Refrigeration? - Ask Extension
Cottage Food Question:Why would a Golden Milk/Masala Chai paste need to be refrigerated? I keep seeing people recommending refrigeration/freezing fo...
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Refrigeration? #735645
Asked December 22, 2020, 1:17 PM EST
Cottage Food Question:
Why would a Golden Milk/Masala Chai paste need to be refrigerated? I keep seeing people recommending refrigeration/freezing for such products but I don’t understand why, when all the ingredients are shelf stable and would be packaged in small volumes (4-8 oz jars that would be used within 1-4 weeks).
Ingredients would include:
-Ground, cinnamon/cloves/black peppercorns/cardamom/nutmeg/star anise/ginger/turmeric
-Black or Green tea leaves
-mixed together with unrefined (virgin) coconut oil
(water, milk & sugar would be added per use by the customer)
Why would a Golden Milk/Masala Chai paste need to be refrigerated? I keep seeing people recommending refrigeration/freezing for such products but I don’t understand why, when all the ingredients are shelf stable and would be packaged in small volumes (4-8 oz jars that would be used within 1-4 weeks).
Ingredients would include:
-Ground, cinnamon/cloves/black peppercorns/cardamom/nutmeg/star anise/ginger/turmeric
-Black or Green tea leaves
-mixed together with unrefined (virgin) coconut oil
(water, milk & sugar would be added per use by the customer)
El Paso County Colorado
Expert Response
Thank you for your question. It’s important to keep food safety in mind when storing herbs/spices in oil or fat. These low-acid foods can be a source of Clostridium botulinum bacteria,
which are found in soil, water, and air. Oil’s/fat's oxygen-free environment is perfect for growth of the
bacteria. For this reason, herbs and spices in oil must be stored correctly to prevent botulism
food poisoning.
With Herbs and spices that are stored in fat, Clostridium botulinum bacteria can grow. These mixtures must be refrigerated to slow bacterial growth. A national research study has shown that home refrigerators are often not cold enough to safely store hazardous food such as herbs and spices in any type of fat for long periods. Because harmful bacteria can grow faster at higher refrigerator temperatures, the length of refrigerated storage must be limited for safety. Herb/spices in fat mixtures should not be refrigerated longer than 4 days before using, discarding, or freezing.
Thank you,
With Herbs and spices that are stored in fat, Clostridium botulinum bacteria can grow. These mixtures must be refrigerated to slow bacterial growth. A national research study has shown that home refrigerators are often not cold enough to safely store hazardous food such as herbs and spices in any type of fat for long periods. Because harmful bacteria can grow faster at higher refrigerator temperatures, the length of refrigerated storage must be limited for safety. Herb/spices in fat mixtures should not be refrigerated longer than 4 days before using, discarding, or freezing.
Thank you,
