Cannabidiol, often known as CBD, has a shelf life just like most edible goods. It’s also difficult to pinpoint the precise length of that shelf life, as it is with the majority of the foods, beverages, and medications we consume. Consider milk. The taste normally lasts for days or even weeks after the expiration date, however occasionally it begins to become sour before that time. Can we influence something to extend its duration?
We are unable to pinpoint the precise date that a bottle of CBD oil will expire due to some of the same characteristics that make it difficult to anticipate how a bottle of milk will age. Can CBD oil spoil? And if it occurs, how can we put off that day so that we can keep our CBD for as long as we can?
How long is CBD effective?
It’s important to distinguish between the duration of CBD in your body and the duration of CBD oil. Today, we’re interested in finding out how long the potency and flavor of CBD products endure either through storage or regular use. And what’s this? It’s difficult.
Does CBD oil have a shelf life?
Almost all products that can lose their potency, flavor, or quality have some sort of printed date on the package to let consumers know when that might happen. It typically has an expiration date (or expiry in Canada and the U.K.). On the label, it may indicate “best by.” Some products have a “sell by” date, while others just identify the date of manufacture and allow you decide when to cease using the product. Some have a combination that includes the expiration date and the production date.
These “best by” or expiration dates are merely educated assumptions. Although no studies testing the effectiveness of CBD as it matures have been published, common sense suggests that it likely loses some potency as it ages and is exposed to the environment. How much strength is gradually lost? Although no one can say for sure, it is generally accepted that CBD products only perform at their peak for one to two years.
Related: What’s the difference between CBD oil and CBD capsules?
Can CBD oil spoil?
The most common way to create CBD products is to combine it with a carrier ingredient that gives it shape or structure. Most CBD oil tinctures, CBD creams, and topical CBD treatments, as well as CBD sweets and consumables, employ oils. Almost all CBD vape juice uses propylene glycol and glycerin (even if it’s wrongly termed oil), whereas only a few tinctures use alcohol as a base and solvent. In general, the base liquid is probably more susceptible to deterioration than the CBD itself.
Oils can get rancid when the fatty acids oxidize, however that rarely happens in CBD products. For instance, coconut oil starts to degrade after 18 months. Although tinctures prepared by infusing alcohol with oil are likely to last longer than those made with oil, some people find them to be unpleasant since they taste quite medicinal. Like other e-liquid, CBD vape juice is unlikely to “go bad” to the point where it becomes unusable, but some flavorings in e-juice can become stale, and sweeteners (if used) can clog coils and wicks as they thicken and deteriorate with time.
The process used to extract CBD from the hemp or marijuana plant determines how much organic material is left in each CBD product. As very no original plant material remains in the majority of commercial CBD products today (especially those created with CBD isolate), degradation brought on by rotting hemp fragments is typically not a problem.
How can you know whether CBD is tainted or outdated?
The good news is that your CBD will likely be consumed long before it starts to lose its effectiveness or deteriorate. To noticeably degrade in less than a year, you would have to handle CBD products quite carelessly. Additionally, there are a few techniques to determine if your CBD is still safe to use.
If you’re being extremely cautious, just rely on the printed expiration date and throw away the CBD before there’s any question. You’ll likely become aware if CBD stops functioning as intended if you take it to treat a certain disease. Finally, the flavor will let you know when to throw away goods that you eat, drink, or inhale. It’s done if it has a musty or faintly rotting flavor.
How to keep CBD oil fresh and prolong its shelf life
There are a few easy ways to keep CBD products fresh for customers who wish to maximize the lifespan of their CBD products. Even while we are unsure of the precise duration for which CBD will retain its full therapeutic potency, using excellent storage techniques will help your CBD last longer.
Avoid air, light, and heat.
Keep your CBD as far away from the elements as you can, first and foremost. Both the carrier base and the cannabidiol in CBD products are degraded by heat, light, and oxygen. You don’t need to have a CBD obsession. Just keep in mind to:
- Keep CBD products in a cold, dark area, such as a basement or pantry.
- Avoid light, especially direct sunshine, and humidity.
- When not in use, keep tops and lids tightly closed.
- Throw something away if it tastes or smells terrible.
Any CBD product will age more quickly if left on a table in a bright area, close to a stove, or in a vehicle. Avoid those circumstances because that is the complete opposite of what you want to do!
If you purchase a range of CBD products to have more options, try to store the oldest ones near the front of the shelf and pay attention to the expiration dates.
How long will CBD be effective?
The majority of CBD users believe that correct handling and storage techniques will extend CBD’s shelf life from the manufacturer’s suggested one year to two years. Anything beyond that is debatable.
Some individuals believe that cooling down CBD oil tinctures or e-juice will extend its shelf life. If you try that, keep in mind that cold temperatures cause the various elements in the oil and e-liquid to separate, so you must carefully thaw the cold liquid and shake it vigorously before using it. To hasten the procedure, avoid heating the liquid. The adversary of CBD and e-liquid products is always heat.
For hemp or marijuana flower that contains CBD, avoid refrigeration as well. The trichomes, which are oil glands containing CBD, break off as it gets cold, lessening the potency of the flower. High-CBD hemp strain flower keeps well in a tight container stored in a dim location. If you plan to keep it for longer than a few weeks, think about using a Boveda humidity-control packet. Throw away your cannabis flower if you notice anything that resembles mold developing on it.
The majority of users consume CBD before it has a chance to go bad, to sum it up. Your CBD is likely to maintain its freshness and potency for roughly two years if you take care to store it away from heat, light, and air—and pay attention to the dates on the bottles and packaging.
