So you bought a set of CBD oils, but now you’re worried that you have more than you can actually use. How long will it last? Does CBD oil go bad? Here’s what you need to know.
Unlike honey, CBD oil isn’t eternal. It does go bad eventually. However, it’s a bit complicated because there are three types of CBD extracts: isolates full-spectrum and broad-spectrum, and. For example, full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD contain other botanical ingredients, such as oils and plant waxes. It means they may lose their efficacy faster than the CBD. On the other hand, isolates comprise just pure CBD, so it’s easier to figure out its longevity. In theory, CBD isolate lasts longer than whole-plant extracts, although no study has verified this yet.
You need to be careful when storing and using CBD oil. Many factors, such as air and UV rays, can accelerate oxidation affecting the cannabis oil potency. For instance, you can easily contaminate CBD oil if you let the dropper touch your mouth without cleaning it afterward. This can introduce bacteria into your bottle. You can use a spoon to feed cannabis oil into your mouth to avoid this.
You should store the oil in a cool and dark place, like a pantry with a door or a cabinet. Also, you should protect the bottle from light. For this reason, bottles are made from darker glass as this can help block out light, which contributes to oxidation.
Besides light, CBD oil can be decomposed by contact with oxygen or exposure to heat. This is why a cool place is ideal for storing your oil and making sure that it has been appropriately closed once you’ve opened it.
You usually consume hemp oil through a dropper. You should wash it before putting it back in the bottle to avoid contaminating the oil. Then, simply put the dropper under warm water to clean it. To remove the oil from the dropper, use vegetable oil. Once cleaned, dry it off.
After you open a bottle, you should keep it upright to prevent leakage and keep oil away from the air. If you store it sideways, the air inside the bottle gets more reactive, causing the CBD oil ingredients to break down more quickly.
We know what’s on your mind. My fridge is dark and cool, so my CBD oil will last forever in there! Surely, you can store your CBD oil in the fridge, especially if you live in a particularly hot or humid environment, as it might add to the life of your oil. However, we think that storing it in a cool and dark place should be enough.
A fresh CBD oil can range from earthy and nutty to the taste coming from the carrier oil. You can also notice a bitter kick in the back of your throat but without making your cough. This bitterness is from the fresh extracted CBD oil’s high antioxidant levels. It isn’t a sign of rancidity; it indicates a polyphenol ingredient that benefits our health.
Fresh, good quality CBD oil may taste or smell like any of the following:
If your CBD oil includes essential oils such as lavender or eucalyptus oils, you will taste them. Furthermore, not all carrier oils have flavor. For example, the most common Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil is almost flavorless. However, hemp seed or olive oil is often described as sharp or herby and may not be to your liking. Many CBD users prefer oils with avocado carrier oil because it gives a nutty flavor and is more pleasant than other alternatives.
Before purchasing CBD oil, be sure you are familiar with the ingredients and don’t have an allergic reaction to any of them.
You’ll be able to tell if your CBD oil has gone wrong. Pour out a small amount and sniff it. If it is bad, it will smell like a skunk. If you can’t tell just by smelling, taste a bit without swallowing it. It is no good anymore if it is completely bitter and feels greasy in your mouth.
Also, try to evaluate visual aspects; it may become thick and murky or change the color from rich to pale and dark. Similarly, you can observe changes in texture when the oil feels somewhat granular. These are all red flags that you should stop consuming this CBD oil.
Below is a more detailed explanation of these red flags.
Does your CBD oil have a foul smell? If yes, then it’s likely has gone bad. Instead, CBD oil should smell earthy and not be repelling. Although some people, in general, don’t think it has a pleasant aroma, keep in mind that it shouldn’t smell terrible.
As mentioned earlier, CBD oil has an earthy taste, but it’s far from having an awful flavor. Pure CBD tastes somewhat like grass, and some manufacturers use virgin hemp that gives a shade of nuttiness. Consequently, CBD is characterized by bitterness but within mild levels. Other manufacturers use flavors, so the oil may have expired if you don’t taste these natural flavorings.
If you keep CBD oil in the refrigerator, it might become cloudy. Next, you just need to warm it to room temperature before consumption. However, it is a bad indicator if it looks thick and murky.
Since there are various CBD oils, they may vary in color. For instance, Full Spectrum oil is usually dark gold and even brown. On the other hand, broad Spectrum Oil usually resembles a light golden color. As for CBD Isolate, it should be clear because it is considered the most processed and refined.
CBD oil’s texture also depends on the extraction method. For example, with CO2 extraction, the texture is less botanical and earthy. Contrary, during ethanol extraction, the refinement process isn’t so vigorous. As a result, the produced oils have more botanical texture and resemble a rawer, natural extract.
If you notice a deviation from the initial texture, like the color change, it becomes too thick or has a foggy coating, it means its gone bad.
While the way you store your CBD oil can significantly impact the strength of your oil, the problem might lie in a very obvious reason – CBD oil has expired. The ingredients in the product determine the expiration date. For example, it can depend on the carrier and essential oils added to the CBD extracts to produce the desired dosage.
If your CBD oil looks and smells suspicious, first, you should check the expiration date. Many CBD oils can last from 12 to 24 months from production. But, again, if you don’t store CBD oil properly, the life of the CBD oil can be shorter than what is written on the bottle.
Although CBD oil can expire, it doesn’t become rancid like other organic products. Therefore, consuming expired CBD oil won’t make you sick like eating meat. Yet, it’s likely to lose any potency and antioxidants and can taste weird. If your CBD oil smells funky and the color looks unusual, don’t pass it. It is OK to use it if it smells and looks fine.
Since you don’t know precisely when hemp was harvested and extracted into CBD oil, it’s better to stick to the expiration date as a guide for how long an unopened bottle of CBD oils will stay fresh enough for consumption without developing flaws in flavor and aroma.
On the other hand, CBD oil has a much shorter shelf life once you start using it. When stored properly, opened CBD oil should be used within one to two months because it starts to decompose once exposed to air, light, and heat.
Consider marking your CBD oil bottle with the date once you open it to ensure you use it up in time.
Bottom Line
If you wonder whether CBD oil can go bad, the answer is “yes.” If you store a good-quality oil in the conditions described above, then its shelf-life can last for 24 months. But after you open the bottle, make sure to consume it within 30 or 60 days maximum. So, you can extend the storage life of CBD oil if you keep it in a kitchen cabinet that’s at a distance from the oven and close the bottle tight. Lastly, if you have any doubts, try to smell and taste it; you can easily sense if CBD oil isn’t good anymore.
