How and where to store olives correctly?

In their original packaging, olives are stored for the period specified by their manufacturer. This period can be from one year to several years. On the shelves, olives can be found in cans, glass cans, and economical plastic packaging. After opening any container, the shelf life of olives is significantly reduced.

The nuances of storing olives after opening a can or packaging:

• after opening a tin can or plastic packaging, the olives must be transferred to another container (with the exception of options when olives are sold in glass jars, in this case there is no need to transfer them);
• you can store olives in containers or glass jars (in metal dishes they will oxidize and deteriorate faster);
• keeping olives open and without brine is not worth it (in a day, such olives will begin to wind up and gradually spoil their taste characteristics);
• the brine when storing olives can be replaced with salted water (the liquid must completely cover the olives, otherwise they will also quickly deteriorate);
• the brine can be replaced with vegetable oil (it is better to use a small amount of olive oil);
• olives stuffed with additional ingredients (tuna, shrimp, lemon, etc.) should be eaten as soon as possible after opening the can (such olives are not suitable for long-term storage);
• it is necessary to store olives after opening the package only in the refrigerator (it is not necessary to place an unopened jar in the cold, any cool and darkened conditions will be the best option);
• if you add a few slices of lemon or drops of lemon juice to olives, then they will better retain their juiciness and freshness;
• a small amount of any vegetable oil can be poured over the brine (such protection will stop the oxidation process for a rather impressive period);
• you must not remove the olives from the jar with wet fingers or damp cutlery (otherwise, the water that gets into the brine will accelerate the process of its oxidation, and the olives will quickly deteriorate);
• if a plaque appears on the brine during the storage of olives, then washing them will not get rid of bacteria (if olives have begun to deteriorate, then they cannot be eaten, especially if they contain additional components in the form of fish or seafood);
• dishes in which olives are used as additional ingredients are also not subject to long-term storage (olives may cause the dish to become too sour);
• olives absorb foreign odors well, which affects their taste characteristics and shortens the shelf life (which is why you should not store olives open near smoked food or dishes with rich aromas);
• if homemade pickle or lemon is used in the storage process of olives, then it is important to take into account the ability of green fruits to absorb the taste properties of additional ingredients (if the brine is too salty, and too much lemon is used, the olives may become unsuitable for consumption due to too sour or bitter).

How much olives can be stored

If the can or other packaging in which the olives were purchased is not opened, then they can be stored for the entire period indicated on the label by the manufacturer. After opening the container, you will not be able to store the olives for more than a week. If stored improperly, they will begin to deteriorate within a day, and with the required temperature regime and compliance with all the rules, only after 7 days.

Olives can be stored in homemade brine with water and salt for several weeks. If the liquid becomes cloudy or plaque appears on its surface, then the olives are spoiled and should not be eaten. The fruit should remain intact with a smooth surface. Any visual changes will be a sign of flaw.

The shelf life of pitted olives is slightly longer than without pits. However, the difference in this case will not be too significant. The only exceptions are olives with filling, which are absolutely not recommended to be stored after opening the can. Additional ingredients (especially fish and seafood) will shorten the shelf life of olives, so there is no way to extend it.