What is the shelf life of your beans?

by | Nov 15, 2011 | FAQ

Randall Beans are shelf stable and remain wholesome if the seal of the jar is not broken. After 12 months, the taste may begin to degrade. Once opened, Randall Beans may be stored up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

More about shelf life:

Randall beans are some of the very few food products that the US FDA certifies as being “commercially sterile” (ie as sterile as, say, surgical instruments).  This is due to the production process:  The beans are placed in jars, the jars are seal with caps, and the sealed jars are heated to a high enough temperature so that all microbes are killed.  So as long as the jar’s seal is not broken, Randall beans are microbe-free, and hence have an indefinite shelf life.  The flavor degrades somewhat over time, but they are always safe to eat.  So Randall beans last virtually forever.

But there are two additional factors you might want to keep in mind:
First, while Randall Beans remain safe to eat indefinitely, the flavor  does degrade somewhat over time.  If you have a jar of Randall beans that are more than a year old, we recommend that you discard it.
Second, rarely but sometimes, the cap on the jar can become unsealed while sitting in your pantry, especially if the jar is more than a couple of years old.  You will know that the seal in broken because the beans will both look and smell bad.  Again, if you have a jar of Randall beans that are more than a year old, we recommend that you discard it.