Pickles are one of the essential food components all over the world. The tradition of fermenting the vegetables in pickle form is quite popular in the east. However, we can see the usage of pickles in the western world.
You can get pickles from any vegetable that you want. However, the most popular kind is made with cucumber. It is a process of growing one type of bacteria that creates an intense tangy flavor.
I am sure many of the foodies out there absolutely love pickles and the juice. And in case you want to keep your pickle jar intact for longer, you want to know the shelf life of the same.
This article will discuss pickle juice and whether it goes bad.
Let us dive in!
How Long Do Pickles Last?
Pickles turn your old humble and bland vegetable into a spicy, tangy version. In addition, this way of preparing vegetables extends their lifespan. Usually, if a cucumber can be intact for three to four days, the shelf life of pickled cucumber will be more than that.
If you keep a sealed jar in your pantry, you can expect it to be edible for twelve to eighteen months. Make sure the temperature is below 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let us say you’ve opened the jar and have started gobbling ( just kidding). What should you expect in that scene? You can comfortably keep your pickle jar intact for up to three months.
The same applies to the juice or the brine. Pickles are a bacteria formation process. The process includes saltwater, vinegar, and other spices like garlic. The pickled veggies are fermented in the juice for months.
After dipping the veggies in the brine, the lactic acid bacteria gets a field of growth. After growing, they start eating up all the sugar in the vegetable ( in most cases, cucumber). Then, lactic acid is created as a result of a chemical reaction. This lactic acid primarily gives the pickle your favorite sharp sour taste.
Does pickle juice go bad?
Pickle juice is the brine of pickles. This is an acidic solution that has an optimum pH level. Edible pickle juice should be transparent or colorless. Also, it can have a pale yellow tint to it.
Like all other food items globally, pickle juice also has a specific shelf life. It can go bad over time. Like pickled vegetables, the liquid can have some rotten factors.
It is awful for your health to consume rotten juice. Hence knowing when to throw it in a trash can is necessary.
Over time you might see mold developing in the juice. Sometimes you may see a cloudy texture or slimy fluid in the jar, which indicates that the liquid has gone wrong. It would be best if you immediately discarded the whole batch in case you spot something like that.
How To Spot if Pickles have Gone Bad?
There are some easy factors with which you can understand the spoilage. These are necessary because you do not want to eat something that gives your stomach a hard time!
So, there are some abnormal factors for pickles. It is usually crunchy and pale yellow or transparent in color. Let’s say you spot the following:
- slime
- stinky pickle
- mold
- bubbly juice
- color change
- cloudy juice
That is time you should probably discard the jar.
If you take out one pickled cucumber (or any vegetable), it should not be slimy. However, it is not right to consume it if you see it leaving slimy juice all over your fingers. Probably the pickle has gone wrong, and you should throw it away.
Generally, pickles have a very sharp, pungent smell. But that sharpness has a limit. If you smell something terrible, that is a clear hint of spoilage. In addition, the color change is a significant factor.
Pickled vegetables should have a pale yellow color. But it darkens, or you see a color change in the juice; you should understand that the jar should be thrown.
Sometimes you may spot mold developing in the pickle. It is usually a sponge-like texture that is spotted on the skin. Sometimes you might see thread particles floating in the juice. Often you’ll see brown patches over the vegetables. All these are hints of spoilage.
Two more things might give you a hint. The lid of a pickle jar should be perfectly flat. But if you see a puffy lid, it is because of the gas-forming inside. If you give your pickle jar a good shake, it is normal for the juice to develop bubbles.
But if you spot bubbles in an unshaken pot, that is a clear indication of a rotten pickle.
If you spot any of the factors mentioned above, you should throw the pickle in the trash can!
How To Store Pickles?
If your pickle is pasteurized, it will not spoil in a while. Therefore, you can store it for quite a long time. But unpasteurized pickles need to be kept in the refrigerator. However, if the seal is opened once, you might have to follow some restrictions.
Always use a clean spoon to take our pickle. This does not let any external contamination go inside the jar. While storing the jat in the fridge, keep the temperature lower. Whether you keep the jar in the refrigerator, never use an open can. Keep a habit of cleaning the surface scum daily. And lastly, it is a must to keep the pickled veggies submerged.
Conclusion
That was all about pickle and pickle juice. Keep a close monitor over the jar and pickle. If you notice anything odd, do not hesitate to throw it away.
The crunch of the vegetable tends to go away with time. That does not always hint at spoilage. However, you might not want to eat soft veggies.
We hope this article has helped you.
More Posts for You:
