Different types of cooking oils are sourced from different types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. To make the most out of cooking oil and to prolong its life, it is important to know how to store cooking oil in kitchen. However, the right way to maximize the freshness as well as the natural flavors of these oils is not the same.
What Makes Oil Deteriorate
The factors that affect the quality and shelf life of many types of edible oils are heat, age, air, and light. Cooking oils decay through oxidation. If the containers are not airtight or if they are not stored properly, some oils can easily go bad. Before knowing how to store cooking oil in kitchen, first, we ought to know what makes the oil deteriorate.
- The oil is not good for consumption anymore if it already has an unpleasant smell or taste.
- If the cooking oil has a wine taste or smell, that may reveal that the oil was not stored properly.
- Another indication that the oil was stored in a container that is made with a reactive material is if the cooking oil has a metallic flavor.
- If the cooking oil is not stored properly, it may become rancid very quickly.
Keeping Cooking Oil Fresh Longer
How to store cooking oil in kitchen? Here are simple but clever ways to store your edible oil:
- Store cooking oil in the dark – To know how to store cooking oil in kitchen, you must know first that light is one of its enemies. Haven’t you noticed that many cooking oils come in very dark bottles, like dark green and even black? That is because it helps keep the oil fresh for longer. Also, to make sure that cooking oil is stored away from the light, you can keep it inside a dark cupboard or pantry.
- Refrigerate or freeze – To lengthen the shelf life of the oil, you can either refrigerate it or have it frozen. But before using it, let it warm to room temperature if it thickens. One important thing you must keep in mind is that cooking oils should never be stored in the heat.
- Keep track of the date you purchased it– This is one of the most important steps in storing cooking oils. It may already be too rotten to consume by that time it reaches its stamped expiration date. You may opt to buy smaller bottles if you don’t use oil often.
- Keep the oxygen out – To do this, you must store cooking oil in jars and then use a food saver device to extract oxygen from the jar. It is important to track your household’s consumption of oil to know the size of the container that works best for you.
Storing Oil is Worth the Hassle
Learning how to store cooking oil in kitchen can be done properly. Just keep in mind the four main factors that will affect cooking oil’s shelf life – light, oxygen, time, and temperature. Many health benefits come with using good quality cooking oils. That’s why we can say it is worth the hassle! Find out more about food storage.