It is a good idea to store nuts at home. It makes them available whenever you want to add healthy oils, fiber or protein in your foods. And like most foods, nuts are best consumed fresh, so you keep them that way. But doing so can be tricky because of the unsaturated fats in them. Yes, these fats are heart-healthy. They cut the risk of developing heart illnesses and regulate the cholesterol levels. But when it comes to storing nuts, you do not want these oils because they shorten the shelf life. During storage, exposure to light, oxygen, heat, and moisture degrade the oils. As a result, nuts become rancid, their flavor become sharp yet unpleasant, and less nutritious too.
Yes, consuming rancid nuts may not make you sick, but may affect your body in the long run. Furthermore, adding them as an ingredient may make the food sour or bitter.
You can try these tips to maximize the shelf life of nuts at home.
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Go for vacuum-packed nuts
Oxidative rancidity is a common phenomenon and occurs especially with unsaturated fats, which nuts are rich in. This happens when the fats react with oxygen in the air. As a result, the nuts create unpleasant odor and flavor.
You can prevent this by opting for vacuum-packed nuts when fresh nuts are not available. You can easily spot vacuum-packed nuts because there is no empty space in the package. This way, there is no air or oxygen that can come into contact with the fats in the nuts. Plus, the absence of oxygen makes it an unlikely breeding ground for microorganisms.
Opt for fresh, unprocessed nuts
When buying nuts, nothing will beat fresh, unprocessed nuts. The skin and the shell keep all the fresh nutty taste, while preventing quality loss. Just make sure the nuts are not stale. You should buy nuts that are a few months old—5 months maximum.
However, sometimes, you can’t tell if the nuts have gone rancid. If this is the case, ask the vendor to crack open a nut. The nut has already gone rancid if it has one or more of the following signs:
- Darkening (fresh nuts look pale)
- Plastic-like or paint-like smell
- Sour or bitter taste
Put nuts in a moisture free, airtight, and odor-tight container
Place nuts in glass or plastic container. This prohibits any external factors like air and moisture, that speed up the fat degradation process . This is especially required for shelled nuts, which can absorb moisture. Store the container in a cool, dark place.
Also, never go for plastic bags. They permit external odor, which can affect the quality of the nuts.
Refrain from storing nuts at room temperature
Some people prefer storing nuts at room temperature. Although this is totally fine, doing so only will give you several months, 3 months at most for most nuts. Chestnuts are an exemption though.
Chestnuts are very different from other nuts. Mainly for the fact that their composition is more like those of fruits. These special type of nuts are rich in starch, yet very low in fat—just about 1.5 g per 100 g. For comparison, almonds contain around 49 grams of fat per 100 g.
For these reasons, room temperature is not recommended when storing chestnuts. Because they lose moisture quicker, and start to harden at room temperature. The shelf life of these nuts is around only 2 to 3 weeks. However, chestnuts in-shell could go for 1 month in the refrigerator. And 1 to 2 years in the freezer.
Keep nuts in a dark, cool place
Most food packaging labels say and recommend to store food in a dark, cool place. Nuts are no exception. Like oxygen, light degrades the fats. You can place the nuts in an airtight container and store them in a dark, cool place. In the refrigerator is a good place. You can safely store them in the refrigerator for a year without quality loss. Just ensure the temperature is maintained at 40 °F (4 °C).
Or better yet, store them inside the freezer at -18 ° F (0 °C). Nuts in the freezer are good for up to 2 years. Do not worry about the sharp ice crystals that can damage other food items (like meat). It is okay because nuts have low moisture content, and are not affected by the ice crystals.
Further read: Why You Should Not Freeze Meat At Home
