Quick answer: Store olive oil in a closed bottle in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove and sunlight, at normal room temperature. Do not keep it in the fridge. Unopened extra virgin olive oil is best within 18 to 24 months of harvest; once opened, use it within two to three months for the best taste.
Olive oil is fresh fruit juice, not wine. It does not get better with age, and it slowly loses flavour from the day it is pressed. The good news is that a few simple habits keep a bottle tasting fresh for as long as possible.
In this guide
The three enemies: light, heat and air
- Light breaks down the natural compounds that give olive oil its colour, aroma and peppery taste. That is why good olive oil comes in dark glass or tins.
- Heat speeds up every kind of spoiling. A shelf next to the stove or above the oven is the worst place in the kitchen.
- Air causes oxidation, which makes oil rancid over time. The more empty space in the bottle, the faster this happens.
Where to keep your bottle
- In a cupboard or pantry, away from the stove, the oven and sunny windows.
- At normal room temperature, ideally below about 25°C. In hot climates such as the Gulf or Pakistan in summer, choose the coolest cupboard in the house.
- With the cap closed tightly after every use.
- In its original dark bottle. If you like a small pourer by the stove, fill it with a few days’ worth at a time and keep the main bottle in the cupboard.
Should you keep olive oil in the fridge?
There is no need. Cold makes olive oil cloudy and thick, and it may partly turn solid. This does no harm, and it clears again at room temperature, but repeated cooling and warming is not ideal and moisture can form inside the bottle. A cool, dark cupboard is better.
How long does olive oil last?
Unopened: extra virgin olive oil is best within about 18 to 24 months of the harvest when it is stored well. Check the best-before date and, if the label has one, the harvest date.
After opening: use it within about 2 to 3 months for the best flavour. It will not become unsafe after that, but the fresh, fruity and peppery notes fade as air gets in.
This is why the right bottle size matters. If you use olive oil only now and then, a 250 ml or 500 ml bottle will stay fresher until the last drop. If you cook with it every day, a 1 litre bottle is better value and will be finished long before it fades.
How to tell if olive oil has gone bad
Pour a little into a spoon and smell it.
- Fresh oil smells green and fruity, like cut grass, leaves or green apple.
- Rancid oil smells like crayons, putty, old nuts or stale cooking fat, and tastes greasy.
Rancid oil is not dangerous in small amounts, but it has lost its flavour and much of what makes extra virgin oil worth buying. Use it up for cleaning a cast iron pan, not for your salad.
Tins and larger containers
Metal tins protect oil from light completely, so they are a good choice for larger amounts such as 4 litres. Once a large tin is open, pour some into a smaller dark bottle for daily use and keep the tin closed in a cool place, so less air reaches the rest of the oil. Tins are also how we supply wholesale orders to restaurants and shops.
Quick rules
- Keep it dark, cool and closed.
- Keep it away from the stove.
- Buy a size you will finish within two or three months.
- Trust your nose: fresh oil smells green, old oil smells like crayons.
Related guides
- How to taste olive oil (and spot rancid oil)
- Olive oil polyphenols explained
- What is extra virgin olive oil?
- How to tell if olive oil is real
- The complete olive oil guide
- Best olive oil in Pakistan: buyer’s checklist
Frequently asked questions
Does olive oil go bad?
Yes, slowly. Light, heat and air make it rancid over time. It will smell like crayons or old nuts when it has gone off.
How long does olive oil last after opening?
About two to three months for the best flavour. It stays safe longer but loses its fresh taste.
Should olive oil be kept in the fridge?
No. A cool, dark cupboard is better. The fridge makes it cloudy and thick.
