold and yeast from growing. If not refrigerated, opened jams and jellies are likely to spoil quicker.
We recommend refrigerating our fruit spreads, jams, jellies and preserves after opening, per the instructions on the back label of our products. Do I have to refrigerate Smucker's peanut butter? The food items we produce are classified as non-perishable.
Do cookies with jam need to be refrigerated? Yes, it is helpful to refrigerate cookies made with jam prior to baking. The extra water content and sugar in the jam causes the cookies to spread more than typical and refrigerating the cookies helps them to keep their shape when baking.
If it's too loose, you can always cook it more or simply refrigerate it, which will firm it too. If it's too firm-set, you can loosen it with a spoonful of hot water until it's the consistency you like.
Nicole Richard from the University of Rhode Island's Food Safety Outreach and Research Program told Martha Stewart the risk of leaving a jam or jelly unrefrigerated after opening is the potential for mold or yeast growth. Translation, jams and jellies can go bad.
Foodsafety.gov agrees that most commercial peanut butters that contain stabilizers will last two to three months at room temperature after opening (for natural peanut butters, they recommend refrigerating to preserve the quality).
To ensure that your peanut butter lasts longer, it's important to store it properly. Although it doesn't need to be refrigerated, cold temperatures ensure it lasts longer. If you prefer not to refrigerate your peanut butter, aim to keep it in a cool, dark place, such as the pantry.
Shelf-stable condiments, like stone ground mustard, red wine vinegar, strawberry preserves, and wing sauce, don't need to be as cold as other perishable foods like milk, eggs, and meat, so they can hang out on your refrigerator door.
For best product experience, we do not recommend refrigerating Uncrustables as it may dry out the bread. If you choose to refrigerate the sandwiches, they should be eaten within 1 day or 24 hours for best taste. Uncrustables crustless sandwiches should be eaten within 8 to 10 hours of thawing.
Information. Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.
Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.
Cookies with high moisture content, such as soft and chewy varieties, are more susceptible to spoilage when left out overnight. On the other hand, drier cookies, like biscotti or shortbread, can typically withstand longer periods at room temperature without significant quality deterioration.
Sealed jars of homemade preserves can also be stored at room temperature. Once the jam or jelly is opened, however, it is best to refrigerate them. Richard explains that this prevents mold and yeast from growing. If not refrigerated, opened jams and jellies are likely to spoil quicker.
Your jelly should set in the fridge in around 4 hours. Note: you can add fruit or juice, but avoid fresh pineapple, kiwi or papaya as these fruits will stop your jelly from setting.
sometimes if it doesn't set within 12–24 hours but has at least a partial set, if you give it a week or two, it will firm up some. if it is syrupy but not solidifying at all after a few days, it is probably not going to set. then you have two options, either use as a syrup or you can reprocess it.
Nowadays, sugar substitute and jelly are used before your condiment will set. So, refrigeration is advised but check content for preservatives. With these, a short time without refrigeration is OK. But put them back into the fridge as soon as you can.
While, in general, an unopened industrial jam can be preserved for about 2 years at room temperature and away from light, not all jams are made up of the same ingredients.
Please keep them in the fridge and use first. They have only sealed at fridge temperature (cold air contracts), if you put them in the pantry they'll warm up and may allow air in carrying microorganisms. However, the high sugar content is a natural preservative, so it maybe safe for months.
Your jelly should set in the fridge in around 4 hours. Note: you can add fruit or juice, but avoid fresh pineapple, kiwi or papaya as these fruits will stop your jelly from setting.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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