Who doesn’t want to enjoy a sip of fresh juice after a long tiring day at work? Removing all the weariness, a lively flavorsome glass of juice energizes you instantly. But, I’m pretty sure you’re concerned about whether your fresh juice is okay to consume or not!
The exact answer for How Long Does Fresh Juice Last In The Fridge is 24 to 48 hours, but it depends on different types of juice.
Worry not! This might’ve happened to most of the juice lovers reading this article right away. That’s exactly why you are over here. In 2019-20, approximately 532,000 metric tons of orange juice were consumed domestically in the USA. That’s incredible, huh?
With that many people drinking the juice, it’s not a wonder you’re looking for exact explanations about how long fresh juice lasts in the fridge. I got you!
Well, you might also be thinking what if I consume the juice whenever I wish if kept in the fridge. Don’t ya hurry my friend!
Give a close read to the article first before you take a swig so you may get to know how long your fresh juice lasts in the fridge and what to check out to know if it’s gone bad.
So, without further ado, let’s dig deeper into it!
For Short Time Readers
How Long Does Fresh Juice Last In The Fridge?
Imagine, you’ve got more leftover juice and you can’t consume it all within one day, what should you do then? Of course, you will want to store it in the fridge for later so you can drink some on your way to work the following day, right?
Well, fresh juice lasts up to 2-3 days if you store it properly, depending on how you preserve your juice, what you’re juicing or the quality of ingredients, and what type of juicer you’re using.
Simply put, the juice from centrifugal Juicers will last around 24 hours. But if you use a masticating (cold press) juicer, your juice will survive around 48 hours. And, if you use a Twin Gear Juicer like the Greenstar Elite, your juice will stay fresh for around 4 to 5 days.
Remember, fresh juice remains stable only for around 4 hours at room temperature before starting to go bad, so drinking it immediately to enjoy optimal taste and freshness is the best option.
How Long Does Fresh Juice Last In a Mason Jar?
We all know glass jars are a popular way of storing fresh juice, but maybe you’re wondering if it will make the juice last longer. Well, mason jars are way better to store your creation than plastic bottles.
Because glass doesn’t carry toxins like low-quality plastic containers. Plus, a mason jar has a rubber seal to fix the lid and keep out harmful oxygen, making a mason jar perfect for storing your juice.
Masticating Juicers vs Centrifugal Juicers: Which One Should You Use?
The type of juicer you choose makes the difference in how long your juice will last.
Lots of avid juicers use the two most popular types of juicers such as centrifugal and masticating, for effective juicing. But, each juicer has a distinct mechanism affecting the shelf life and the quality of the juice.
The juicing blades of a centrifugal juicer spin so fast that they can suck plenty of air into the machine. Plus, they generate heat and cause oxidation in your juice, leading the juice to go bad more quickly.
Centrifugal juicer is great for faster juicing, particularly for those who are on the go all the time. Though it’s best to drink the juice instantly, the juice from this juicer type can last for around 24 hours.
Whereas, Masticating juicers, function otherwise. As the RPM of the auger is low, they don’t produce heat as centrifugal juicers do. That’s why they can maintain the best quality, nutritional value, and flavor of your juice. Thus it helps the juice last for a long time.
Some expensive masticating juicers, such as twin gear juicers having two augers, execute this more effectively.
So if you do want to increase the lifespan of your juice, you’d better pick up a masticating juicer straight away.
8 Effective Tips For Keeping Your Juice Fresh Longer:
To maximize the shelf life of your juice, follow these simple steps:
Minimize oxidation in your juice.
Preventing oxidation is the key to knowing how long your juice will sit around fresh and provide all the nutritional value. First off, to minimize oxidation you should use a good quality juicer.
If your goal is to store your juice for longer, a masticating juicer is an ideal choice. And once you’ve finished juicing, bottle it up right away.
Several types of containers are ideal for preserving juice, such as:
- Glass bottles.
- Stainless steel bottles.
- Glass jars.
- Insulated Thermos Style containers (Suitable for Travelling).
Let’s get to know about how to store your juice in glass jars:
- Wash off and dry all jars out, at least a couple of hours ahead of making juice, if possible.
- Place the dry jars into the fridge to pre-chill, helping the juice adapt to a cold temperature a bit quicker.
- Pour the juice into the jar and fill it up to the brim to minimize oxidation and air. To prevent your juice from losing its freshness and nutritional content, make sure to fill up your glass container to the top.
- Vacuum seal your juice. Because vacuum removes oxygen and keeps harmful bacteria from growing up. Thus it extends the shelf life of your juice. Though vacuum sealing the juice is optional, it’s well worth it.
2. Store the juice in the fridge:
Store your fresh fruit juice in the fridge as cold as possible without freezing it. The temperature may ideally be around 35F to 38F.
To gain this perfect temperature, keep the juice in the cold zones in your fridge. These zones can produce around 38F and they are the ideal place for an extended shelf life of your juice.
3. Reduce opening and closing stored juice:
Another key trick is to maximize the lifespan of your juice. Once opened, the juice is exposed to air and light immediately. And the temperature starts to increase and oxidation begins. So the more you open and close the container, the faster your juice starts to go bad.
4. Organic produce:
Yes, you can extend the lifespan of your juice by using fresh or organic produce because they are chock-full of nutrients. Though all juices go bad almost the same.
5. Store the juice immediately after juicing:
After juicing it is highly recommended to pour the juice into the storage bottles and keep it in the refrigerator immediately.
Don’t keep your juice exposed for a long time and also make sure the lid of the glass jar is tightly closed before you put it in the fridge.
6. Use airtight glass containers:
Plastic containers may be another option to preserve your juice, however, they are not shut tight. They usually contain harmful chemicals as well.
Hence, preserving your juice in a glass jar is way better as it’s airtight. Since these glass jars keep the lid tightly sealed, they minimize the risk of the oxidation process, leading to bacterial growth.
7. The type of juicer you use:
In general, two types of juicers are available in the market: centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers. These juicers have different rates of oxidation in the juice.
Masticating juicers are better while juicing because they produce low oxidation. They rotate slowly but extract large amounts of juices from the same amount of elements.
8. Freeze it:
Last but not the least, an infallible way for your juice’s longer-lasting freshness is to freeze it.
Preserving your juice in the freezer, you can drink it for up to around 6 months. But the freezing process can make your juice less nutritional over time. So try to avoid freezing your juice.
What Is Oxidation?
Oxidation is the heat released by the juicer during juicing which reduces the nutritional quality of the juice. Simply put, this is the process causing your fruits and veggies in the juice to rot while coming in contact with oxygen.
The longer your juice stays exposed, the more oxidation occurs.
Does Juice Go Bad In The Fridge?
Fresh juice is highly perishable and begins to lose nutrients right away if not stored properly. Though various things contribute to this, the main reason your juices go bad is due to oxidation.
Oxidation occurs while juicing because it breaks the cell wall and uncovers your fruit and veggies in the air. You will by no means be able to juice without causing oxidation.
Typically, the most reliable tools to figure out whether or not your juice’s gone bad are your eyes and nose, aren’t they? Some common characteristics of bad juice are a strong sour smell, the color change, and lastly the growth of mold (That’s too late, throw it away).
That’s why it’s strongly recommended to drink the juice immediately. The fresher it is, the more nutrients will be available. Once freshness starts decreasing, bad bacteria start increasing.
How Long Can I Keep Homemade Juice In The Fridge?
To make sure you’re safe, it’s best to drink your juice straight away or within 24 hours of its being in the freezer. However, if you follow the above procedures to extend your juice’s lifespan, you can enhance its lifespan up to 72 hours total.
But, your juice will lose most of its freshness and nutrients gradually if you store it any more than this. Therefore, it’s not the right option if you wish to consume the best quality juice.
How Do You Preserve Fresh Juice?
Store fruit juice or vegetable juice in a tightly closed, dark-colored container for minimal exposure to light and oxygen.
For long-term storage, you can freeze your juice in your freezer. Raw fruit or vegetable juice will sit around well in your freezer for about 2 to 3 months. Pasteurization is also recommended for the extension of shelf life.
How Do You Slow Down The Oxidation Process?
Step 1
First off, Add some fiber to your juice. The more fiber you put in your juice, the longer it lasts in the fridge. Because fiber helps slow down the oxidation process.
Step 2
Add some citric acid. Vitamin C is found in lots of citrus fruits and it acts as a fantastic natural preservative. So the next time you make juice, squeeze some lemon, or orange juice into your raw juice to power up your juice. That’s yummy!
Step 3
Though adding natural citrus into your juice won’t extend the shelf life that much, you may store your finished juice a couple of days more!
Step 4
Use an airtight container. The next time you store your juice in a container, make sure you fill it up to the brim to minimize the air inside.
Final Words:
Okay, now that, hopefully, you’ve known more about this question “how long does fresh juice last in the fridge”? As we said earlier, it depends on what you juice, what type of juicer you use, and how you preserve your juice.
In a nutshell, your fresh juice will last between 24 hours and 72 hours, depending on the juicer used while juicing. Do you want to know about Papaya juice lasting time?
But it’s already been mentioned several times that the best way to get the most out of your fresh juice is to consume it immediately, right after juicing.
But, if you do want your juice to last fresh as long as possible, then choose the organic produce, use a low-press juicer, and keep your juice in the fridge in an air-sealed, glass container.
And, did I miss anything in this article, do let me know in the comment box below so I can update the article. Happy Juicing! Thanks!
