Yes store-bought hummus can go bad and will last 6 to 7 days once opened, providing you store it correctly. Similarly, homemade hummus can go bad and should be discarded after 3-4 days.
Ok, guys, it’s meze time. Step one cut up some nice vegetables into dippable sticks. Step two, open the hummus. Wait, it is already open! Who did that? And more importantly, how long is hummus good after opening? Fear not, you might still be able to enjoy your meze night. Hummus keeps for a decent amount of time when open. For how long? Well, you are about to find out. Dips at the ready? Let’s go!
How Long is Hummus Good for After Opening?
Store-bought hummus will last between 6 and 7 days after opening, provided it is stored correctly. If you have not stored it in the fridge, we are afraid you are out of luck! The FDA recommends that no fresh food is safe after only 4 hours at room temperature, so we’d avoid eating it if your hummus has been stood for a long time.
At room temperature, any food can start to become a breeding ground for harmful microorganisms that can make you feel really off-color.
Now we know that you said after opening, indicating store-bought hummus. But you might have opted to make your own. In this case, we would say that your hummus will be good for 3 or 4 days.
Why the difference?
For a start, stores inject nitrogen gas into most sealed food to keep it fresher for longer. Secondly, you might notice that the store-bought versions sometimes come with a few preservatives added to extend the shelf life of their products.
What’s in Hummus?
Hummus is actually a really simple recipe, and there isn’t too much in there that goes really bad quickly.
Here are the ingredients for a standard hummus: –
- Chickpeas
- Lemon Juice
- Oil
- Garlic
- Seasoning
How to Store Hummus?
Now, if you were paying attention above, you’ll have already gained a vital clue as to how to store hummus and make it last longer.
The bacteria that make food go bad need two things to thrive and survive. First, it needs a favorable temperature. Room temperature and slightly warmer are what bacteria love. So, you can remove this by keeping your hummus nice and cold.
The best way to do that?
Pop it into the fridge.
The second thing bacteria like is nice fresh air. By storing your hummus in an airtight container, you can also inhibit the growth of those bad bacteria.
Can You Freeze Hummus?
My my, we are planning ahead! The good news is that if you want a delicious bowl of hummus at any time without having to worry about use-by dates or whether or not it has gone bad, then there is a solution.
Freeze it.
Yes you can freeze hummus and it is remarkably, but you need to follow a few of our tips, or it’ll come out of the fridge worse than when it went it.
Allow for Expansion
When liquids and pastes freeze, they expand slightly. Put your hummus in a closable contained, but be sure to leave a little gap at the top to give it room to expand as it freezes.
Cover with Oil
Moisture can be the devil to most frozen foods. Over time it can cause frost damage, where the ice crystals destroy the structure (and quite often the taste) of the food.
Here’s the answer.
Once you have added your hummus to the freezing pot, cover it completely in a thin layer of oil. This will prevent it from drying out in the fridge.
Thaw it Out
You’ll have to plan ahead a little if you are planning on eating frozen hummus. Give it at least a day to thaw out.
Why does it take a day?
Well, you will need to thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter. This will prevent hummus from going bad at room temperature.
Give it a Stir
When you chill or freeze hummus, the ingredients can tend to separate. Nobody likes separated hummus. Be sure to give it a little whizz around with a spoon or chopstick to get all of those tasty ingredients back to their best.
Can Expired Hummus Make You Sick?
You bet it can!
Hummus is similar to many foods. It contains vegetable matter (chickpeas and garlic) for a start. Both of these can go bad given enough time.
With improper storage, hummus can go bad really quite quickly. As a result, bacteria build-up that can cause food poisoning.
If your hummus has expired, don’t take the chance. Throw it away and get a new tub.
Can I Eat Unopened Expired Hummus?
Assuming that you have left your hummus closed, it will generally tend to still be good up to 5 days after the expiry date has passed.
Our advice to you would be to give it a good inspection and look for any signs that it has gone bad.
Signs? Like what? Well, see below and find out!
How Do You Know if Hummus has Gone Bad?
There are some easy-to-spot signs that hummus has gone bad. Look out for these, and if you see them, yeet that hummus into the trash!
Mold
Visually inspect your hummus. Are there little black flecks, blue spots, or green patches? Yup, that’s mold, and it is really very bad for you.
Foul Odor
Have a quick whiff of your hummus. It shouldn’t smell like much. Certainly nothing offensive. If it has an unpleasant or strong odor, then something is amiss.
Discoloration
You want your hummus to be the same color as when you opened it. Any discoloration indicates that it is long past its best and should be discarded.
Bad Taste
Even if none of the above are apparent, it pays not to take the chance if your hummus doesn’t taste as it should. Any fizzy taste or unpleasantness means that you need to stop eating it immediately!
Conclusion
How long is hummus good for after opening? You should get about a week out of it provided that you store it correctly. There isn’t too much in it that will go bad, and if you want to save some, you can even freeze it. What do you eat your hummus with? Let us know in the comments.
