How long will corn meal last

However, be cautious when removing cornmeal from the freezer: moisture will start to form in the bag. The pockets of moisture can cause the cornmeal to get moldy very quickly. Storing cornmeal in air-tight containers such as mason jars or good plastic containers will help increase shelf life. The container will prevent oxygenation and also help keep pests out moths particularly love cornmeal. Cornmeal can even last several years like this so long as the temperature and humidity are low.

Be sure to keep the containers away from sources of heat like water heaters or stoves. Note that pest eggs are sometimes already in the cornmeal when you buy it.

Learn more about how to prevent pantry pests. The oxygen absorbers are little packets of iron that grab onto oxygen molecules. When you up an OA in a sealed, air-tight container, it creates an oxygen-free storage environment. You can use oxygen absorbers in mason jars or even some food-grade buckets. However, Mylar bags are generally considered to be most reliable for long-term food storage.

Read more about how to pack food in Mylar bags and how to use oxygen absorbers here. Most bacteria cannot survive without oxygen. Botulism is an exception. It survives in oxygen-free environments. I mention this because corn kernels and cornmeal are often very moist. When stored in an air-tight container with oxygen absorbers, it could cause botulism. A few Primal Survivor readers have even written saying that they saw signs of botulism in their bags of whole corn kernels though not cornmeal : the bags were puffy and bulging.

Do remember, though, that whole-grain naturally contains flecks of black and gray from the germ. That means a glass jar or a ceramic container. Cornmeal will go bad quickly if it has contact with air.

Store whole-grain cornmeal just like you would degerminated, but be aware that keeping it somewhere airtight and cool is even more important. An unopened bag of degerminated cornmeal should be fine for up to a year after the date printed on it. Yes, you can freeze cornmeal. Use frozen cornmeal as you would room-temp or refrigerated cornmeal after a few hours out of the freezer.

Germinated cornmeal is more confusing. It loses quality, and will simply make more tasteless food. When cornmeal is stored incorrectly it could get damp or even become a bug-palace. This is usually pretty obvious when it happens. You probably know you can make cornbread with fine-milled yellow or white cornmeal. You can also make muffins, cakes and even pancakes with cornmeal. Serve it with roasted veg, meat ragu or sauteed greens and eggs.

Another unusual cornmeal cooking hack is to make a crispy, crunchy coating for meat, fish or even some vegetables. Your email address will not be published. To maximize the shelf life of regular cornmeal once the package is opened, transfer cornmeal to a covered airtight container or place original cornmeal bag in a resealable plastic freezer bag. Is regular cornmeal safe to use after the "expiration" date on the package?

Yes, provided it is properly stored and the package is undamaged - commercially packaged cornmeal will typically carry a " Best By," "Best if Used By," "Best Before", or "Best When Used By" date but this is not a safety date, it is the manufacturer's estimate of how long the cornmeal will remain at peak quality.

Storage time shown is for best quality only - after that, the regular cornmeal's texture, color or flavor may change, but in most cases, it will still be safe to consume if it has been stored properly, the package is undamaged, and there are no signs of spoilage see below.

Can you keep regular cornmeal in the fridge or freezer? Yes, to further extend the shelf life of cornmeal, refrigerate or freeze it; place the cornmeal inside covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. How long does regular cornmeal last in the fridge?