You bought a lot of fruit last week and now you’ve some pineapples left. How long does pineapple last before it goes bad?
You can do a lot of great things with some leftover pineapples but you still need to know if they’re good for further use. That is why looking for spoilage signs can come in handy.
In this article, we will cover all you need to know about pineapple, its shelf life, how to store it, and what signs of spoilage it can have.
Enjoy the read!
What Is A Pineapple
A pineapple is a tropical fruit that contains a lot of vitamin C, minerals, and antioxidants.
It is grown in Central and South America, regions known for their tropical and warm climates.
Pineapples are known for their sweet flavor and unique look. They can be used in a wide range of recipes, eaten raw, squeezed for pineapple juice, and so on…
How Long Can Pineapple Last
We will start this paragraph with an easy table for your convenience:
Pineapple | Pantry | Refrigerator |
---|---|---|
Uncut (whole) | Up to 3 days | Up to 1 week (7 days) |
Cut | / | Up to 5 days |
Canned | Best-by date +up to 6 months | / |
We’re talking about fruit here and as you might already know, fruits aren’t made to last very long and should be consumed in a respectable timeframe.
We always say that it is best to consume the fruit within the first 2 days after you’ve bought it, just because you will get the most quality out of it.
In the summer, we all want to taste great and refreshing pineapple juice right?
You’ll see that we will talk about 3 types of pineapples:
- Uncut and thus a whole pineapple
- Cut pineapple
- Canned pineapple
How Long Does Uncut Whole Pineapple Last
A whole pineapple comes in the same “pack” as it has matured for about 2 years, don’t be fooled though, this doesn’t mean that it will last for a long time, on the contrary!
A whole pineapple can last for up to 3 days when stored at room temperature or up to 1 week (7 days) when stored in the refrigerator.
How Long Does Cut Pineapple Last
From the moment you cut the pineapple, you’re making it more vulnerable to classic external threats like heat, odors, air, sunlight, and so on.
This means we need to be thoughtful about this fruit. When you’ve some leftovers, store them in an airtight container or wrap them in a bag or 2 bags (double-bagging them).
Storing them sealed tight in the fridge should keep them good for up 5 days to 7 days (1 week). This range from 1 week might be in most cases too long.
Thus, as we’ve said before, try to finish them in 2 days.
You can use them for a quick smoothie.
You can also prolong the shelf life of your pineapple and other fruit by submerging them in syrup, but again, this won’t give you the best quality so try to manage your fruits and finish them within the first 2 days if possible.
How Long Does Canned Pineapple Last
Canned foods are canned to extend their shelf life. The pineapple can last for a few months, up to 6, past the best-by date.
You might know that canned goods still are good, but don’t taste that great compared to their uncanned counterparts if eaten within the first 2 days.
Canned pineapple can be great for a lot of dishes, I like them in a quick smoothie or along with my croques (Croque monsieur) on Friday. The syrup where the pineapple is submerged tastes sweet and good also.
So, the above estimates and ranges are just that, estimates and ranges, because it depends on how they were stored properly or not. Some canned pineapple can even still be good after a few years, but try to avoid this, just to be sure.
How To Store Pineapple
When it comes to storing pineapples, you can increase the shelf life by selecting the right ones from the store or market.
For your convenience, we will cover this in the section below because they’re related to the signs of spoilage.
When you buy pineapples, you can buy them in the unrefrigerated section or in the refrigerated section of the store.
How To Store Unrefrigerated Pineapple (Whole)
When you’ve bought unrefrigerated pineapples in the store, you should consider storing them directly in your refrigerator, because they will spoil fast if you don’t do this.
Sure, you can leave them in the pantry, but you should only do this if you will consume them within the first 2 days, not only for the quality of taste but also because the fruit is very perishable and will go bad fast if you don’t watch out.
Store them in the refrigerator in a separate container, built-in in most fridges.
From the moment you cut the pineapple into pieces, you need to store the leftovers in the fridge, don’t let them sit out at room temperature but refrigerate those pieces, sealed tight in an airtight container.
How To Store Refrigerated Pineapple
You can refrigerate whole pineapples and pieces of pineapple. It’s always best to store fruit into the refrigerator, even if you’ve bought it in the unrefrigerated section.
You can even extend the shelf life of pineapples further, by letting them rest in syrup, just like when they’re canned.
How To Store Canned Pineapple
Canned fruits and foods can be stored in the pantry, a dark and cool place where external threats like heat, sunlight, and so on, can’t thrive.
Remember, when opened or cut, you should try to finish them within a day or two.
If you still want to let them last longer, you can always opt for freezing the pineapple(s).
Can You Freeze Pineapple
Yes, you can always opt for freezing your pineapple(s). But as always, we say: should you?
We on GoodOrGoneBad say that the freezing capacity isn’t endless and you need to think about what you can freeze and for how long.
Freezing pineapples will prolong their shelf life, but also reduce the possibilities of what you can do with them.
Try to do the following when you’re about to freeze your pineapples:
- Divide them into single-serve portions
- Pack them in 1 or 2 plastic bags (double-bagging them)
- Label the bags or containers with the correct date and time of freezing.
- Place the pieces into the freezer
When you’re about to use your frozen pineapples, let them thaw and rest in the refrigerator.
Another great way is squeezing your pineapples for fresh pineapple juice and freezing them in simple ice cubes. This way, you can enjoy a healthy and refreshing drink in the summer by putting some of the cubes into your glass of water.
How Can You Tell If Pineapple Has Gone Bad
Before we go deeper into the signs of spoilage, we will talk about how you can buy the best pineapples in the store or marketplace, so you’ll have a good start with the pineapples and enjoy them for a longer time if stored in the right way of course.
What Pineapples Should I Buy At The Store
When buying pineapples, you can make it yourself easier and enjoy this great fruit, full a bit longer by using the following tips:
- The pineapple should have green leaves, if they look different or off, that’s a bad sign.
- No softer spots
- No bruises or cuts or anything like this. Of course, the bruise could be from falling down.
That’s about it. The color of the leaves should be great, from the moment your leaves have some other color, look for another bag. Of course, you could try to negotiate and aim for a lower price, but that’s not something we will talk about here.
How To Tell If Pineapple Has Gone Bad
Detecting spoilage signs of your pineapple starts by trusting your senses and developing your senses and intuition. Luckily, for pineapples, it isn’t all that hard, as with most foods and fruits out there.
Use the following guidelines when it comes to pineapples on checking whether they’ve gone bad or not:
- Are the leaves of the pineapple not that green anymore? This indicates that it isn’t that fresh anymore. This alone might not be enough to discard it, don’t expect fresh pineapple juice from it.
- Do the pineapples have colored dots? This is a sign it has suffered some things and could already be bad. However small colored spots can also be caused by falling down. Are there a lot of them? Simply discard them. Be aware of mold!
- Look and touch the pineapple. Does it feel soft? Is it dried out? Then the best is gone and the rest should be discarded.
- Do the pineapples have a weird smell? If you smell something funny or unpleasant, discard it away. A nice smell is an indication of freshness and quality, as it should be.
- How is the taste? The last step is the taste. Go and apply the previous steps. Just be honest with yourself, when the pineapple doesn’t taste like pineapple, I’d discard it.
It is always up to you to decide if you’ll eat or use a pineapple that isn’t at its best anymore. The taste won’t be bad but that doesn’t mean you should’ve eaten it. We on GoodOrGoneBad always say to not take any risks. You can easily buy a new and fresh pineapple and avoid the risks that can affect your health and well-being.
Enjoy your Pineapple!