Pine nuts are fruits from the pine genus trees; within the species that belong to this circle, only the Araucaria offers the best conditions for harvesting and consumption, being a very desirable source of nutrients compared to other types of walnuts.
Pine nuts are usually eaten raw in salads and pasta or poultry fillings, already cooked. They are also used in confectionery to prepare sweet dishes because they are very decorative as an ornament, very traditional at Christmas times.
If you are interested in buying a little for a recipe or adding them to your diet, you should also be concerned about how long they last in good condition and store them. If this is the case, you have come to the right place because we will teach you everything you need to know.
How to store Pine Nuts
Like the rest of the oily products, pine nuts are very rich in vitamins, especially B vitamins. They can also contain up to 30 grams of protein for every 100 grams of nuts, a percentage reached by very few meats.
Due to their high-fat content, they can be considered energy food, and for this reason, even if it is a food of plant origin, it could well be considered a food of the same nutritional value as some of the animal kingdom. All this, complemented with a high content of vegetable fiber with very beneficial effects.
They must be kept in good condition to enjoy all the benefits that pine nuts have to offer. To achieve that purpose, you must be careful enough to avoid the scenario in which they spoil. Everything you need to do to store your pine nuts in good condition can be summarized in a list with the following rules:
Keep them refrigerated
Pine nuts are like all other nuts, and they have a high concentration of oils, so they need to be protected with a low-temperature environment so that they can remain in good condition.
Due to the fragility of the pine nuts, we recommend that you store them in the refrigerator. In this way, you will be making sure that they are in an environment at the optimum temperature for their conservation.
Keep them sealed
Since the pine nuts you can find in stores are commercially produced, they come without shells. Without the natural protection that prevents factors such as high temperatures, direct sunlight, and humidity from wreaking havoc on it, you must keep them artificially sealed.
For this reason, you must keep your pine nuts in a container that protects them from all those threats. We recommend using an airtight container or a freezer bag with little air to achieve this.
Can You Freeze Pine Nuts?
Suppose you are one of those who buy your food in large quantities or buy an item to prepare a dish from time to time whose recipe calls for it. In that case, you will be interested in using long-term storage options such as freezing; luckily, this is a method that you can apply with pine nuts.
The procedure for freezing pine nuts is practically the same as for refrigerating them; you must take them and deposit them in an airtight container or a refrigerator bag, but for this, you must remove as much air as possible before you store them. They will be ready for freezing temperatures.
How Long Do Pine Nut Last
Since pine nuts are sold without their natural protection, they are prone to have a relatively short shelf life, so we recommend that you consume them as quickly as possible.
Luckily, all pine nuts come in packages with labels outside that indicate the deadline for their highest quality standard. Usually, as with many other foods, pine nuts can be kept in good condition after the term of the label has passed.
Regarding exact dates of duration, pine nuts can remain in good condition when their packaging is open and closed for around a month in the refrigerator and around three months when frozen. These deadlines are only possible to reach if you adequately comply with all the rules for preserving pine nuts.
How to Tell If Pine Nuts Is Bad
Pine nuts are a food that has many benefits but is delicate and can spoil quickly. That is why you must be cautious and check that they are in good condition to avoid harmful or unpleasant scenarios when you try to consume them.
Pine nuts are the same as the rest of the nuts concerning having oil; therefore, they have the same problems. When pine nuts are exposed to factors that degrade their quality or are stored for a long time, they will end up going rancid and will no longer be palatable, but technically they will still be safe to store. The only way for them to spoil in such a way that they cannot be consumed is by the presence of mold.
If you try your pine nuts and do not have a rancid taste or smell, you can use them when cooking in all the dishes you like without fear that they end up with an unpleasant taste.