Can natiral peanut butter 'go bad?'

thatsright

Diamond Member
May 1, 2001
3,004
3
81
I haave a jar of teddys natural PB in my car for emergency snaking. It is smooth, unsalted variety. With the naturak oils it would limit bacteria growth, right?
 

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
Look on the label for a date for usage, if it's been stored in a hot car for months might want to pass..
 

schneiderguy

Lifer
Jun 26, 2006
10,801
91
91

sheep.gif
 

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
6,175
3
0
WTF are Americans referring to when they talk about "natural" peanut butter? As opposed to what? Peanut butter here is simply peanuts mashed with maybe a couple of other ingredients depending on brand - sugar, salt, oil.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
WTF are Americans referring to when they talk about "natural" peanut butter? As opposed to what? Peanut butter here is simply peanuts mashed with maybe a couple of other ingredients depending on brand - sugar, salt, oil.

we are NOT refering to this

jif-peanut-butter.jpg
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
What do you mean "go"? It is bad and you need half a gallon of water to down one spoon full.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
WTF are Americans referring to when they talk about "natural" peanut butter? As opposed to what? Peanut butter here is simply peanuts mashed with maybe a couple of other ingredients depending on brand - sugar, salt, oil.

Most super-market peanut butter has unnecessary oils added, more sugar than necessary, and some other ingredients whose purpose is unknown, though like for "flavor enhancement."

Natural brands, even Jif Natural, typically have more peanuts, and if not, at least have less added oil, so the majority of the oil is unsaturated.

Which means it is more likely to go "bad" than regular peanut butter. Why? Because unsaturated fat cannot be maintained forever, it will go rancid. Without something to stabilize the mixture, and extra preservatives, some brands go even further and make a mixture that requires refrigeration if one wishes to keep it around awhile.

Yes, some peanut butters require refrigeration. Those ones are the truest of peanut butters, in one way.. because those ones are closest to taking a heaping pile of peanuts and mashing them into a paste.

As for danger if eating bad peanut butter. Well hell, I have no idea. Basic rules of fats means it is likely to get rancid if left in a hot environment for long (mass-market peanut butter can last a long time even after opening though, so I'm not entirely sure here...), so the flavor might change for the worse, but I can't say much about health safety on peanut butter. I don't really know.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
What do you mean "go"? It is bad and you need half a gallon of water to down one spoon full.

are you saying peanut butter is bad, or one specific brand?

Peanut butter is actually an amazingly healthy source of nutrition. If one actually knows anything about real human nutritional needs, of course.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,641
17,660
126
op you can still use it as you intended, anal lube. Just don't lick it clean afterwards.
 

fatpat268

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2006
5,853
0
71
Why would you have peanut butter in your car for snacking? You're better off putting a couple of granola bars in there or something. They'll probably go stale after a while, but they'll still be good.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
I buy natural peanut butter and the package says it has about a 3 month shelf life.
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,839
10,598
147
WTF are Americans referring to when they talk about "natural" peanut butter? As opposed to what? Peanut butter here is simply peanuts mashed with maybe a couple of other ingredients depending on brand - sugar, salt, oil.

Natural peanut butter is just that, peanut butter with NOTHING ELSE unless it also contains salt, in which case it will say so on the label.

But for years and years and years, the only thing most Americans knew as peanut butter and the only thing available in most supermarkets contained liberal amounts of other crap.

They still do:

Most commercial peanut butter contains about 10% shoddy ingredients including dextrose, corn syrup solids, emulsifiers, hydrogenated vegetable oils and salt.
Sounds exactly like the crap you're crowing about there, Sparky.

Sadly, because of this, many Americans, like some in this thread, think this crap is peanut butter, and are so inured to it that they don't like REAL peanut butter.

This is analogous to the masturbatory virgin who thinks beating off is real sex, and whose sticky, calloused hands flutter in alarm at the thought of actual intercourse with another human being.

Sad, but all too apt for OT. ;)
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,839
10,598
147
Check expiration date.

OP, the expiration date is always wildly conservative, and is no true guide at all. They just don't want lawsuits.

It's so bad, even the brain dead noticed, so they have mostly changed "expiration dates"to "sell by dates."

Natural peanut butter will naturally separate into oil and solids, with the oil rising to the top. This does not indicate it's bad, just stir it up and enjoy.

The way you can best determine if it's bad is by smell and taste. At some point, the separated oil will become rancid. Smelling or tasting it will not kill or even harm you, and you'll know!

Otherwise, and in all but the most extreme situations of heat and non-protection (closed container), your PB will last far beyond any date stamped on it.
 

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
There may be a "Best if used by" date on the package, and you should go with that. That’s different from the "sell by" date, which is for the unopened package.

Once open it will go rancid, but storage times vary. It can be as little as three months, or as long as a year, depending on brand and the batch of peanuts used and lot of other things.

You’ll know when peanut butter has gone off by sniffing it. It’ll have an acrid smell. Not just "funny", but clearly and obviously wrong. It would be bitter if you taste it, but you won’t want to after you sniff it

Sources: University of Georgia Extension Service: https://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/pubs/fdns/FDNS-E-30a.pdf
 

Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
13,430
13
81
Yeah, it can go rancid. Best eaten before expiration date. If it's in a plastic container, I wouldn't keep it in a hot car and eat it. The plastics offgas nasty stuff and even if it isn't bad for you (and it probably is), it makes the food taste bad.
 

Newbian

Lifer
Aug 24, 2008
24,779
882
126
Sadly, because of this, many Americans, like some in this thread, think this crap is peanut butter, and are so inured to it that they don't like REAL peanut butter.

Natural peanut butter is nasty and tastes horrible so that's why it seems most prefer the stuff that tastes good.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
car? bad

heat is always bad for food lifespan, peanut butter doesn't need refrigeration mostly because it doesn't last long enough in the average pantry to go bad. from what i've read it will go bad.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,709
6,266
126
A jar of peanut butter shouldn't last more than a month. If your's does, you're doing it wrong. :colbert: