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Storing Coconut Oil

Coconut oil
The preservation of this natural product depends on the method of obtaining the oil:

Refined - obtained by hot pressing the soft contents (milk) of coconut palm fruits, has a transparent consistency, the aroma is weak or absent. The product is cleaned from solid impurities; you can simply store it in a cool place - a closet or refrigerator.
Unrefined - obtained by first cold pressing in small quantities, and therefore the product costs several times more than refined. This oil has a beautiful golden hue and a bright, pleasant smell of fresh coconut pulp. You can see small pieces of coconut shavings in it. Its beneficial qualities are immeasurably higher: it is used to moisturize the skin of the body and face, contains vitamins and acids necessary for the restoration and rejuvenation of the skin.

Advice! You need to purchase oil in small quantities. The beneficial properties depend on the degree of freshness of the product; the old one won't do much good.

Storage rules

How and where should it be stored? The rules that must be followed when storing coconut oil are quite mild:

The oil can be stored at room temperature or colder, such as on a refrigerator shelf. At temperatures above 25°C it begins to melt and acquires a liquid consistency. At lower temperatures it hardens. The benefits and qualities of the oil do not change. Coconut oil is negatively affected by exposure to higher temperatures, for example, when heated from direct sunlight. The ideal temperature would be between 4 and 25°C.

It is impossible to store oil at lower temperatures, for example, in the freezer, since freezing has a detrimental effect on its valuable qualities.

Depending on the container the coconut oil is in, once opened it can be poured into a tinted glass bottle. This technique can be applied to oil purchased by weight or made at home. To reduce the likelihood of air ingress, it is advisable to use a tight stopper, since screw caps can allow air to pass through.
Desirable air humidity is no more than 60%.
Container - a glass bottle, factory ampoule or capsule.
Storing coconut oil in metal or plastic containers will spoil the product.

In order for the beneficial properties to fully manifest themselves, you need to ensure that the opened product remains fresh. Recommendations to help you properly store cold-pressed coconut oil:

If the jar does not close well, you need to pour the oil into another container. It is better to choose thick plastic or glass;
The product should not be exposed to direct ultraviolet rays. It should be placed in a separate place in the closet;
Recommended temperature is 5-25 degrees. Do not refreeze it or store it in rooms with very high temperatures and humidity levels;
Don't try to extend the shelf life. If you put the oil in the freezer, then if stored for a long time in such conditions, it will lose its properties;
To prevent rancidity and oxidation, carefully close the lid of the container containing the product.

You should decide on a place where it will be safe to store coconut oil after opening:

a well-closing cabinet in the bathroom;
a small table away from the window;
shelf in the kitchen or closet;
fridge.

You should not purchase natural products in large quantities. So you may not have time to use it before the expiration date expires. The best option would be to buy some fresh oil - it is much safer.

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When purchasing coconut oil in ampoules and capsules, there is a risk of purchasing a low-quality product or a counterfeit. To prevent this, the capsule should be broken. In a natural product, the liquid will have a slight golden tint or transparent. If it is bright yellow, then such fat cannot be used.

You should not throw away the cardboard pack, because it protects from ultraviolet rays. The question often arises whether coconut oil capsules can be stored in the refrigerator. Not necessary unless the shelf life is nearing the end (three months before). The packaging can be left in the closet or medicine cabinet. After opening the ampoule, you should use it immediately; the shelf life of coconut oil in this form is no more than 12 hours.

It is best to purchase the product in a small, convenient container.

Where and how to store coconut oil

You need to purchase oil in small quantities.
Safety depends on many factors:

storage temperatures;
water vapor content in the air;
degree of illumination;
packaging tightness.

The oil product is produced by various manufacturers, the possible storage periods are different (if the sealed packaging is not damaged - up to four years).

Important! The shelf life of the oil in an opened package is approximately one year.

What container to store coconut oil in?

After opening the sealed container, you should decide how and when this product will be used, choose the method and place of storage.

If a person expects that this product will be used in several ways (for cooking, for cosmetic purposes, for caring for an animal), then you can divide the oil into several different containers or jars and store them where it will be used.

Unrefined oil contains more nutrients, but has a significantly shorter shelf life than hot-pressed oil.

It could be a closed kitchen shelf, a cabinet in the bathroom, a bedside table in the hallway or bedroom. The ideal container for a high-quality product would be dark glass or porcelain with a screw-on or tight-fitting lid.

Temperature

The hardness of coconut oil depends on the ambient temperature: at temperatures above +25 degrees it becomes liquid and fluid, at +10...+25 - jelly-like with a white tint, at temperatures below +10 degrees it resembles frozen fat of white or cream color.

For regular daily use, it is best to store it at a higher temperature : this will be convenient for use.

The permissible temperature ranges from +5 to +25 , and the number of degrees is not as important as the absence of differences and fluctuations. It is temperature fluctuations that lead to premature spoilage.

For regular daily use, it is best to store it at a higher temperature

It is quite acceptable to store the product in the refrigerator. When using, you need to separate the required amount from the main mass, put the container back in the refrigerator, and knead the used part and warm it in your hands for a couple of minutes before use.

You can soften the entire contents of the jar in order to transfer the oil into another container by holding it under hot water for a while.

Important! Cold cosmetics should not be removed from the container by hand. The required volume is separated with a clean and dry spoon, and the jar is immediately closed.

Humidity

The high content of water vapor in the air contributes to oil spoilage, especially in hot weather or with constant temperature changes.

Even with an airtight lid, you should not leave an oil product, for example, in a bathroom cabinet, if you do not intend to use it completely for a short time.

Attention! Opening the lid in a humid environment contributes to the colonization of the surface of the product with pathogenic microflora.

Effect of light

One of the conditions for long-term storage is the absence of light. To prevent coconut oil from becoming rancid and oxidizing, it must be stored in the dark.

The sun's rays directly hitting the product have a particularly harmful effect.

Advice! Do not leave the oil in the sun or in a brightly lit room, even for a short period.

After opening the package

After opening the sealed package, the product begins to be exposed to the destructive effects of the environment; water vapor, bright light, and air containing bacteria become dangerous for it.

Therefore, it is best to put it in a dry, dark and cool place, always under a tightly closed lid. If the correct storage conditions are observed, the product will remain of high quality for a long time.

Can coconut oil be used after the expiration date?

The expiration date does not change when the package is opened.

Only the storage conditions of the product matter. Coconut oil is obtained in two ways:

Hot spin.
Cold pressed.

Using hot pressing, refined oil is obtained, which is stored for a year or more from the date of production.
The second method is to obtain unrefined oil. It is healthier and can be stored for up to six months.
Edible oil can also be stored for six months. If you store it in a glass container away from light, this product will be less susceptible to rancidity.

If it has gone rancid or has run out of SG, it should never be eaten as it can be harmful to health. This product contains:

aldehydes;
ketones;
acids;
free radicals (very harmful substances that damage your health).

It can only be used for technical purposes or thrown away.

So, to summarize all of the above: coconut oil can be used for food, beauty and health. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator door, in the dark, at a relative humidity of no more than 60%. Refined is stored for 1 year, unrefined and edible for 6 months.

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It increases its firmness and elasticity.

Consuming coconut oil helps in weight loss.
There are no special contraindications for its use, but if you are individually intolerant, you should avoid it.

Coconut oil should be purchased from trusted sellers: in large stores, pharmacies, and at specially designated points.
When vacationing in countries where coconut grows, you should not buy coconut oil from street vendors who specialize in selling national souvenirs, as well as this oil, packaged in eye-catching, beautiful containers. Most often, the price is set for the container, and the quality of the oil may be far from the standard.
When purchasing, you should pay attention to the color of the oil. It can be light, almost transparent, or have a light yellow straw tint. This depends on the method of its production, since coconut oil is produced by cold pressing (pressing) or hot.

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After thermal and chemical treatment, almost no valuable components remain in it. This oil is used in soap making and confectionery production.

It is stored for a long time and requires the same storage conditions as the familiar vegetable oil that is used for frying. We will talk about natural unrefined coconut oil, which requires not only special storage conditions, but also special containers and temperature conditions. Its shelf life may vary depending on which country it came from.

Unrefined oil, in turn, is light, almost transparent, with a light golden hue, a pleasant coconut aroma and delicate taste. Coconut oil can be hot or cold pressed.

The first method allows you to get more juice, but with the loss of a certain amount of useful substances. Most often, this oil is used in cooking for heat treatment of dishes. Cold pressing is a gentle method; it allows you to preserve the maximum benefits of the product.

This oil is ideal for salad dressings and side dishes.

In cosmetology, coconut oil is included in all kinds of products for skin and hair: creams, tonics, masks, scrubs. It is suitable for all skin types, hypoallergenic, absorbs perfectly without clogging pores, soothes irritated areas, and relieves dryness. Smoothing out small expression wrinkles, it refreshes the skin and slows down the aging process. It is recommended to apply the product to small wounds for healing.

When taken orally for therapeutic and preventive purposes, coconut oil can solve many problems. First of all, it is a general tonic that can support the immune system, which is especially important during the season of viral diseases. For those who watch their figure, it will be interesting to know that coconut oil speeds up metabolism, helping to fight excess weight.

How to tell if coconut oil has gone bad

It is very easy to determine the safety and suitability of oil for consumption: you need to pay attention to the appearance and smell.

If the liquid has acquired a whitish tint or a moldy film is clearly visible , the product is spoiled. It cannot be used in this case.

If the oil is stored at temperatures close to zero degrees and has a thick consistency, then the aroma becomes a guideline for determining spoilage.

An unpleasant musty or rancid smell indicates spoilage and is a bad sign.

Such a product must be thrown away, since it is almost impossible for a non-specialist to determine the degree of spoilage, but you can easily harm yourself by using a spoiled product.