Mayonnaise is a very popular condiment in the fast food industry but also has its place in your fridge as a dressing or sauce. You’ve noticed that the mayo in your fridge already has gone a few weeks past the printed date it has on it. Is it still good? Does mayonnaise go bad?
Mayonnaise is often compared with other sauces like ketchup but is not the same as it is made from other ingredients like eggs. Each sauce has its own properties, so does mayonnaise.
In this article, we will cover all you need to know about mayonnaise: its shelf-life, how to store it properly, and spoilage.
Enjoy the read!
How Long Can Mayonnaise Last
Mayonnaise will always have a printed date on it, indicating its quality and thus how long it will likely remain fresh. If stored properly, it can last for some period after this date.
Since there are so many different mayonnaise out there, we’ll have to give very general guidelines. As always, trust your senses, along with our guidelines covered down below.
There is a lot of mayonnaise available from producers: Heinz, Hellmann, Kraft, Blue Plate, and many many more.
We’d say that storebought mayonnaise should be good up to 2 months after its best-by date. Longer is possible but as there are eggs in the product, we don’t advise this.
You can of course also make mayo yourself at home, following a simple recipe.
Mayonnaise Bought At The Store
Mayonnaise bought at the store can be bought in both unrefrigerated sections and refrigerated sections. The rule is to where you’ve bought them, you store them (if the mayonnaise remains unopened that is).
Unrefrigerated mayonnaise and refrigerated mayonnaise will last longer because it is processed.
We mean with “processed”, that some of the ingredients are pasteurized like the eggs. There are of course also some additives added to prolong their shelf-life and protect them better from external threats.
Mayonnaise that is bought in the unrefrigerated section and remains unopened will remain good for up to 4 months past the best-by date if stored correctly in the pantry. This means safe from heat sources, in a dark and cool place, and sealed tight.
Mayonnaise that is opened, be it unrefrigerated or refrigerated, will remain good for up to 2 months past the best-by date. This is a general rule for oils and sauces.
Mayonnaise made at home
When it comes to mayonnaise made it home with simple ingredients and fresh raw eggs won’t last as long because the eggs aren’t pasteurized. Always store this mayonnaise in the fridge and seal it thoroughly, preferably by putting it in a small airtight container. It will remain good for up to 1 week (7 days) after you’ve made it.
Remember that these estimates are indicative and general advice. You must always check for signs if your mayo is spoiled or not. These estimates are estimates because the mayo still needs to be stored correctly.
If the period is longer, it doesn’t necessarily mean your mayo is too bad, it just means you shouldn’t expect the same quality of taste when you should eat it.
How To Store Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise will most likely be sold in tubes, squeeze bottles, or in glass containers for households. Plastic is also possible but more for businesses.
The rules for storing mayo correctly are quite simple: avoid contact with direct sunlight and heat sources and store them in a dark and cool place.
Unrefrigerated mayonnaise should be stored in the pantry or cupboard, away from direct sunlight and heat sources if unopened. Placing it directly in the fridge might be an even better habit.
From the moment you open it, place it in the fridge, or it will spoil faster.
Refrigerated mayonnaise stays where it belongs, in the refrigerator.
The rule is, once you open it, always in the fridge. Don’t let it sit out for a long time at room temperature. Store everything where mayo is used away and sealed tight in the fridge.
Homemade mayonnaise should always be stored in the refrigerator and finished within the week.
Can You Freeze Mayonnaise
Yes, sure. But why should you freeze mayonnaise?
You can freeze almost anything and save it for a longer time. Freezing also means you’ll have to thaw the mayonnaise. Thawing can be risky as it will affect the texture.
We simply don’t advise you to do this as it can separate the oils and eggs.
If you still decide to freeze it, do it thoroughly:
- Put it in a freezer bag, or 2 plastic bags (squeeze the air out of it), or put it in an airtight container.
- Label the package with the correct date and time.
- When you want to thaw it, let it rest in the fridge for one night
- Stir everything up.
- It won’t have the same consistency, texture, and taste as it had before.
We simply don’t advise freezing mayonnaise, just think about it. Do you know a lot of recipes where that say you can use frozen mayonnaise instead of fresh mayonnaise? That’s why they’ll always use fresh mayonnaise and not frozen.
On GoodOrGoneBad, we don’t want you to take unnecessary risks, freezing your mayo and thawing them are for us extra unnecessary risks.
How Can You Tell If Mayonnaise Has Gone Bad
Mayonnaise can go bad fairly fast if you don’t watch out.
You’d be surprised how many people don’t use a separate spoon when they’re eating together.
Think about eating your fries with your fork, eating and adding some extra mayonnaise to your fries, and then in some other sauce like ketchup. Not many realize the consequences of what they’re doing.
Checking when mayonnaise has gone bad is not that difficult.
- Does the mayonnaise have another (darker) color? If yes, get rid of it. Don’t bother removing the darker parts.
- Are there any black spots on/in the container? This can be a sign of mold. Discard it immediately.
- Does the mayonnaise have a sharp smell? If you smell something funny or unpleasant, discard it immediately.
- How is the taste? Does it taste odd or unpleasant? Please get rid of it.
Always use your senses and intuition when it comes to making this call whether you should discard it away or not. On GoodOrGoneBad, we always say that it’s better to be safe, and thus when there’s doubt, discard it without regrets.
Enjoy your mayonnaise!