Does barley go bad? Are you confused about the barley you store, usually when you buy a large quantity of barley, we have to know how to store it or how to extend its life. Barley is the same as other foods, at first it tastes good and then over time, barley will experience a decrease in quality including taste will decrease.
So, the sooner you use the barley, the tastier it will be and the better the quality will be. So, if you care about the taste, keeping small amounts is the best option. Buying in small quantities also saves money and energy, but what if you need a lot of barley? Of course you are going to buy in large quantities, and if you don’t use all of it and there is a lot left over, you are sure to wonder, what should you do with your barley?
Don’t worry, here we will explain to you if barley is spoiled, how to increase the shelf life of cooked barley, raw and how to know if your barley is spoiled or overdue. Immediately, let’s start the explanation!
How Long Does Barley Last?
Table of Contents
Ok, first we’re going to talk about the shelf life of barley, how long your barley will last in storage. Is barley cooked or raw. We will see the explanation below.
1. Uncooked barley
Your raw barley will last 1 to 2 years in good quality if you store it at room temperature.
If you haven’t unpacked the barley and then stored it properly, your barley will last for years in good quality.
But once you’ve opened the package, your barley will last 12 months to 18 months in your kitchen cupboard. If more than this, it will slowly decompose.
However, if you see that it is past its date, don’t throw it away immediately because usually barley can still be used for 3 months after it has passed the expiration date.
2. Cooked barley
If the barley has been cooked, the shelf life will be different, the shelf life of cooked barley is shorter than raw barley, especially if it is at room temperature, it will only last about 24 hours.
But don’t worry because cooked barley will last longer, at least it lasts up to 6 days in the fridge and can even last up to a month if frozen in the freezer.
How do you know if your barley has gone bad? If you don’t know, here we will explain to you 4 indications that your barley has gone bad. let’s pay attention!
4 Simple Ways To Identify If Your Barley Has Gone Bad
There are 4 easy ways to tell if your barley has gone bad. In these 4 ways you can decide whether your barley is still suitable for use or vice versa.
4 Simple Ways To Identify If Your Barley Has Gone Bad
There are 4 easy ways to tell if your barley has gone bad. In these 4 ways you can decide whether your barley is still suitable for use or vice versa.
1. Pay attention to the color
Over time, the barley will change its color due to moisture and bacteria. So if you notice that your barley is dark brown, that could be an indication that your barley is expired or has passed its “best before”/”best by” date.
2. Smell it
The second way is to kiss your barley. If you smell barley and find that it has a rancid odor, throw it away as this indicates that the barley has gone bad.
3. Pay attention to the texture
Another way to determine if your barley is spoiled is to look at its texture. Moisture can make barley change over time, including changing its texture. Sometimes barley also becomes a nest for small insects or fungi.
if you see any mold growth, then you can throw it away.
4. Taste it
the final step is to determine whether the barley is still good or not. If you find mold growth, insects, or there is a bad smell from the barley. Try chewing a few seeds. If you find an unusual taste, throw it away.
What Happens When You Eat Expired Barley?
While eating rotten barley isn’t going to put you in any danger, using it can ruin the taste of your food or your recipes that use barley.
So it is very important to know how long barley has been stored and how to tell if it is spoiled. Ok, now going on with the rotten barley, how and what happens to those of you who eat expired barley.
Rotten barley has its own mark, you will find the stench on your plate. This is inconvenient and unpleasant. Not only does it smell bad, but spoiled barley also loses its nutrients, so eating it is unhealthy and not good for health.
Even if barley has expired, you can still eat it for 3 months from the day of the expiration date, but we advise you to eat it as soon as possible.
The Best Way To Store Barley
You already know how long the shelf life of cooked and raw barley is. Now let’s look at how to properly store barley, both raw and cooked barley.
Knowing the shelf life of barley can make your barley last longer. Kmai often mentions that the way to extend the shelf life of barley is to store it properly.
1. Uncooked Barley
To increase the shelf life of raw barley, follow these tips.
– Place the barley in an airtight container or plastic bag
– Make sure you cover it tightly, if using a plastic bag then use one that can be sealed
– Put it in your pantry or kitchen cupboard, it will keep your barley fresh and can prevent it from absorbing moisture and prevent it from absorbing odors from food.
2. Cooked Barley
To increase the shelf life of cooked barley, follow these tips:
– Refrigerating: As we mentioned above that cooked barley will have a shorter shelf life. But there is good news, by storing it in a cold place, it can extend its shelf life.
Place the cooked barley in an airtight bag, and place it in the refrigerator. This will prevent the barley from absorbing moisture from the air and prevent it from absorbing odors from other foods in the refrigerator. Storing barley this way can extend its shelf life by up to 6 days.
– Freezing: Cooked barley can last longer if you put it in the freezer. Storing barley in the freezer can last up to 3 months.
Before freezing it, let the barley cool to room temperature, as hot barley can cause condensation in the container and can make it soggy.
if it has cooled to room temperature, now transfer it to a plastic bag or freezer-safe plastic container and close tightly.
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FAQs About Barley
Q: Is it important to rinse barley before cooking it?
Just as you cook rice, it is important for those of you who want to cook barley to clean it first. Clean with clean water until debris, insects and dust or dirt are removed.
Q. Can I re-freeze barley?
Once you’ve defrosted it, you can no longer refreeze your barley. If you do this your barley will get soggy and lose its flavor.
Conclusion
Now you know the answer to the “Does Barley Go Bad” question, and you know how long the shelf life of cooked or raw barley is. There is also a guide on how to best store raw and cooked barley. Hopefully all of this information will enable you to store your barley properly as it can extend its shelf life.
Raw barley can last up to 3 years if stored in unopened containers. Meanwhile, barley that has been cooked only lasts for 24 hours, unless you store it in the refrigerator. If you want to store barley that has been cooked or leftovers you eat, then store it in the refrigerator using the storage method we have described above.
In this article we have shown you 4 ways to tell if your barley is spoiled or unsuitable for use. Hope it is useful!
