Neither In The Pantry Nor On The Counter — Here's The Best Place To Store Maple Syrup To Extend Its Life

Minimizing food waste is always a good thing. But when you've shelled out for a pricey jug of real maple syrup, getting the most mileage out of it can feel extra important. For the hardiest longevity and quality retention, stash your syrup in the fridge.

Like most natural foods, sap-based maple syrup isn't exempt from the eventual degradation that results from prolonged light, heat, and air exposure (aka oxidation). Over time, the taste, texture, and aroma of the syrup begin to change for the worse. For this reason, maple syrup stored in glass jugs tends to last longer than syrup in plastic bottles because glass is less oxygen-permeable. Maple syrup can also spoil, ferment, or grow mold as it sits at room temperature, especially if exposed to excessive heat (i.e., the bottle is stored near your stovetop, or you live in a warmer climate). At room temperature, opened bottles of syrup can begin degrading within a week or less.

To stave off these quality-eroding factors, the best place to store maple syrup for the long haul is in the fridge. Here, the consistently controlled temperature, protection from light exposure, and limited air contact help keep the syrup good for as long as possible. In the fridge, an opened bottle of maple syrup can last for one year, or up to two years in the freezer. To help foodies protect their bodies and their bottom lines, we've rounded up nine more foods to stop leaving on your kitchen counter.

It's worth noting that unopened bottles of maple syrup are sealed and shelf-stable, so these can be safely stored at room temperature for a year or longer. Just steer clear of direct sunlight exposure (so, not the kitchen counter). Make sure your pantry or cellar isn't excessively moist or warm, too, which is the perfect setting for unwanted mold growth. However, once that bottle has been opened and the seal is broken, it's best to pop it in the fridge.

This attention to detail can be particularly important when it comes to small batch, artisanal, often pricier jugs of maple syrup. Premium, high-quality syrup is the product of nuanced acids and complex sugars, and typically doesn't contain the added preservatives and stabilizers of manufactured table syrup (meaning it can subsequently spoil more quickly). Pro tip: If you have a large plastic jug of real, pure maple syrup, transfer it to multiple, smaller glass bottles to preserve quality and minimize air exposure upon opening and reopening the jug over and over. When in doubt, simply buy a smaller bottle of syrup that you can confidently use up before it goes bad.

Thanks to its naturally high sugar content, maple syrup is a fairly hardy, spoil-resistant product. Still, if you notice an "off" taste or smell, it's probably time to toss it out. Better safe than sorry.