You’ve had a bottle of lemon juice in your fridge for a while and you’re not sure if it’s still good to drink. Most people wouldn’t think to the question “does lemon juice go bad?”, but the fact is that this citrusy drink can spoil over time.
Lemon juice does go bad, but it’s not always easy to tell when it has turned. The best way to keep track of your lemon juice is by checking the expiration date on the bottle. If it’s been more than a year since the date was printed, then it’s probably best to toss it out and buy a new bottle.
How Long Does Lemon Juice Last?
Lemon juice, like all other types of fruit juices, only has a shelf life of about 3 to 4 weeks. Once it’s opened, you need to use the juice within two days for the best results.
How long does lemon juice last after opening? The precise answer is one week. When stored correctly, unopened commercially bottled lemon juice can be kept for up to three years.
An unopened bottle of lemon juice can last up to three years under the right conditions. Once it is opened and exposed to air, though, lemon juice shelf life drops to one week. Lemon juice does not freeze well, so leftovers should be discarded after 3 or 4 days.
Does Lemon Juice Go Bad?
Yes, lemon juice can go bad. Like most fruits and vegetables, lemon juice will spoil over time if it’s not stored properly. The best way to store lemon juice is in an airtight container in the fridge. If it’s stored this way, it should last for about 2-3 weeks.
However, if lemon juice is left out at room temperature or exposed to sunlight, it will spoil much faster. In fact, if left out for more than a day or two, it may start to ferment and produce alcohol. So if you’re not going to use all of your lemon juice right away, make sure to store lemon juice in the fridge!
How Can I Tell If Lemon Juice Has Gone Bad?
Store-bought lemon juice can go bad in a few ways. The most common way lemon juice goes bad is by becoming sour. If it tastes sour, then it’s likely gone bad. Another way lemon juice can go bad is if it develops mold.
If you see any signs of mold, then the lemon juice has gone bad and should not be consumed. Finally, if fresh lemon juice has been stored for a long time or has been exposed to high temperatures, it may lose its freshness and also become unsafe to consume.
Unrefrigerated lemon juice can also alter smell and taste, and may not be as effective as a food preservative or flavor additive. If you’re not sure whether or not the lemon juice has gone bad, it’s best to discard it just to be safe.
Taste And Flavor
Another telltale sign of spoiled lemon juice is the flavors. The drink may have a more sour taste, has a strange taste, or may become tasteless. This criterion depends on the reason why it went bad.
If you can never tell what it was about the scent or taste, take a few sips and taste, if you can’t find it, just remove the citrus juice immediately.
Bad Smell
If you believe the smell is bad, you must smell the smell. Spoiled lemon juice has no citrus flavor. There’s an unpleasant smell when there are molds and bacteria. I think we need this to be thrown aside.
Discoloration
Spoiled lemon juice is more colored than it did the first time you bought it. If you’re using dark lemon juice, you need to immediately eliminate that product.
Can Consuming Expired Lemon Juice Make You Sick?
As with any expired food, lemons and vinegar are very toxic. The citric acid found in citrus can provide natural preserving properties, but it does not always guarantee a bacteria-free environment in a properly stored container.
There are still cases of food poisoning from contaminated lemon juice or lime juice, which can be caused by bacteria and viruses and can contain any toxic chemicals. The symptoms will last several days if you consume expired lemon juice. Often these are food poison-related symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and inflammatory symptoms.
How To Store Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice?
If you do not plan to use the fresh juice within a few hours after squeezing, it is best to store lemon juice in freezer bags or containers and place them in your fridge. If you still have fresh lemons left on hand and you want to make more freshly squeezed juice, you should use these lemons as soon as possible.
If they are not used within 12 hours of squeezing, it is best to throw them out and simply buy new fresh lemons.
Fresh lemon juice does not freeze very well because the consistency changes due to enzymes inside the lemon. However, if you do plan to freeze your freshly squeezed lemon juice, you can fill ice cube trays into a sealable freezer bag. Squeeze the fresh juice of half a lemon per ice cube and seal it up.
The next time you want some homemade lemon juice, pop one out and allow your freshly squeezed juice to thaw; then mix with water!
How To Store Bottled Lemon Juice?
Once your opened bottle of lemon juice is refrigerated, it can go bad within a week. It’s best to use the entire product and not leave any for later, as this increases the chances that bacteria will accumulate and contaminate the juice.
If you do plan to save some of your lemon juice for later, then place an airtight lid or Ziploc bag on the lemon juice bottle you have opened. Make sure that it is tightly sealed and then store the bottled lemon juice in the fridge’s door, which is often warmer than other parts of the fridge. This will help to extend the shelf life longer while maintaining flavor and freshness.
When you are about to use your bottled lemon juice, make sure you test its smell before doing so. If you notice that it has turned, then you should just throw it away. Never taste your expired lemon juice before adding it to your dish or beverage, as this can result in food poisoning.
When you store bottled lemon juice, always keep it tightly sealed and stored in the fridge’s door for up to one week after opening. The door is warmer than the rest of the fridge, so this increases storage time.
Lemon Juice FAQ:
How Can You Tell If Lemon Juice Is Bad?
Lemon juice can go bad if it is not stored in a refrigerator. The juice will start to develop a brownish-black color and will also start to taste sour. If the lemon is juiced, it will last about 3-5 days in the fridge.
However, if the lemon is not juiced, it will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
How Long After The Expiration Date Is Lemon Juice Good?
The answer to this question depends on a few things, such as how the lemon juice was stored and what kind of lemon juice it is. But in general, most store-bought lemon juices are good for about 3-4 months after the expiration date.
If you’re making your own lemon juice, it will last for about 3-5 days in the fridge. And if you freeze lemon juice, it will be good for about 6 months.
However, if it has extended past its shelf life (expiration date), and is not stored correctly, then you should not consume it after that date. Consuming any food or drink with an expired substance could cause your body to react unpredictably and may even cause food poisoning.
Can Fresh Lemon Juice Go Bad In The Fridge?
Yes. Citrus fruits (fresh lemons, oranges, grapefruits, etc.) can last for about 2-3 weeks in the fridge if they are unblemished. However, after a while, they will start to dry out and get wrinkled. The shelf life of fresh lemon juice that has been opened and refrigerated is about 1 week.
The average shelf-life expectancy for opened and refrigerated store-bought lemon juice is around six months.
How Long Can Lemon Juice Last In The Fridge?
In the fridge, fresh lemon juice will last for about a week. The longer it is left in there, the more likely it is to develop an off odor and taste.
If you want your lemonade or other drink with fresh-squeezed lemons but don’t want them to spoil quickly after they’re made, try adding them just before serving so they stay cold without being in contact with hot surfaces like stovetops or dishwasher jets.
Final Thoughts
The most important thing to remember is that lemon juice can go bad and spoil if not stored properly. If you plan on storing the squeezed lemons in your refrigerator, make sure they are tightly sealed or covered with plastic wrap so that any bacteria from other foods won’t contaminate them.
You should also only store enough fresh-squeezed lemon juice for about four days. After this time period has passed, it’s best to either add more freshly squeezed lemon juice or discard it altogether.
