Does Turmeric go bad?

If you are used to eating Indian food, you will be familiar with the dish’s yellow component, Turmeric. Not only does Turmeric add flavor to foods, but it is also deemed a superfood. It has incredible health benefits, such as improving heart health and being a preventative for cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Did you know the best way to maximize the bioavailability of Turmeric is to eat it with black pepper?

In this article, we will delve into the shelf life of Turmeric and find out how different forms of Turmeric should be stored for the longevity of this amazing spice. We will answer frequently asked questions giving you a comprehensive oversight of Turmeric.

Let’s get into it.

Does Turmeric expire?

Yes. Turmeric can be purchased in many forms, from fresh to powdered, and they have different storage methods to extend their shelf life.

Turmeric also goes by the name the golden spice and can be referred to as Curcumin, but there is a common thread, they are all Turmeric, and they need some special care and attention to give the product a long shelf life.

Clearly, fresh Turmeric will have the shortest shelf life and expire first, but it lasts longer than you would expect in the fridge.

Keeping fresh Turmeric in the fridge can last for up to 4 weeks if it’s kept in the salad drawer and is mostly dry and not allowed to become wet with condensation.

After four weeks, it will start to lose its firm texture and become soft, it is still ok to eat in this condition, but the Turmeric looks less appetizing and will lose some of its flavor profile.

But don’t be put off. If you prefer to use fresh Turmeric in its powdered form, you can chop the rhizome ( tuber root system) into sections and freeze them for up to six months without degradation of color or health benefits.

Does Turmeric need to be refrigerated?

Not necessarily, but it will last longer. Keep the fresh Turmeric in a paper bag, which will keep the Turmeric dry. You can store Turmeric at room temperature in a dark place, such as in the pantry or a cabinet where you may keep veggies.

It is essential that fresh Turmeric remains dry and at a stable temperature, so the fridge is probably the best place to store Turmeric.

Placing Turmeric in the salad tray in a paper bag will keep the Turmeric in good condition for a month and maybe longer. If the Turmeric has lost its firmness, the product is starting to degrade, so find a use for it in your food or toss it in the bin and start again with fresh Turmeric.

How long can Turmeric sit out?

So let’s introduce ground Turmeric or powdered Turmeric. Fresh Turmeric sitting out at room temperature has a short shelf life. It may last two weeks before the Turmeric starts to wilt in the ambient heat of the room.

In contrast, fresh Turmeric or Ground/powdered Turmeric will last for 3 or 4 years sitting out. You can keep the ground Turmeric in a kitchen cabinet or on a spice rack, but like other spices, it has an incredibly long shelf life.

The key to keeping Turmeric powder for a long time is to avoid moisture. Powdered Turmeric is very dry and will absorb moisture from the atmosphere easily and readily. Ensure the Turmeric powder is sealed tightly to avoid moisture in the kitchen.

Does unopened Turmeric go bad?

Bad may be the wrong word to describe Turmeric when it has been sitting for many years. Unopened Turmeric should not be susceptible to moisture which is what makes Turmeric go bad per se. 

Over time, an unopened jar or pack of Turmeric will start to degrade and lose some of its vibrant color and potency as a spice. But this does not make it bad. You can still use Turmeric that has long past the expiry date, and it will be ok to eat and will not cause any harm to you.

Turmeric has a spice odor but can smell earthy, and it is difficult to say if the spice is good. If the spice doesn’t smell foul, then it’s good to consume.

How long does Turmeric last in the fridge?

Fresh Turmeric can last as long as a month in a brown paper bag in the salad tray of the fridge. After this point, the Turmeric will become soft and wilt slightly, it’s okay to eat, but it will have lost some of its potency as a spice.

It’s not necessary to keep ground or powdered Turmeric in the fridge. The shelf life will not be extended. In fact, you may shorten the shelf life of the Turmeric if it absorbs moisture from the fridge.

You may think the fridge is the driest place in a busy steamy kitchen, but it’s not. In a busy kitchen, the fridge door frequently opens, allowing moisture into the fridge that forms condensation.

Store ground or powdered Turmeric in a mason jar with an airtight seal to maximize the product’s life.

Does frozen Turmeric go bad?

Any product in the freezer stirred at 0°F, in theory, has an indefinite shelf life. However, long-term freezing does invite freezer burn that can ruin products to the point that they would be considered bad but not as harmful to ingest.

Fresh Turmeric in the freezer will last for six months without losing any of its color or potency as an amazing spice. However, it will start dehydrating in the freezer if stored for longer than six months.

Even dehydrated Turmeric is valuable; you can make your own ground Turmeric and still enjoy the spice.

To maximize the shelf life of fresh Turmeric in the freezer, place the Turmeric in a Ziploc bag and then palace the Ziploc bag in an airtight container. This will help to prevent the dread freezer burn that will destroy the Turmeric.

It’s pointless storing ground Turmeric in the freezer; the shelf life will be extended up to four years.

Types of Tumeric and how to store them

Does liquid Turmeric go bad?

Liquid Turmeric is a supplement that is being taken for the health benefits of Turmeric. Liquid Turmeric has a shelf life of two years. You should treat liquid Turmeric differently from fresh or ground Turmeric.

Other antioxidants may be mixed with liquid Turmeric, with a shorter shelf life. Follow the instructions on the bottle for the best usage of the product.

Do Turmeric capsules go bad?

Turmeric does not go bad. It loses its potency the longer it has been stored. If you take Turmeric capsules, you should check the expiry date on the container and adhere to the date. 

After the expiration date of the container, you may be consuming the Turmeric capsule and not getting any benefits from the supplement.

Does Turmeric paste go bad when not refrigerated?

Commercially packaged Turmeric paste will not go bad if it’s not stored in the fridge. Exposure to air causes Turmeric to degrade, so as long as you take the amount of Turmeric paste you need and then replace the screw cap tightly, it should be perfect for a long time.

However, if the packaging suggests that Turmeric paste will stay at its best in the fridge, it would be wise to follow the instructions.

Generally, Turmeric does not go bad. It loses its color and potency, which it is renowned for.

If you let Turmeric dry in the fridge, does it go bad?

Mold growth is the primary concern when using fresh Turmeric. The easiest method to prevent this is to ensure they are totally dry before putting them in the fridge.

Keep things in a brown paper bag. A brown paper bag can effectively absorb extra moisture, preventing mold formation on the Turmeric once more.

If you have avoided the mold, Turmeric does not go bad if left in the fridge. Turmeric becoming dry allows you to make your own powdered Turmeric.

Here is how to do it.

• Wash the Turmeric root. Because you’ll be peeling the skin off to prepare Turmeric powder, you don’t need to scrub thoroughly. But quickly rinse the roots.
• Peel the Turmeric root’s skin off with a vegetable peeler. Due to its knobby texture, which resembles ginger, Turmeric root can be challenging to peel. Instead of peeling around these knobs, I find it easier to cut them off. Find a method that works for you, and don’t worry if the root still has some skin.
• Slice the root into even, fine pieces. The root will dry faster and more uniformly if cut into thin slices.
• Place the slices on a baking sheet with baking paper. Distribute evenly and cook on a low heat of 200℉ until the rhizomes have dried.
• Place in a blender and blitz until ground.

Final thoughts

Turmeric is a versatile spice with incredible health benefits. If stored correctly, you can keep fresh Turmeric in the fridge for a few weeks, then dry it out and make your own ground version of the spice.

If you avoid mold, fresh Turmeric can last up to six months in the freezer. Died ground Turmeric has a shelf life of 3 to 4 years.

Does Turmeric go bad? Not really. It loses color and potency after a certain time.