Did you find an old pack of yummy jelly beans at the back of your fridge? Is the date of expiry gone past due? If you are wondering if jelly beans go bad, you’re in the right place.
Since jelly beans are made of sugar, their shelf life is pretty long. If you are planning to eat that packet you found, you should know if it’s safe to consume or not.
In this blog, we’ll show you how to know if jelly beans have gone bad and how to extend their shelf life by storing them properly.
Table of Contents
Do Jelly Beans Go Bad?
Yes, jelly beans do go bad. Under very high temperatures, the texture and food quality of jelly beans can significantly deteriorate. Many times, the shape of jelly beans also changes due to the high heat and humid conditions.
Jelly Beans don’t go bad if they are correctly stored. They come with added sugar, preservatives and have a too long shelf-life.
If you live in a very hot or humid city, take care to refrigerate your jelly beans pack. Otherwise, the jelly candies can even crack due to the heat or become discolored. Changing color and cracking are clear signs of jelly beans going bad. If it becomes sticky to touch, they are not suitable for consumption.
Did you pop one into your mouth and not feel any taste? Going tasteless is another sign of the jelly bean going bad. If that happens, junk the bag immediately to avoid any kid or adult from consuming it.
How Long Do Jelly Beans Last?
Thinking how long do jelly beans last?
Every packet of jelly bean has a manufacturer’s best before date. That’s not an expiry date but an indication that the food will retain its best quality till that date. So, consuming the jelly bean after that date can be done, but its taste maybe a little less than optimum.
Now, if you store your jelly beans correctly, they should be all right to consume for about 2-3 months even after the best before date. Do check if they show any signs of spoilage when it’s best to discard them.
To make them stay fresher for longer, store them in a cold, clean, and dry area. The shelf life of jelly beans can be increased by keeping the beans in properly sealed, airtight containers or a heavy-duty plastic zip-pouch.
Keeping them in the fridge is fine, but ensure that they are not exposed to moisture that can harm them or cause spoilage. The presence of humidity reduces the shelf-life of jelly beans and leads to their discoloration.
Remember that moisture does not necessarily need to be inside the jelly beans bag to cause spoilage; it can even form inside the fridge. If the jelly beans bag or container is stored near a moisture-laden area inside the refrigerator, it can still go bad.
Jelly Beans have a long life. That does not mean that you can keep them forever. Here is a table showing the shelf life of jelly beans in the pantry and the refrigerator.
| PANTRY | REFRIGERATOR | FREEZER | |
| Jelly Beans | Best for more than 6 to 9 months | Best for one year | Good for 2-3 years |
4 Signs to Know if Jelly Beans Have Gone Bad
Jelly Beans don’t become stale or rotten, but the old ones can have specific taste, shape, and look issues.
Jelly Beans are made of sugar, corn syrup, starch, and a collection of other ingredients that create the gel-like interior and the soft, delicate outside shell.
There are many different preservatives added to protect the jelly beans; this is why the jelly beans don’t become bad that easily.
Here are the top signs that help determine if jelly beans have gone bad:
- Presence of Mold
- Color changes
- Weird smell
- Spoilage in texture – such as melting jelly beans
There can always be some issues with old packs of a jelly bean. There can be molds on them, color changes, weird fungi like the smell, or the different beans melted together in clusters.
In case none of those mentioned above signs is present in the jelly bean, you can try out a flavor test. The old ones can be eaten, but the flavor might not remain as the original one. The flavor deteriorates with time. When in doubt, don’t consume your expired jelly beans.
How to Store Jelly Beans
Check out these simple tips to store jelly beans and keep them fresher:
- Never keep the jelly bean pack open. Always keep the jelly beans properly in zip pouches, jars, boxes to avoid moisture from going inside.
- Do not mix jelly beans with other candies or chocolates and marshmallows. Doing this can make them stick to each other and make the beans sticky and gooey.
- Choose a cool and dry place to store jelly beans
- Avoid any area with high temperatures for storing jelly beans as they may get spoilt
- Choose a resealable bag or airtight container for storing jelly beans
- Store different flavors of jelly beans in other freezer bags to maintain their unique taste and flavor
What is the Risk of Consuming an expired Jelly Bean?
Usually, old jelly beans are not unsafe. You won’t face any significant physical problem if you end up having a few old jelly beans.
So, what can happen if you eat expired jelly beans? The only major issue will be that you might not enjoy the taste of the jelly beans. With the presence of sugar and as time passes, expired jelly beans tend to become extra sweet. Eating these extra sweet jelly beans can cause toothache and tooth problems.
Notice the date of manufacture. Are they super old? If they are more than 30 months old, it’s time to throw them in the trash can. Consuming them even after so long can leave you at risk of stomach aches or food poisoning.
You eat jelly beans to enjoy its flavor and sweet taste, but if you don’t get that taste, there’s no point in eating it. Old jelly beans taste weird and may start emitting a sticky, gooey mess that you don’t want to get your hands dirty with, so stay away from super old beans.
Can Jelly Beans Be Frozen?
Usually, jelly beans don’t require to be frozen. As jelly beans remain fine in cool, dry places, you don’t need to freeze them. It’s better to freeze jelly beans during peak summers to prevent the beans from melting, changing shape, or getting discolored.
Avoid defrosting jelly beans. Otherwise, the beans will lose out on their flavor and taste bland. If you have opened the jelly bean package, choose a clean, dry, and airtight container to freeze them. Don’t have so much space in the freezer? Pick the good old freezer bags and pop your jelly beans there! Properly frozen jelly beans can stay fresh for consumption for about 10-12 months.
Do you live in a hot or humid city? It’s best to put your jelly bean jar in the fridge to retain their aroma and taste. By doing this, you can enjoy them for a more extended period.
The freezer time shown is for best quality only – jelly beans kept frozen continuously at 0°F will stay safe indefinitely.
Summary
Make sure that you follow the correct steps for storing jelly beans, such as:
- Choosing a clean and dry freezer bag for storing jelly beans
- Refrigerating the jelly beans to make them last longer
- Keeping different jelly bean candies flavors separately to retain individual tastes
Unlike chocolate, which needs to be refrigerated, jelly beans can be stored anywhere. You can freeze them, and you can keep them outside at room temperature. These beans are easy to store, last for years, and an excellent munching option for kids, adults, and even seniors!