How long is apple cider vinegar good for after opening

There's a lot you can do with a bottle of apple cider vinegar, from recipes to DIY beauty hacks; many would consider ACV a household hero. But if you have a giant jug of the solution, you might be noticing some, uh, changeshappening to the liquid over time, which raises the question: Does apple cider vinegar go bad? And if so, when? Here's what the experts say. 

How ACV ages.

Because of oxidation (aka, every time you twist open the cap and allow some air to creep in), your ACV might be prone to some separation, cloudiness, and possible sedimentation settling at the bottom. Especially if it's been sitting on a shelf for some time, that oxygen can affect some of the acidic preservatives in the vinegar. But as Knudsen remarks, "These are only aesthetic changes, so it is completely safe to continue using that apple cider vinegar."

Whether you add ACV to your smoothie or create a DIY hair rinse, don't be alarmed by any haziness or residue in the bottle: Sure, it might look a little different from when you first snagged it off the grocery store shelf, but it works virtually the same. So allow us to emphasize: Just because your ACV might look a little hazy, doesn't mean it loses its strength—you still want to dilute the solution, especially before applying it to your skin, as the vinegar alone can cause irritation.

Even though the efficacy doesn't change, there's one caveat here: Melissa Mitri, M.S., RDN, registered dietitian and founder of Melissa Mitri Nutrition LLC, explains that those little shifts in acidic preservatives can make your ACV taste a little more acidic. "There is no risk to consuming it, but it may alter the taste of your recipes," she says. Ever made an ACV salad dressing that tasted a little too vinegary, even though you mastered the ratio months before? It's probably because of those slight changes in quality. That doesn't mean it's necessarily "bad," per se, but if you find you don't like the slight change in taste, feel free to toss the bottle. 

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How to store it.

You might be thinking: Will stashing my ACV in the fridge improve its shelf life? It might feel intuitive to chill the solution, but unless you like your vinegar served cold, storing in the fridge isn't necessary. (Remember: Apple cider vinegar doesn't have a shelf life, so storing in the fridge does next to nothing.) It won't really affect the quality, either, as the aging will still occur once it's exposed to oxygen. 

Rather, both Knudsen and Mitri recommend storing the bottle in a cool, dry, dark area—like, say, in the pantry or kitchen cabinet. To delay the aging process, just remember to screw on the top tightly after each use, as any air that sneaks in can alter the appearance over time. 

The takeaway. 

Because ACV is "self-preserving," it technically doesn't expire. There might be some aesthetic changes, but the solution itself is safe to consume or apply, well, forever—just remember to always dilute the vinegar before using. If you simply don't like how your apple cider vinegar ages (it's natural, but we understand if it raises some eyebrows), you can always just snag a new bottle after the FDA-recommended expiration date. No harm in adding another to your ACV supply.   

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