Every packed product has a lifespan, CBD isn’t different. It’s, however, not easy to tell the shelf life of your CBD. The shelf life of CBD and its siblings in the cannabis plant are determined by several factors, from the packaging material to the manner of storage.
Proper handling and storage help preserve the cannabis extracts’freshness and extend their shelf life.
CBD oil’s longevity depends widely on the brand, carrier oil, and storage.
What Is CBD Oil’s Average Shelf Life?
The duration to exhaust a bottle of CBD oil widely depends on the dosage amount and frequency, which varies across users. But in the event you don’t exhaust your container anytime soon, how long could it last?
Among the loads of CBD inquiries we’ve received lately, a surprising lot expressed concern over their CBD Oil expiration.
As mentioned, your CBD oil’s shelf life is dictated by different factors. While some CBD-infused products and extracts may lose quality within a relatively short span, some retain their quality [almost] indefinitely.
However, the CBD community considers 12 to 24 months as an average lifespan of CBD oil, depending on storage. If your product has lived over two years, you may need to discard it as the properties must have lost their activeness.
Does the Extraction Method In Anyway Influence CBD Oil Shelf Life?
Yes, it does.
Although there is no standard CBD extraction method, and each technique comes with their uniqueness, including pros and cons, specific techniques reduce CBD’s lifespan significantly. Currently, the CO2 extraction is inarguably one of the commonest extraction methods.
- CO2 Extraction Method
CBD extracted by this method may have a farther “use by date” due to its high CBD content.
- Steam Extraction
Extraction by steam is relatively cumbersome and hence scarcely used by producers. However, CBD oil extracted by steam is considered safer and with an average shelf life.
- Solvent Extraction
Solvents are but less popular extraction methods. This may be due to the use of butane in the extraction process. It is arguably the least used among CBD users.
The solvent traces in the end product may significantly impact the CBD shelf life.
Before you opt for any CBD product, do well to find out its extraction technique. You may prefer a form that promises a more-natural end product and with minimal chemical residue.
Best Way to Store Your CBD Oil
For a long CBD shelf life, consumers should be wary of these common CBD enemies – light heat, time, and air exposure.
Proper storage can help CBD live a longer shelf life. The right storage reduces oil degradation and cuts down exposure to elementsthat may be destructive to the compound and, in turn, consumers.
Direct sunlight, moisture, and temperature are typical conditions that dictate your CBD’s lifespan.
- Avoid Direct Sunlight or Heat
For longevity, treat your CBD to a cool dark place devoid of moist to maintain its freshness and prevent degrading. Do not place your oil on a shelf close to window exposed to direct sun rays.Also, cabinets with heat-emitting appliances are not the best for your oil.
Although some CBD enthusiasts supportstoring your products in a fridge, research compared CBD oil stored in a cool, dry place and that preserved in a refrigeratorand found no significant difference. However, some differences were noticed in products stored at room temperature for the third month and those refrigeratedfor 15 months.
To handle direct light exposure, some CBD products are packed in bottles that guide against light damage. However, it is always safest to store your oil in the freezer, pantry, or fridge where there’s guaranteed cool and darkness.
Better still, you can use an aluminum foil to wrap the dropper bottle for complete protection against light.
It all boils down to offering your oil a cool dry and, importantly, dark home, as the chemical quality declines under hot temperature.
We, however, recommend that you read the product’s label for storage advice. Manufacturers may have their individual preservation approaches.
- Avoid Air Exposure
Come CBD products come in airtight bottles for air prevention. As with light and heat, air can also impact your CBD oil quality.
Ensure your CBD oil remains in the original container. If it must be transferred, ensure your new box can handle the content on a long term. Also, ensure you tighten the bottle lid to avoid air leak.
- Check The Expiration
To be double sure, check what the expiration date shows. Ensure you exhaust the oil before the “best before” time.
Being an unregulated market, many products come with phony claims, including expiration dates. Here, a Certificate of Analysis (COA) comes real handy. COA helps verify CBD label claims. If you can’t find a COA of a product, check on the next.
