Vinegar does not expire. Consuming "old" vinegar will not harm you, the way other old food items might, but the flavor and quality will certainly change over extended periods of time. Though there's no expiration, there is a sort of "sweet spot" for vinegar storage, and it varies by the type.
If you're noticing a general cloudiness in your vinegar, that's your signal to buy a new bottle. “When the vinegar starts getting cloudy, or the flavor is off, then oxidation has significantly changed the quality of the product,” explains Regusci.
According to The Vinegar Institute, “vinegar's shelf life is almost indefinite” and due to the high acidity of the product, it is also “self-preserving and does not need refrigeration.” Phew. This infinite shelf life applies to unopened and opened bottles of vinegar of all kinds.
Almost Indefinite Shelf Life
Vinegar is a fermented product and has an “almost indefinite” shelf life according to the Vinegar Institute [1]. “Because of its acid nature, vinegar is self-preserving and does not need refrigeration. White distilled vinegar will remain virtually unchanged over an extended period of time.
Does Vinegar Go Bad? Vinegar is a fermented product to begin with, and the good news is that it has an “almost indefinite” shelf life. According to the Vinegar Institute, “Because of its acid nature, vinegar is self-preserving and does not need refrigeration.
Bacteria that are most common in a wine vinegar fermentation are among the following: Acetobacter Pasteurianus. Acetobacter Aceti. Acetobacter Cervisiae.
And if you get my drift, acetaldehyde in concentration smells a lot like acetone. So the acetone smell is what happens when the reaction to make vinegar isn't completely finished. Many bacteria just make acetaldehyde and then start creating the pungent odor.
If you do end up with a bottle of cloudy, dull, or less acidic vinegar, there is no need to throw it out. Even vinegar past its prime can still be used for cleaning, weed control, a fruit and veggie wash, as a fabric softener, and for egg dying!
When you find a bit of stringy sediment, large or small, in a bottle of vinegar don't fret. In fact — congratulations — you have a mother. A mother of vinegar, that is. Yes, it looks rather grungy and scary, floating on the top of the vinegar like that, but this spongy mass of bacteria is completely harmless.
Once opened and exposed to air, however, harmless “vinegar bacteria” may start to grow. This bacteria causes the formation of a cloudy sediment that is nothing more than harmless cellulose, a complex carbohydrate that does not affect the quality of the vinegar or its flavor.
The only real side effect from leaving vinegar to its own devices is that its acidity will gradually decrease over time, making it less potent. This is why a "best by" date can be found on the bottle, but it's still perfectly fine long past that — it isn't an "expiration date," by any means. Vinegar does not expire.
Vinegar will last indefinitely, thanks to its high acidity. "Things don't like to live in an acidic environment," Teegarden said. Just keep your vinegars in their glass bottles, caps secure, in a dark, cool cupboard.
White vinegar, also sometimes called distilled or spirit vinegar, is clear and apple cider vinegar is brown. Standard white vinegar contains 4 percent to 7 percent acetic acid and 93 percent to 96 percent water. It is made from the fermentation of grain alcohol.
Store the vinegar in a cool, dark place.
You can even put it into the refrigerator. Although vinegar is the product of wine having gone bad, vinegar can also go bad after a while and it tends to lose flavor after it is opened.
The acidity of the vinegar effectively ensures that no bacteria will grow in it. Plus, vinegar is itself a preservative, which negates any need to preserve it by putting it in the fridge. It is recommended, however, that you store it in a cool place away from direct sunlight to keep the quality and flavor.
While refrigeration after opening is required for many pantry staples, it is not necessary for balsamic vinegar. Putting the balsamic vinegar in the fridge can potentially cause condensation to form on the inside of the bottle, diluting the flavor.
While not necessarily appetizing in appearance, mother of vinegar is completely harmless and the surrounding vinegar does not have to be discarded because of it. It can be filtered out using a coffee filter, used to start a bottle of vinegar, or simply ignored.
If you've made vinegar at home — or even if you've gotten a good chunk of mother in a raw vinegar you've purchased — you can use it to easily make a new batch of vinegar just by slipping it into a liquid that already contains alcohol, such as wine, beer, or cider (via Preserve & Pickle).
"Typically, vinegar is best from one to three years after opening or two to five years prior to opening it. In general, the expiration date will be listed as being about two to three years past the estimated purchasing date of the product," says Schapiro.
But when disposing you can simply pour it down the drain. If you want to be extra cautious you could also dilute it with water. Or pour it down your sink and run the tap for a few moments.
“It's a little bit of sediment from the apples themselves, and it's also vinegar mother,” which is a natural by-product of the fermentation process. “The vinegar mother grows over time, and that's usually the swirly stuff that people see at the bottom of the bottle.”
In kidney disease, the kidneys may not be able to break down urea, which the body excretes through urine or sweat. This can have a vinegar-like smell. According to The National Kidney Foundation, over 37 million American adults have kidney disease.
Health note here when a film has severe vinegar syndrome, do not sniff or touch it, as it can be hazardous to your health! Acetic acid and other acidic products associated with film decay can produce contact burns and skin and mucous membrane irritation.
In fact, the only thing vinegar can't seem to do is smell good. Blame the stink on acetic acid, the all-important component that makes vinegar a powerful cleaner. It's indiscriminately aggressive, as quick to attack our nostrils as it is to eliminate dirt and grime.
Mold is a rare, though common problem with making vinegar. In some cases mold can grow on the mother of vinegar and in this case, the batch should be discarded. Preventing mold can be done in several ways. First, make sure your vinegar vessel is covered during fermentation.