In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleDo Pickles Go Bad?How To KnowStorage TipsWhat If I Ate Them?
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Do Pickles Go Bad?
How To Know
Storage Tips
What If I Ate Them?
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Photo: Getty Images
Pickles are a delicious and healthy addition to yoursandwichesandburgers, or just for a quick and easy snack with a snap. But have you ever taken a bite from a pickle that just didn’t taste right? We spoke with a pickle expert to find out if pickles go bad, and how to make sure you’re storing them correctly.
How to Pickle Anything (No Canning Necessary)
Yes. Like any other food, pickles can go bad. No matter what veggie is being pickled, whether it’s a classic cucumber, snap peas, or even mini bell peppers, they can go bad for a couple of reasons:
How to Tell If Pickles Have Gone Bad?
Here are a few signs your pickles are a little too far gone:
That being said, there haven’t been any food-borne illnesses reported from commercial pickles in the U.S. for much of the past 50 years,according to the USDA. Pickled-caused food poisoning is very rare.
“With a fresh pickle like ours, if you see the top of the lid domed up or bubbled, this typically means the product has fermented and gone bad,” says Eddie Andre, director of brand experience atGrillo’s Pickles. “This can happen with our pickles due to temperature abuse (getting warm) or too much oxygen in the jar causing the pickles to ferment at a much faster rate. This happens because we make everything cold and fresh to order without boiling or pasteurizing our product.” If your pickle juice is fizzy like soda, this also is an indicator it has begun to fermented and go bad.
How to Store Pickles
For fresh pickles, like Grillo’s, that are carried in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, make sure they stay in the refrigerator at home before and after opening (cold temperatures prevent fermentation). “As long as the pickles are kept cold, they can last upwards of 75 days unopened in the fridge,” Andre shares.
Once opened, any pickles should be stored in the fridge, submerged in brine, to maintain freshness for at least up to three months,according to the USDA. On a shelf inyour refrigerator’s dooris a common place to store jarred items, but inside the fridge where you can ensure your pickles stay cold may be a better spot. Though it’s not necessary, you can store unopened pickle jars in the fridge if you have the room, butthe pantryis also just fine.
And just in case you can’t eat all of your pickles in the fridge before they start turning bad,freezing themcan be an option. However, Grillo’s “wouldn’t recommend it.” Andre says, “If Grillo’s freeze, they tend to become transparent and get very mushy. We do, however, encourage freezing the brine and making pickle juice pops!” (But not if your salt sensitive!)
What If I Ate Expired Pickles?
Even if your pickles are past the marked date, as long as there are no obvious signs of spoilage,you’ll likely be okayif they have been properly stored. But just because there are no visible signs of spoilage, the quality still may not be up to par with what you’re used to. “We wouldn’t encourage eating expired pickles because the taste alone wouldn’t represent the quality of our product,” says Andre.
But if you see even one of the above signs present and the pickles aren’t yet past their expiration date (or if they have passed the expiration date), it may be time to toss them and make sure you adhere to proper storage guidelines for your next jar.
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