You can tell if olive oil is bad by its smell and taste: it develops a rancid, waxy (like crayons or Play-Doh), stale, or fishy odor, and tastes bitter, sour, or flat instead of fresh, fruity, or peppery. Look for a "best by" date, ideally within 18-24 months of bottling, but rely mostly on your senses to detect spoilage, as bad oil harms flavor but isn't usually dangerous.
If it smells like something waxy, it has likely gone rancid. Taste → Take a small sip. Olive oil should taste fresh, peppery, or slightly bitter in a pleasant way. If it tastes flat, stale, or even greasy, that is a clear sign it is no longer suitable for cooking.
Olive oil does expire. It typically lasts up to 18 months if unopened and up to 6 months after being opened. Using expired olive oil won't make you sick, but it may taste a little off. Expired olive oil also has fewer antioxidants than fresh olive oil.
Color - While color varies by type, olive oil should be golden-green to golden-yellow. Cloudiness, sediment, or separation all signal spoilage, especially if combined with bad smell or taste.
You need to smell and taste it to determine that. Olive oil that has gone bad will not have the fresh, fruity smell typical of olive oil. Instead, it will smell waxy, similar to crayons or Elmer's glue.
Real Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Best Way to Know it's REAL
Can you use olive oil 3 years out of date?
Is it Dangerous to consume expired Olive Oil? Don't worry; consuming expired Oil will not be bad for your health and won't make you ill or unwell; it just won't taste very nice and will leave your meals with a funny aftertaste.
If it does not have a harvest date listed on the bottle, do a smell and taste test to see if the olive oil has gone bad. If it smells like putty or glue, then do not cook with it. If it smells okay, then give it a taste. If it tastes rancid or bitter, then you should throw out the bottle.
While rancid oil may taste bad, it doesn't normally make you sick, at least not in the short term. Rancid oil does contain free radicals that might increase your risk of developing diseases such as cancer or heart disease down the road.
Refrigeration is best for long-term storage of all olive oils except premium extra-virgin ones. Consider keeping a small amount of olive oil in a sealed container at room temperature in your kitchen. This way, your olive oil is instantly ready to use.
Like any other food, it degrades over time, affecting its flavor, color, and nutritional benefits. In general, unopened olive oil can last between 18 and 24 months from its packaging date if stored under proper conditions.
Oils behave differently when heated which makes some of them unsuitable for frying. Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is packed with antioxidants and beneficial compounds but its low smoke point means it is better for salad dressings or drizzling over food rather than deep frying.
Like any natural product, its flavor and quality fade with time. Understanding the shelf life of olive oil helps you make the most of every bottle. An unopened bottle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil can last 12 to 18 months after its harvest date. Once opened, you have 3 to 6 months before oxidation takes over.
So how can you tell if your oil is rancid? Use your nose! If it smells good (vegetal, fruity, citrus), it's probably still good. On the other hand, if your oil smells unpleasant, there's no reason to put it in your dishes.
Dr. Michael Mosley promotes olive oil, especially extra virgin, for significant health benefits like reducing heart disease markers, lowering inflammation, and improving memory, suggesting a daily intake of about two tablespoons (30ml) can protect the brain, boost heart health, and help combat chronic conditions linked to inflammation, with studies showing EVOO improves brain connectivity and reduces cardiovascular risks.
Cooking oil that's been in storage for about one to two months can turn foul and potentially contaminate your food, exacerbating your risk of food poisoning.
What happens if you drink a spoonful of olive oil every night?
Studies indicate that having olive oil in the evening can aid overnight metabolism. Its anti-inflammatory properties may help the body relax, while the monounsaturated fats contribute to steady blood sugar levels during sleep.
Consuming rancid oil isn't dangerous to your health; however, it does not contain the health benefits you'd find in quality extra virgin olive oil. Oxidation naturally occurs in our bodies, and the antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil can help protect against certain diseases and even aging.
How to Use Expired Olive Oil. If you have oil that has gone bad, do not use it for cooking or eating. But don't throw it out yet. Expired product can be used for household purposes such as lubricating tools, removing labels and other sticky items, and polishing certain surfaces and materials.
Start by examining the aroma – fresh olive oil should have a pleasant, fruity scent. If it smells musty, moldy, or resembles cooking oil that has been reused, it is likely rancid. Next, visually inspect the oil. Fresh olive oil should appear clear and golden, while spoiled oil may have a cloudy or murky appearance.
Olive oil needs to reach a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit to become solid and when it solidifies in the sink it might clog up pipes. Even as a liquid, olive oil coats the pipes, making them slick and sticky. It can cause the pipes to capture other debris as it accumulates which might cause a blockage.
Rancid oils won't give you a foodborne illness, but they have links to long-term health problems like atherosclerosis, heart disease, cancers, allergies, and others. They can also affect nutrient levels by causing digestive distress.
