Intro:
When it comes to juicing, it’s advised to consume your juice fresh to get maximum nutritional value. However, you may need to store your juice for various reasons. It’s better to know a reserved juice has less nutritional content than a freshly prepared juice. Also, exposure to oxygen can spoil your juice as you store it for longer.
However, preserving juice can save a lot of time if you do it effectively. Following these simple methods and tips, you can increase the shelf life of your freshly pressed juice in no time.
Things You Should Know First Before Storing
There is a popular question about how long you can store your juice without spoiling or other problems. The answer generally depends on these three factors –
- Your juice category
- Type of produce
- Storing condition
You can make your juice using a centrifugal or masticating procedure. With a cold-press juicer, you can store the produce for 24 to 72 hours. In the case of a centrifugal juicer, your produce may not last 24 hours. The centrifugal method of juice extraction propagates faster oxidation and quicker nutrient degradation. Therefore, cold-press juice stays nutritious and healthy for longer compared to masticating juicing.
The kind of produce you are making also affects the shelf life of your juice. For example, citrus juice stays fresh for longer than apple juices as it oxidizes quickly. Citrus fruits are highly acidic and contain vitamin C, which helps slow down deterioration.
The lifespan of your juice is heavily dependent on your storing condition. Your juice will have the shortest shelf life if it’s kept under room temperature and uncovered. Proper refrigeration under suitable conditions indicates a higher store lifetime of your juice.
5 Easy Tips to Store Your Freshly Pressed Juice
- Instead of plastic, go for a glass juice container
The container you are using to store juice is crucial for proper preservation. If you are using plastic to contain your juice, then it will be a mistake. The chemical bond in plastic is not tightly bound. Therefore, the chemicals can easily leach into your produce and make it toxic to your health.
Plastic contains cancer-causing BPA particles and other harmful substances. So, instead of plastic, go for a safe alternative, which is a glass container. You can use a large Mason jar or, buy some small glass jars according to your need.
- Keep it in suitable freezing condition
The average shelf life of your juice in a refrigerator is about three days. Refrigeration helps to avoid bacterial growth. It also ensures slow fermentation expanding the lifetime of your juice.
To further increase the juice life cycle, you can also freeze them. However, freezing can reduce most of the nutritional value of fresh juice.
Here are a few tips in case of freezing –
Before using your frozen juice, defrost it in the refrigerator, and drink it immediately.
Before freezing, leave a bit more space in your juice container as the water expands in frosty conditions.
- Beware about oxidation
It’s the most crucial part, as oxidation can ruin your juice faster than you think. Oxidation is a type of reaction occurring between the nutrient components of your juice and oxygen when exposed to air.
The oxidation starts right after you extract juice from fruits and veggies. It affects the quality of your juice to some extent, like poor taste and discoloration.
However, you can reduce the rate of oxidation by implementing a few simple tricks.
Add citrus fruits like lemon juice before storing. It contains natural antioxidants like vitamin c or citric acid, which fight against the oxidation process.
The air trapped in the space in your juice container can propagate oxidation. So, fill your juice to the brim of the container without leaving any room for air.
You can go further by removing the air from the juice container with the help of a vacuum. Storing your produce in a vacuum-sealed glass container further extends the shelf-life of your juice.
- Use mints to keep your juice fresh for a longer storing period
Mints help to improve the freshness of your preserved juice. It fights odors and prevents microorganisms from destroying the freshness of your produce. So, try some mints to add extra freshness, and that’s all you need.
- Store immediately after juicing
After you finish juicing, start storing it immediately. The longer you leave your juice out, the more nutrients will be oxidized. However, the best practice is to consume your juice fresh or within 48 hours to get the most nutrition values from it.
FAQ
What is cold-pressed juice?
Cold-press juice is prepared with the help of a hydraulic press. This juicing method doesn’t require or generate heat while in operation, unlike centrifugal juicing. Centrifugal juicers use a rotating cutting disk that generates heat, whereas cold-press juicer uses a low RPM or hydraulic press to extract the juice.
Cold-pressed juice is more nutritious and stays fresh for a long time.
What is the right container for storing juice?
The ideal container for storing juice should have these characteristics.
The build material should be 100% BPA-free. Also, airtight storage and a wide mouth are beneficial. Your container needs to be dishwasher safe for ease of cleaning. The storage capacity should be standard.
How can you store juice while traveling?
You can store your juice in an air-tight container with ice. Use a cooler bag to pack the cooler (ice) properly so your juice stays chilled and fresh longer. Don’t forget to fill your container to the brim with juice to lessen the oxidizing effect.
Final Verdict
Juice, unlike fruits and veggies, does not have a long shelf life. However, you can still store it for a long with nutrients intact by applying these simple tricks that we talked about throughout this article.
In quick words, use a proper container, add some antioxidants while juicing, apply ideal preserving temperature, and store immediately after juicing.
However, after storing, if you still notice deterioration or a rotting flavor, discard it immediately.