bokes

What i mean by "healthy" are those nut butters that aren't made with semi-hydrogenated oils.
Do any of you healthy eaters know how long a jar will last in your panniers without refrigeration? I've heard that roasted nut butters last longer than raw ones, so lets assume they're roasted. thanks in advance

NoReg

Can't help you with that. We don't refridgerate out PB at home, and it's healthy stuff, doesn't seem to present a problem. I doubt I would carry such an item on a trip, given the weight, unless I was plowing through it at a reasonable rate, like a 1/4 jar a day or faster, in which care it's durability wouldn't mater. Also not sure what happens when it goes bad. Many things go bad without presenting a particular health hazard.

TheBrick

I don't know if the peanutbutter over here is made diffrent but have never put it in the fridge, neither has my mother. I buy big jars and so it tends to last a month or so, but I eat the suff at my parents help which is bearly touched between my visits so it must be up to a 6 -12 months old. I have never had any problems with from eating it. Thats all I can say.

jjvw

I've been eating real peanut butter for a few years now and have never refrigerated it. I'll eat through it in 2-3 weeks with no noticable ill effects. The same seems to hold true for cashew butter as well. I've only bought roasted, though. Especially for the cashews. The worst that ever happens is that the oil begins to separate again.

markf

The label on my Safeway organic peanut butter says to refrigerate after opening, who am I to argue. I wouldn't tour with it in hot weather for that reason, but in an area with cool/cold nights I would let it get cool over night and pack it deep in the panniers where it would stay cool through the day. I also wouldn't carry any bigger a container than necesary, and try to eat through it before too long.

GTcommuter

What about little individual serving peanut butter packets? Is there a place to get those easily (free)? I'm sure they're packed with preservatives and hydrogenated oils, but they would be a nice backup.

Roughstuff

I carry Teddy all natural SUPERCHUNK and have had no problem, although on hot days it sure gets runny on its way out of the jar. I eat the stuff so quickly I don't think it has time to spoil. Remember to have some with a glass of milk or dairy product to act as complementary protein!

roughstuff

NeezyDeezy

I use the organic peanut butter with the skin included. I wouldn't try to keep it very long without refrigeration... Maybe not even more than 3-4 days.

erikasberg

I had the Trader Joes PB non-refrigirated for at least a couple of weeks and did not have any problems at all..God I miss Trader Joes..You guys don´t know how lucky you are.

HardyWeinberg

We have a half-gallon jug of peanut-only PB, it doesn't get refrigerated at all. Lasts until it's gone. It doesn't get hot either, mind you (<80F at all times; can't swear that would be bad but you never know until you try I guess).

edit: Do need to stir the oil back in periodically.

lmzimmer

The peanut butter made with hydrogenated oils (regular kind) is designed not to separate so the oil doesn't float to the top. Refrigeration also inhibits this (the oil gets too thick to float up). I use a natural peanut butter at home and do not refrigerate, a jar usually lasts 8-10 days without problems . Usually only have to stir well the first time it is opened, evidently the separation occurs gradulay when in storage.

FlowerBlossom

I also refrigerate my peanut butter to keep the oil separating.

Any oil can go rancid (oxidize), and how fast it happens depends on the oil and how it's stored.

Peanut butter is a monosaturated faty acid, thus, is less likely to become oxidized than polyunsaturated fats, which are chemically simpler fatty acid chains, and include fats such as sunflower or safflower oils (and most of the fat in whole wheat flour). Saturated fats are the most complex of the fatty acids, thus, relatively less likely to go rancid.

Sun and heat increases the chemical reaction with oxygen, as does salt. Given this information, unsalted peanut butter will last longer than salted, and, unsalted peanut butter stored in a light-free environ will last even longer, relatively speaking.

If you want more information, check out this article:
https://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...93/ai_15714527

In my experience, 4 weeks on a tour is probably ok. If it gets to taste rancid (to me, the taste is bitter), it won't kill you, it will just taste nasty. Mold, however, is another matter.

P.S. Also, in my experience, warm/hot peanut butter leaks no matter what the storage container is. Wrap the container in a plastic bag (zip style best, if possible). You'll save yourself some washing, and then some. There's nothing more irritating than trying to wash peanut oil from clothes (and inside panniers) while touring.

antoniog

There is a mold that grows on peanuts that can make you really sick. I know this from working in a Thai resto for many years. I live in Florida, don't use A/C and leave PB out for three weeks. As mentioned, the biggest issue is that oil seperates from the rest of the stuff. I'm planning on taking PB (I only use the kind that is just peanuts) on the trip.
I plan on bringing a plastic jar so I can dump it in. Because in the South, it seems like most real PB comes in glass containers.

imafencer

Not exactly free, but minimus biz will sell you individually packed anything. Here's for PB: https://www.minimus.biz/detail.aspx?ID=7490

I've never ordered and can't comment, but I've read that others have been satisfied with them.

Ken Brown

Other brands say refrigerate to prevent separation. We never refrigerate at home and a jar often lasts more than a month with no health or taste problems.

slowjoe66

We eat tons of that Adams all natural pb and we never refrigerate. When it gets warm you may have to stir it, but it still tastes great. You could go a long time before it goes rancid I think.

kevink159

We buy peanut butter by the 5 gallon bucket, it lasts at least a month and we don't refridgerate. The only thing in there is peanuts, why would they go "bad" just because they got ground up? I really believe the labels on food products are more to make comsumers feel good about anything than actual healh info. An example is putting peanut butter in the fridge. If you put it in the fridge, you are doing something. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Therefore, put said label on and and the consumers will feel like they accomplished something.

jjvw

There is also the liability issue in case one should become ill from PB+J. They can say you didn't refrigerate it, it's not our fault! Also, there is the Big Peanut Butter consiracy to get us to throw away our "bad" peanut butter before it is necessary, so we will buy more delicious fresh peanut butter. Planned obsolescence anyone?