In this article, you will learn how long do dried apricots last and how to identify whether it is good or spoiled.
Can dried apricots go bad?
Dried apricots will remain good for about half to a whole year in the refrigerator. The best method is to smell the dried apricots and look. You can discard any of them that have a bad smell or appearance. If you notice molds, discard those dried apricots.
Surprisingly, the industrially canned apricots often have a lot of flavors compared to fresh apricots bought from the market. This is because the apricots remain on the trees for a long time to ripen fully and naturally to develop more and more flavor. The loss in the nutritional value of the fruits during the canning process is minor.
How can you tell if dried apricots are bad?
Following food safety and proper hygiene techniques will help you prevent foodborne illness. You don’t need to run after complex gadgets and protocols to tell whether the subject in question is bad.
Your senses are probably the most reliable instruments to check if your fruit has turned bad. Just sense the changes in color, texture, and aroma of the fruits, and you can quickly figure out which fruits are turning bad.
How do bad apricots look like?
The outer appearance of the bad fruit alters along with its taste. Some traits that mark dried apricots’ spoilage are discoloration or blackening, hardness in texture, or loss of flavor. If you feel a rotten smell, then take care of your fruit as it has gone bad.
There is less chance of formation of the mold with dried fruit than those of fresh fruits. This is because the moisture content has been removed, which is a vital requirement for molds to grow. Anyhow, beware of molds whatsoever, and toss the dried fruits even if a bit of mold is visible as it can potentially damage a lot more of the fruit.
What to do with bad apricots?
If you sense some rotten fruits, immediately take them out from the bulk to not spoil the other ones in the stock. If the spoiling fruit is not worse, you can dip it in lemon juice which keeps it from turning brown. However, they will continue to soften and drown in their own juice soon. So, it cannot be termed a workable solution as it is a temporary one. So, drying and freezing the fruits is the only best option you can go for.
Do apricots go bad if left out?
Any fruit, if not taken care of, goes bad, and apricots are no different. Apricots keep on ripening after we pick them from the tree. If no proper steps are taken for their drying and storage, they can wilt and become inedible eventually.
So, it would help if you kept them at room temperature but away from direct sunlight until the heat renders the dried apricots soft to touch, giving out a pleasant aroma. Once they are ripe, refrigerate apricots to prevent spoilage, but cold temperatures may alter their texture and taste as well.
So, if left out after picking up from trees, apricots keep on rotting and ultimately become unusable.
How to store dried apricots?
If you are trying to dry or can your apricots for future use, be sure that you have chosen a freestone variety for this purpose. Freestone varieties are those whose flesh will conveniently separate from its pit. Most varieties that come in the market are such varieties.
Those apricots dried in the sun are a bit tougher as compared to the dehydrated ones. It would help if you stored the dried apricots in the refrigerator.
One should be very conscious while drying the apricots because small ups and downs in the applied conditions can have long-lasting effects.
So, if you store the apricots at a temperature above 75 Fahrenheit, it may lead to various unwanted things. The fruit will become hard at this temperature.
It will develop a dark color, and, a massive loss of nutrients will take place, which is not a good thing.
While you can store the sealed bags for no more than one month at average room temperature, if you put them in the refrigerator, they may last up to 6 months.
If, in any case, your dried apricots become too stiff and brittle, you can make them soft by soaking in water or also by the steaming process.
How long do dried apricots last?
The best answer to this question depends on the storage conditions and protocols. Properly stored and dried apricots will remain good for about six months to a whole year at average room temperature.
Do you need to refrigerate dried apricots?
In hot and humid environments, you must store the dried apricots in the refrigerator. They will remain well for about six months to a whole year in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them in airtight containers.
If dried apricots are appropriately stored, they will maintain their best quality for about one year to 18 months. But they can remain safe beyond that time limit. The dried apricots, which are frozen constantly at 0°F, will remain safe indefinitely.
How to store dried apricots in the refrigerator?
There are a few instances when you will have to refrigerate your dried apricots. If they are packed, then place them in the freezer. Also, if you do not want to crumble them or if you need large quantities of them, then you need to put the dried apricots in the fridge after packing them.
If your dried apricots become soft and slimy, it means they are going bad. You can then store them in the refrigerator. It is important to keep in mind that dried apricots should remain safe for at least 18 months and longer if they are stored properly.
How long do dried apricots last unrefrigerated?
If you are storing dried apricots for future use, then you must not keep them unrefrigerated as they can go bad. Water in the fruits will start to evaporate at normal temperatures, and this will cause vitiation of your fruit eventually. So, it usually lasts for about two to three months when left out at room temperature.
How long do dried fruit apricots last once opened?
The shelf life of dried apricots is much more than the fresh pieces. In the pantry, dried apricots retain their best quality in a duration of about half a year. Once opened, you can also store them if you want to by tightly sealing them in the refrigerator. In this way, you can retain the quality of the fruit for an additional span of 6 months.
How should dried apricots be used?
There is no rocket science in that. It would help if you washed the dried apricots first as the dealers dry them in the open air where they are dirty. However, some food outlets do the job for you and send you ready-to-eat fruits. I mentioned so on the packaging, you can use the fruit without washing.
Conclusion:
To conclude, foodborne illnesses are caused by eating foods contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. In this article, we learned about the dried apricots. It helped you to understand how to tell if dried apricots are bad, the proper ways of storing dried apricots, and the ideas on how to use them. I hope that this information has been helpful in knowing how to properly prepare and store your dried apricots.
Related Questions:
How long does it take to dry apricots?
In normal conditions, it takes about five months for drying apricots so that they are completely dehydrated. If you want to have the fruit for about three years, then you will have to dehydrate them for a longer period of time. They will remain good for a year or more if they are stored properly in the refrigerator.
If you store them on the floor, then they will get shade and humidity and consequently, may wither sooner than expected. That is why you should store them in the cool cupboards or your refrigerator. Also, avoid drying apricots in direct sunlight as this can speed up the process of spoiling them.
Is it safe to eat dried apricots?
While the dried apricots are safe to consume, there is a possibility of allergy sometimes. You can know if you are susceptible to anaphylaxis by eating them once. If there is no reaction, no need to panic and go ahead and use them in the kitchen.
If you are allergic, then you should discard the dried apricots as soon as possible, or else they may become harmful. On the other hand, you can check for the symptoms of anaphylaxis as mentioned above in case of any doubt.
Can apricots be used in cooking?
Yes, dried apricots can be used to make tasty desserts like cakes, cookies, pies, bread as well as gravy. They are also great additions to salads and smoothies. Dried apricots can add a very unique taste to your salad and soups as well. It can also be added to savory foods like stuffed preparations.
