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Everyone loves orange juice! I know I like keeping an extra jug around for mimosas on the weekend. But depending on how long until my next mimosa Sunday Funday, I need to know, “Does orange juice go bad?”. Unfortunately, the answer is “Yes”. Indeed, it does go bad, and this process happens as soon as the bottle is opened. Through the proper storage of orange juice, you can easily extend the shelf life, maybe a little.

If you are an orange juice lover, you may not have to worry about how long you have to drink it because it will be gone in a weekend (or less in my house)! But some people only drink orange juice once in a while so you need to know if the three-week-old orange juice goes bad. 

How Long Does Orange Juice Last?

Once you have got the affirmative reply to the question of “Does orange juice go bad?”, then the next question is: how long does orange juice last?  Now the reply to this question simply depends on the type of the orange juice that you are consuming. With regard to a freshly squeezed one, it will be fine for a few days, if it is stored in the fridge.

Concerning commercially bottled or canned orange juice which is commonly unrefrigerated or kept on shelves and in unopened status, it will be fine for a year. Sometimes it will even last longer maybe for a year and half, provided if you are able to store it at a cool place, like a pantry. The reason why bottled orange juice has long shelf life is because of the presences of the preservatives that are added to the juice.

But does orange juice go bad quicker after opening? Absolutely! It may last for a few weeks if it is the kind that was not required to be refrigerated, but once you open it, you have to sure that it is refrigerated and properly sealed. Sometimes you might come across orange juices sold refrigerated. So, with these refrigerated orange juices there is less amount of preservatives, thereby making it go bad easily.

In such case, you need to store the orange juice in the fridge and try to consume it within a week or 10 days. A clear checking up on the label will display the “best by” date and this clearly shows that you need not keep them open in the fridge for 10 days after that day. 

Now as you already know, orange juice expires. So, this clearly answers the query on “Does Orange Juice Go Bad?”.  But how can you tell if the orange juice has gone bad? Well, it is not that difficult.

First, it is important that you have a look on the juice’s visual appearance. Check the carton- has it separated? is it darker in color? If you cannot tell, pour it into a glass.  If you are unable to find any kind of discolorations where the juice is a bit darker than the normal color, then it is fine. Sometimes you might come across the signs of clumping, which is early mold. Also, try smelling it.

If everything looks and smells ok, then you are probably good to go. The last test is obviously tasting it. If the taste of the orange juice seems funny- too sour or watery- then throw it out. 

If you are on the lookout of the best place to keep your orange juice, then it is the refrigerator. Sometimes you might end up purchasing an orange juice, and you notice that it doesn’t have any label regarding the expiry date or where to store. In such case just store it in the pantry. Frankly, as there is no hard and fast rule that all orange juice has to be stored in the fridge, still refrigerating isn’t a bad idea.

Basically, it is a good idea to keep it in the fridge, as it will definitely extend the shelf life of the orange juice. And keep in mind that both the fresh orange juice and the opened bottle of orange juice have to be refrigerated. Fresh orange juice and opened orange juice left out will go bad in a few hours. 

With regard to the doubt on “Does Orange Juice Go Bad”, you must even pounder over the question about the shelf life of the orange juice. Basically, the shelf life of any juice depends simply on how it is prepared and even how the juice is stores.

Now with regard to the fresh orange juice, and even the fresh bottled one, it will be edible for consumption for only a few days, only stored in the fridge. As there are no preservatives, it will be quite vulnerable.

Now you know the answer to the question about “Does Orange Juice Go Bad?”As it is affirmative, it doesn’t mean that you cannot extend the quality and edibility of an orange juice. With proper preservation techniques, you can get the required results.

Also, if you want to prolong the life of your juice even more, think about making ice cubes. See our article Creative Ideas for Ice Cubes.

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