---
title: "Does Peanut butter expire? Degrades in quality"
description: "Commercial peanut butter keeps 6-24 months; natural, unstabilised jars go rancid faster and prefer the fridge. What actually changes over time, whether it matters, a"
url: https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/peanut-butter/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Does Peanut butter expire?

**Does Peanut butter expire?: Commercial peanut butter keeps 6-24 months; natural, unstabilised jars go rancid faster and prefer the fridge.**

Commercial unopened: 1-2 years. Opened: 3-6 months. Natural: 1-3 months, refrigerated

Peanut butter is dry and oily, which makes it inhospitable to bacteria — the risk with peanut butter has historically been Salmonella introduced during manufacture, not something that develops in your cupboard. What limits it at home is the oil oxidising, and stabilised commercial products with added hydrogenated fat resist that far longer than natural ones that separate. Oil sitting on top of a natural jar is normal and should be stirred back in. Refrigeration roughly doubles the life of a natural jar at the cost of making it hard to spread.

## How to store it

- Cupboard for commercial jars, fridge for natural ones once opened.
- Stir separated oil back in rather than pouring it off.

## How to tell it has gone

- A sharp, bitter, paint-like taste means rancid.
- Dark, dried-out patches or any mould mean discard the jar.

> "Use by" and "best before" are legally different. Use-by is a safety date and should be respected; best-before is about quality, and food is usually fine well past it. Where the two diverge matters, the page above says which applies.

## Common questions

### Does Peanut butter expire?

Commercial peanut butter keeps 6-24 months; natural, unstabilised jars go rancid faster and prefer the fridge.

### How long does Peanut butter last?

Commercial unopened: 1-2 years. Opened: 3-6 months. Natural: 1-3 months, refrigerated

## Related pages

- [Does Eggs expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/eggs/)
- [Does Medicines expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/medicines/)
- [Does Petrol and diesel expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/petrol/)
- [Does Batteries expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/batteries/)
- [Does Wine expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/wine/)
- [Does Chocolate expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/chocolate/)
- [Does Household bleach expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/bleach/)
- [Does Paint expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/paint/)
- [Does Honey expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/honey/)
- [Does Milk expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/milk/)
- [Does Sunscreen expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/sunscreen/)
- [Does Salt expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/salt/)
- [Does Frozen food expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/frozen-food/)
- [Does Canned food expire?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-expire/canned-food/)

## Sources

- Food Safety and Inspection Service — US Department of Agriculture (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]