ShelfLife
Does maple syrup go bad?
Unopened pure maple syrup keeps about 4 years in a glass bottle and 2 years in plastic. Once opened, it must go in the fridge: in glass it keeps indefinitely, in plastic 18 to 24 months. Pancake syrup keeps about 1 year unopened and 6 months in the fridge once opened.
| Food | Fridge | Pantry |
|---|---|---|
| Pure maple syrup, glass bottle | Indefinitely | 4 years |
| Pure maple syrup, plastic bottle | 18–24 months | 2 years |
| Pancake syrup | —Opened: 6 months | 1 yearfrom purchase |
Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.
How to tell if maple syrup has gone bad
- Mold on the surface or around the cap. Pure maple syrup has less sugar than honey, so it can grow mold once opened if it's not refrigerated.
- A fermented, sour or alcoholic smell, or bubbles.
- Sugar crystals at the bottom aren't spoilage: they dissolve when gently warmed.
How to store maple syrup
- Keep unopened bottles in a cool, dark cupboard.
- Refrigerate pure maple syrup as soon as it's opened.
- Wipe the neck of the bottle before closing it.
- Pancake syrup made from corn syrup is less prone to mold, but the fridge still keeps it best.
Can you freeze maple syrup?
Yes, and it stays pourable thanks to its sugar. Freezing in a sealed container is a good option for large jugs. Leave room for expansion.
Questions
Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated?
Pure maple syrup does once opened: without the cold, it can grow mold. Unopened bottles keep in the pantry.
Can you remove mold from maple syrup?
Some sources describe skimming the mold and boiling the syrup, but mold can produce toxins. The safe choice is to throw it out.
Why is my maple syrup crystallized?
Some of the sugar has crystallized, often in older syrup. Warm the bottle gently in hot water to dissolve the crystals.
Add syrups and pantry staples to ShelfLife with the date you opened them.
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Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.