Olives can be truly called universal foodstuff, but usually, recipes need only a few. It explains why we often have so many leftover olives that end up spoiled so that we have to discard them.
Are you also tired of wasting food? Then we prepared a very handy guide for those who want to learn how to keep these small fruits really long-lasting!
And, how to tell that olives are bad? Olives go bad after 2-3 days if it stored improperly. If you see mold, spicy smells, or changed the color- olives are bad. Store Olives in a glass jar or a container for up to 2 weeks at 30,2 °F in the fridge. Unopened olives last up for 1-2 months at 35,6 °F.
Do olives go bad? Let’s get a closer look and try to find it out!
Storing Olives. Hints And Rules
We can’t say that we have so many kinds of olives in the market. Usually, it is all about whether they are black or gree, with a pit or without, or, maybe, they have some filling.
But the major thing we have to pay attention to is how they are packed – in brine or in oil. This is the only thing that matters when it comes to maintaining olives.
- Olives in brine can be kept unopened in your pantry. Only ensure that the spot you chose for them is cool and shaded, without excess moisture.
The second the tank is opened, transfer those fruit to the fridge, and double-check that the tank is tightly sealed.
If you bought olives in a can, then remove them to any airtight tank that can be sealed tightly.
What if you accidentally pour out the brine? No panic! it’s easy to make it yourself by mixing ½ tsp of salt per each cup water. This brine is less strong so don’t keep olives in it for more than two weeks.
- What about olives in oil, you may ask? Well, these are anyway better to be tossed to the fridge since oil “brine” doesn’t tolerate room temperature.
And again, consider to always keep the olive tank firmly closed to avoid oxidation and thus spoilage!
All simple and effortless, but these hints can make olives last way longer.
How to Tell That Olives Are Bad
Unfortunately, even when stored correctly, foods tend to lose their quality and spoil. Do olives go bad? Yes, they are not exceptional.
To spot the expired fruit, check them for one or several of the following symptoms.
- Off and pungent odor
- Faded pale color
- Mold
- The rounded or dome-shaped lid on the unopened jar/can
Any of these signs means that olives must be tossed away since they are no longer eatable and can be unsafe.
What to Expect If You Ate Bad Olives
What if you accidentally swallowed some olives without noticing that they are not good? It can happen, especially if the foodstuff is not yet badly spoiled and looks and tastes more or less fine.
In this situation, be ready to have some unpleasant symptoms like stomachache or nausea, but usually, they disappear after a couple of hours or a bit more.
Eating bad olives can also lead to diarrhea and/or vomiting – typical symptoms of food poisoning. By emptying your stomach, taking activated charcoal, and drinking enough water you can cope with that problem pretty fast. But if the symptoms are really nasty, don’t hesitate and go to the hospital!
Lifespan Of Olives And What It Depends On
So how to avoid those troublesome symptoms from eating bad olives? It’s simple: just mind the expiry date!
When purchasing foods, always pay attention to the best-by date indicated on the container. Olives, when stored correctly in the untouched can, can stay good for more than half a year past that date!
But once the tank is opened, here comes the mess! Different producers have a different term of duration which means some olives must be eaten sooner whereas others can have some time on the shelf.
To not get completely confused, we recommend you get those fruit finished within three weeks after opening the tank.
However, all that fuss works for the olives sold in brine only. Those in oil don’t care how soon you will eat them.
To make it all simpler, check out this short chart.
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How to Make Olives Live Longer
Are there any tricks that can extend olives’ lifespan? In fact, there are. It may seem somewhat annoying though to do these actions all the time, but believe us, it’s easier than throwing food regularly just because someone is too lazy to screw the lid properly!
So whenever you grab a jar of olives, remember to do the following:
- Seal the tank tightly after each use
- Keep olives in their brine/oil since it makes them stay fresh. And remember that they must be completely submerged in it!
- Follow the basic keeping instructions e.g. temperature, lighting, etc. Know that olives feel best of all at no warmer than 75 F.
Such little effort will allow extending their lifespan so that you could enjoy these tasty and nutritious fruit longer.
Olives Health Benefits
Finally, let’s figure out why these small fruit of olive trees are so popular in certain countries and why they are spreading so fast all over the world.
The answer is surprisingly obvious: olives are packed with nutrients and vitamins.
- They contain healthy fats
- They are good for the heart
- Olives reduce inflammation
- These fruits are loaded with carbs and fiber
- Eat them, and your immune system will increase the level of vitamins and minerals
- They are one of the best antioxidants
So maybe it is time to stock your pantry with some olives? Moreover, today we have plenty of them presented on the store shelves – for any taste!
We hope that now you are more informed about how to keep olives and what to do to prolong their lifespan.
Make sure you provide them with all the necessary conditions, and olives will thank you with the long life!
[wp-faq-schema title=”Frequently Asked Questions”]
Why do olives get moldy? I bought them less than two weeks ago, and the can is already moldy inside.
Probably, they were already close to the expiration date when you purchased them? Or, maybe, the quality was not super high from the very beginning. Did you keep them correctly? Maybe, they oxidized too much and thus molded?
How do you preserve olives at home? I have some fresh olives and I’d like to keep them for future use. Thanks!
Hi! What I do in this case is that I wash olives and put them in a bucket. Then I cover the olives with clean water and press on top with a heavy plate. They must stay like this for 2 weeks in a shady place.
Then I drain them, sort into sterilized glass jars and pour in brine (100 g salt per every liter of water). Then you just need to seal them tightly and leave to ferment for 6 months.
How do you make black olives edible? I was always curious about it since raw fruit are very bitter as I was told.
Well, as far as I know, they must be fermented in brine to get that bitterness away. I guess olives are soaked in brine for some time to lose those bitter compounds.
Hi everyone! I need your help guys! Do olives give you diarrhea? Did anyone hear anything about it?
I guess they do if you eat then spoiled. But I heard that too much of green olives can indeed make you stuck in the toilet – all because of the high level of fat.
How do you cure black olives? I’d like to try and make my own homemade olives, but I don’t know how to get rid of bitterness.
Hi! For curing, try to use brine. Wash the olives and soak them in a mix of water and salt for 14 days. You’ll have to change the water regularly to not ruin the whole process. And then they will be ready for canning!
Does anyone know: do olives mold?
They do if the tank was sealed improperly of the storage conditions were wrong.
Do olives go bad in the fridge? I bought a batch of canned olives for my Birthday party, but I didn’t use them all so I still have like five cans left unopened. Is it ok if I put them in the fridge?
Of course it’s ok! Olives are super easy to store refrigerated, to be honest. I remember I kept a sealed can of them for nearly a year and they were still fine when I opened them. So if your olives are also unopened, then toss them in the fridge easily!
Hi everyone! Does anyone know how to tell if olives are bad? I have a can opened and it’s almost full, but it has been refrigerated for two weeks. And now I suspect that the olives in it are not quite good. Is there a way to define it for sure somehow?
Well, I guess that the best way to check them for spoilage is to give them a good sniff! If you sense an off odor, then olives are apparently spoiled and must be discarded. But also, you can look for any traces of mold or other external flaws. If you find any – throw the can away along with its content.
How long do kalamata olives last once opened?
If you have liquid-packed olives and you store them correctly, then they will last for approximately two or three weeks, sometimes even longer!
What do bad olives look like? Is it possible to tell that they are spoiled just by their appearance?
Well, from my own experience, bad olives may look wrinkled and discolored, or their color may change to lighter shades of green or brown. It’s like they got discolored in the sun. Maybe mold can develop as well.
I have an opened can of liquid-packed olives that I need to keep refrigerated for a while. Do olives go bad after opening? Is it safe to put it in the fridge like this?
Of course, olives go bad after opening! The content of a can becomes exposed to air which means that olives become way more prone to bacteria and various external factors that may cause their damage or spoilage.
However, if you store your olives correctly, they will easily last for a couple of weeks. That’s enough for finishing them, I suppose.
I have several cans of Greek olives that have not been opened yet. Do you think olives expire if unopened?
Well, on the one hand, they will expire of course. The question is, how soon will it happen? See, an unopened can of olives, if stored properly, can last up to two years. I guess that’s enough for finishing them by the time they begin to decay.