Does CBD Oil Go Bad?
Does CBD Oil Go Bad?
When you buy CBD, you might be concerned about how long it’ll last. For some of you, your favorite CBD oil may be gone before you can even think about preserving it. But, for others, stocking up on your CBD oils may be the best way to get the most bang for your buck, and you never have to worry about running out and waiting for a new delivery. Doing this, though, can be stressful if you’re not sure how long of a shelf life your products have.
Thus, brings us to the age-old question: does CBD oil go bad? And, if it does go bad, how do you prevent it from expiring quicker than you need? To answer all of your questions about CBD oil’s shelf life and expiration, we’ve taken a deep dive into how CBD goes bad, how to preserve it, and just how long you have before it’s no longer your favorite CBD oil.
The Shelf Life of CBD
Let’s start with the shelf life of CBD. Before buying your CBD in bulk, you want to ensure that your CBD products aren’t going to go bad before you even get to them. In general, with proper storage procedures and careful handling, you can keep your CBD fresh for close to a year. As a whole, CBD oils are safe to be left on the shelf for months at a time without experiencing much change whatsoever.
However, several atmospheric factors and mishandling of products can easily influence the composition of your CBD, changing it from a fresh, incorporated oil into a separated, less potent product. Over time, as your CBD gets exposed to environmental factors, certain cannabinoids within the extract can actually change composition, transforming from one type of cannabinoid to something completely different.
CBD Degradation
Too much heat, for example, can cause some cannabinoids to decarboxylate or degrade over time. This causes non-psychoactive cannabinoids like THCA to transform and become THC, the psychoactive form. On that same note, if you have any THC in your CBD oils, over time, the THC will degrade and eventually change to CBN, a significantly less potent cannabinoid.
Along with losing potency, you can tell that your CBD has gone bad typically from its smell or composition. The texture of your CBD oil will start to separate and look much less cohesive than when you first bought it. It also won’t smell nearly as fragrant as it once did. If your CBD oil once smelled and tasted floral, if it’s stored for too long, these terpenes will degrade and no longer produce the flavor profiles it used to.
So, long story short, CBD oil does expire. Just like most of the things the Earth produces, over time, CBD oil will change and become a less potent, less tasty product than it did the day you bought it. But, there are various steps you can take to keep your oils preserved for as long as you need.
Tips on Keeping Your CBD Preserved
If you’re careful enough, there’s a chance that you can keep your CBD oil fresh for up to two years if needed. When it comes to keeping your CBD preserved, you need to keep in mind three main factors: temperature, moisture, and light.
Temperature
To keep your CBD oil tasting and acting its best, it must be stored at room temperature. Extreme temperatures--whether too hot or too cold--can degrade cannabinoids and terpenes, directly affecting the potency of your CBD oil. Storing it at tepid room temperatures, though, ensures that these phytochemicals stay preserved and acting as they were meant to.
Moisture
When it comes to moisture, avoid it. Excess moisture can cause adverse effects to your CBD oil, raising the risk of bacteria growth. The more bacteria that grows in your CBD oil, the worse it becomes for you. It also opens it up to the possibility of mold growing and spreading within your products, which will ruin it completely.
Mold-infested CBD is, clearly, something that must be avoided, so always store your CBD in dry places that aren’t exposed to moisture fluctuations in the air. We suggest keeping your CBD in drawers or cabinets that aren’t in kitchens or bathrooms, nor where they are around other products that can produce mold, like food.
Light
Finally, it’s crucial to avoid harsh lighting when storing your CBD. Similar to temperature, too bright of lights can also degrade your CBD oils’ cannabinoids and terpenes, affecting the potency of your product. It is always recommended to store your CBD in dark places that aren’t exposed to frequent light changes.
Many people assume that refrigerators or freezers are good for this, but these super cold temperatures can significantly affect your oil’s composition. Even though they’re in the dark most of the time, the temperatures can still ruin your oils. This is why we suggest, once again, places like cabinets or drawers where the only time they’re exposed to light is when they’re opened.
In general, we recommend designating one cabinet or shelf in your house to your CBD oils and keep a close eye on their composition over time. As long as you’re not actively exposing them to extreme temperatures, tons of moisture, and harsh lighting--as well as keeping them in sealed, opaque packages--your favorite CBD oil should stay safe for consumption for weeks, even months on end.
Conserving Your CBD Oil
Your CBD oil is special and deserves to be treated as such. When you take all the proper steps to ensure that your CBD oils are safe and sound from crazy atmospheric changes, you’ll likely be able to enjoy your TerVita products for longer than you’d expect. But, don’t feel like you have to stock up if you don’t want to!
If you’d rather just buy one product at a time, you can utilize our CBD subscription services where we automatically ship you your ideal CBD favorites at the same time every 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. This way, you don’t have to remember to purchase your products and you don’t have to worry about your CBD going bad by stocking up on too many oils.
But, regardless of how you choose to purchase or conserve your CBD oils, always remember those three factors: temperature, moisture, and light. When you do this, you’ll be able to keep your CBD oils preserved, potent, and delicious for (practically) as long as you need.