How long does chili garlic sauce last?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “How long does chili garlic sauce last?”, discuss answers to other related questions like what measure should you adopt to increase the shelf life of chili garlic sauce, and how to tell if chili garlic sauce has gone bad.

How long does chili garlic sauce last?

In the pantry, opened chili garlic sauce lasts for 1 month while it can last for 6-9 months if refrigerated. The increase in the shelf life of the chili garlic sauce, if refrigerated, is because the temperature is maintained at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature help to keep the growth of microorganisms, particularly bacteria, at bay, as their favorable temperature ranges from 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Moreover, the shelf life of chili garlic sauce is also influenced by its basic condiments; cayenne pepper and vinegar. The sustainability of the shelf life of chili garlic sauce is due to the preservative properties of these condiments. You must know that vinegar has a long shelf life and it can even sit in a cabinet at room temperature for years to come without getting stale. Also, the capsaicin in cayenne peppers keeps the growth of microorganisms under control.

Due to these facts, the unopened bottle of chili garlic sauce can last for months in the pantry and years in the fridge. 

What measure should you adopt to increase the shelf life of chili garlic sauce?

Although chili garlic sauce has a good shelf life, deterioration of the best quality over time is a natural phenomenon that you can’t deny. To the least, you can adopt certain measures that may help you increase the shelf life of chili garlic sauce and assure you about the quality of the sauce. These measures include:

  1. Chili garlic sauce can stay good for a month outside the fridge. But it will be better to keep it refrigerated. The refrigeration temperature will keep the sauce chilled and it will remain fresher for a longer time.
  2. The crusty junk on the cap of the chili garlic sauce bottle shortens the shelf life of the sauce by encouraging the growth of microorganisms, including bacteria, by offering them both air and food. So, you should thoroughly rinse the cap of the bottle after using the sauce.
  3. Never dip food directly into the bottle of chili garlic sauce to get your food coated with the sauce. Because it can contaminate the whole batch of the sauce.

How to properly store chili garlic sauce?

The conditions under which you store your chili garlic sauce greatly affect the shelf life of the sauce. To first and foremost thing to consider before you jump to the idea of storing the sauce is to make sure that every utensil that you are going to use like knife, saucepan, lid, and, container, etc. is sterilized. Although the preservatives will help you keep the sauce for longer, the addition of peppers and vegetables to the sauce can limit the safe shelf life of the sauce. So, it is mandatory to thoroughly wash these ingredients before adding them to the sauce. Try to avoid the addition of any kind of salts to the sauce, as the oils can increase the risk of botulinum. Once prepared, keep the sauce in an air-tight bottle. Don’t forget to lower the pH of the sauce as certain bacteria can grow on high pH and spoil the sauce. To decrease the pH you can add some acidic ingredients to the sauce such as lemon extract, lemon juice, or lime.

How to tell if chili garlic sauce has gone bad?

If the hygienic conditions were not maintained during the preparation of the sauce, or if the sauce was not kept under suitable storage conditions, it can easily go bad. Consuming a spoiled chili garlic sauce is not a good idea at all. So, you must know some telltale signs that may help you avoid the consumption of spoiled sauce. The important telltale signs are given below:

Smell

The conduction of sniff test is always helpful in deciding either something has gone bad or not. If you get any bad odor from the sauce, don’t consume such sauce. A bad or off odor is a clear indication of the fact that the sauce has gone bad.

Taste

Tasting a bit of the sauce can also tell you if it has gone bad or not. If you feel any deviation in the taste of the sauce from the original taste, it is better to discard such sauce.

Visual inspection

If you observe some dark spots in the sauce or if there is any mold formation, discard the sauce as it is no more good to be used.

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we answered the question “How long does chili garlic sauce last?”, discussed answers to other related questions like what measures should you adopt to increase the shelf life of chili garlic sauce, and how to tell if chili garlic sauce has gone bad.

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