Can Cranberry Juice Go Bad? Can Cranberry Juice Expire?: Compared to all fruit juices, cranberry juice is the most famous drink in many households due to its health benefits, including the treatment of UTIs. As you are an avid cranberry drinker, you mostly like to know how to store cranberry juice for a long time.
Most of you may not know that cranberry juice goes bad and you may wonder and ask yourself a question, does cranberry juice go bad? and some of you may even drink the spoiled juice without knowing that it has gone bad.
For all these reasons we have provided you with information about cranberry juice like shelf life, storage tips, spoilage signs, and much more advanced information is provided here. Scroll down and start reading to know what happens if you drink expired cranberry juice, and how long cranberry juice last in fridge!!
- What is Cranberry Juice?
- Can Cranberry Juice Go Bad?
- How Long Does Cranberry Juice Last?
- How To Tell If Cranberry Juice Is Bad?
- How To Store Cranberry Juice?
- Can You Freeze Cranberry Juice? How to Freeze it?
- Interesting Facts About Cranberry Juice
- How to defrost the cranberry juice?
- How should I store homemade cranberry juice?
- Is expired cranberry juice harmful?
- How long does cranberry juice last once opened?
- Is expired cranberry juice safe to drink?
What is Cranberry Juice?
Cranberry juice is the super healthy juice of cranberries, that grows in the marshes. This juice is popular for its antioxidant properties, high amount of nutrients, and most probably for its ability to treat UTIs, especially in women.
Cranberry juice is packed full of natural nutrients and is useful as a juice cleanse, an anti-aging agent, for improving digestion, and as protection against cancer. Cranberry juice is the basis for many mixed drinks.
Can Cranberry Juice Go Bad?
Yes, like all other fruits and drinks, even cranberry juice will go bad. Though cranberry juice has quite a long shelf life it will not last forever. But if you store it properly, you can use it for a long time without any spoilage.
An unopened bottle of cranberry juice will last longer up to nine months past the expiration date. Whereas, an opened bottle of cranberry juice will remain fresh for up to three weeks. You can also keep it in the freezer for up to a year.
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How Long Does Cranberry Juice Last?
Store-bought, cranberry juices have an expiry date on the packaging and you can use them for up to 7 months and even a year if you keep them unopened. But Commercial fruit juices are often not pure fruit juices and have a lot of added sugar and preservatives.
You can also keep it longer if you once open the juice, by keeping it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the unopened container as it will last for a year. Look into the shelf life of cranberry juice in the below table.
| Types | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
| Refrigerated Cranberry juice (Unopened) | Quality and flavor decreases | Best by date + few weeks | 8-12 months |
| Refrigerated Cranberry juice (Opened) | Few hours | 2-3 weeks | 8-12 months |
| Unrefrigerated Cranberry juice (Unopened) | Best by date + 6-9 months | 8-12 months | Not Recommended |
| Unrefrigerated Cranberry juice (Opened) | Few hours | 2-3 weeks | 8-12 months |
How to Tell If Cranberry Juice Has Gone Bad?
As we already mentioned, like other juices, some visible signs and typical tastes tell you that your cranberry juice has gone wrong. Here we will see how you can recognize the signs of cranberry juice.
It is one of the most important signs to know that cranberry juice has gone bad. If you find any fermentation occurring in the cranberry juice, and when you smell it if you find a sour smell or smell like vinegar then discard the cranberry juice.
If you see that the juice carton is bulging, it is an indicator that the juice has started fermenting. If cranberry juice starts fermenting it releases various gases which are not good for health. So, if you see this sign discard the bottle immediately.
If you see any color change in the cranberry juice over time, toss it off.
When you see the bottle of cranberry juice, if you find air bubbles rising to the top, then it is an indication of fermentation, throw it away if you see this sign.
This is very easy to find out whether cranberry juice is bad or not. If you find any cranberry juice mold growth on the top or inside the bottle then it is not good to consume anymore.
How To Store Cranberry Juice?
To ensure that cranberry juice remains good for as long as possible, it should be kept in ideal storage conditions. Look into the storage tips that are given below.
- Store the Cranberry juice in a cool, dark place and away from the light and heat sources.
- Once, you open the juice, transfer the container into the fridge immediately. Seal it tightly before keeping it in refrigeration.
- If the bottle of cranberry juice is unopened and if it is kept in the refrigerator then you should also keep it in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Cranberry Juice? How to Freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze the cranberry juice once it is opened. But there will be a change in the taste and quality of the juice once after thawing it. This works well with drinks and when added to water as a flavoring. And you cannot freeze the cranberry juice the way you like it. There is a process to freeze cranberry juice.
- Freezing the whole carton of cranberry juice is not a good idea, because the expanding liquid will damage the container. Just pour the juice into an air-tight container and freeze it.
- Another method, you can use to freeze the cranberry juice is, to pour the cranberry juice into an ice cube tray for hours and store them in an air-tight container or freezer bag.
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Interesting Facts About Cranberry Juice
As cranberry has many nutrients and it is the most famous drink, we need to know some facts about cranberry juice. Some of them are given below.
- Cranberries are made of 90% water, so that is the reason they are so heavy.
- As cranberries have natural flavonoids that help you to whiten your teeth.
- Only 5% of cranberries are sold fresh.
- Cranberries do not grow in water.
- Cranberries can be used for fabric dyes.
FAQs on Does Cranberry Juice Go Bad? | Does Cranberry Juice Expire?
1. How to defrost cranberry juice?
If you want to use the cranberry juice in the freezer, remove the juice and thaw it using a cold water bath, or use a microwave by putting it under running water you can use frozen cranberry juice. And you can defrost the juice by keeping it in the fridge.
2. How should I store homemade cranberry juice?
To store the homemade cranberry juice you need to pour the juice into an airtight container while it is hot and close the lid loosely until it cools down and refrigerates instantly.
3. Is expired cranberry juice harmful?
Can you drink expired cranberry juice? Yes, by drinking expired cranberry juice you may see the symptoms of stomach upset, minor illness, and food poisoning.
4. How long is cranberry juice good for after opening?
How long does opened cranberry juice last in the fridge? 2-3 weeks is a good time to store fresh & opened cranberry juice in the fridge after opening. The bottles of Cranberry juice that have been continuously stored in the fridge will stay safe for 7-10 days after being opened.
5. Can I drink expired cranberry juice?
No, any juices that have passed the expiry date are not safe to drink so you should avoid drinking expired cranberry juice.
Key Upshots – Is cranberry juice good for you?
Hope the information about can cranberry juice go bad is useful for you. Store the cranberry juice properly and use it for a very long time. For more interesting updates you can check out our canfoodgobad.com website.
And if you have any doubts you can comment to us in the comment section. Share the information with your friends and family if you feel it is useful and share it on your social media accounts for maximum awareness to spread on food storage.