How long can unopened hummus stay out of the fridge?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, ‘how long can unopened hummus stay out of the fridge?’ and discuss the correct ways to store opened and unopened hummus as well as how to know if the hummus is spoiled.

How long can unopened hummus stay out of the fridge?

Unopened processed hummus can stay out of the fridge for 7 to over 70 days, depending on the type of processing, while unprocessed hummus can stay out of the fridge for 2 hours (1,2).

Hummus is a legume spread and similarly to other pea spreads, it has a short shelf life. Pasteurization and other processing are able to extend the shelf life of hummus when compared to homemade hummus.

However, all types of hummus should be kept refrigerated during the storage, unopened and after especially opening (1,3).

Can unopened hummus out of the fridge go bad?

Yes, unopened hummus out of the fridge can go bad. In fact, unopened hummus can go bad even if stored in the fridge. That is because hummus carries spores of bacteria from its ingredients. With time, the spores develop, causing spoilage. B. subtilis and B. licheniformis are typical spore-forming bacteria found in hummus (1).

However, storing hummus out of the fridge can accelerate the spoilage, as it favors the development of microorganisms.  

Hummus can be spoiled by several microorganisms which are found in its ingredients. Some are pathogenic microorganisms, which can cause foodborne diseases. Some microorganisms that are commonly found in hummus are Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Leuconostoc, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and molds (1,4).

Some possible symptoms of a foodborne illness are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and flu-like symptoms (6).

What is the shelf life of hummus?

The shelf life of hummus depends on several factors, such as the type of processing, the packaging material, the storage conditions and the quality of the ingredients and  the use of preservatives. The average shelf life of the different types of hummus available are discussed in the following sections:

Commercial hummus

Commercial hummus are processed hummus and their shelf lives vary depending on the type of processing they have been submitted. Thermal treatment (sous vide 80 °C/15 min) packed in vacuum pouches following rapid cooling can extend the shelf life of hummus to 15 days, while high pressure processing, in which microorganisms are destroyed by the application of high pressure to the food, could extend the shelf life of hummus to 2 weeks under refrigeration. Both products have a shelf life of 7 days when they are not kept under refrigeration, as reported by studies (1).

Another study reported the production of hummus with the addition of chemical preservatives potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and sodium metabisulfite separately or combined. The use of combined preservatives could extend the shelf life of hummus to 90 days in the refrigerator or 10 days at 25°C (60°F) (4).

Homemade Hummus

Homemade hummus needs to be refrigerated continuously, as it has not been submitted to thermal or chemical preservation processes. Homemade hummus will last for only 4-5 days in the refrigerator under optimum storage conditions (3).

How to know if hummus is spoiled?

To know if hummus has gone bad, you should be able to identify the possible signs of spoilage. The most common signs of spoilage in hummus are (1,4,5):

  • Generation of off-odors, such as rancid, sour, putrid
  • Alteration of the flavor, generation of off-flavors, such as strong sour, strong bitter 
  • Formation of slime on the surface or bubbling
  • Bloating of the package, generation of gas
  • Loss of firmness, change of texture, phase separation (formation of a watery residue on the surface)

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question, ‘how long can unopened hummus stay out of the fridge?’ and discussed the correct ways to store opened and unopened hummus as well as how to know if the hummus is spoiled.

Citations

  1. Kirse, Asnate, et al. High pressure processing for pea spread shelf life extension: a preliminary study. GRANT journal, 2015, 4, 102-108.
  2. Leftovers and Food Safety. United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Food keeper. United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Yamani, Mohammed I., and Ghadeer F. Mehyar. Effect of chemical preservatives on the shelf life of hummus during different storage temperatures. Jordan J Agric Sci, 2011, 7, 19-31.
  5. Rawat, Seema. Food Spoilage: Microorganisms and their prevention. Asian j plant sci Res, 2015, 5, 47-56.
  6. Foodborne illness and disease. United States Department of Agriculture.

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