Of course, all foods last for a shorter period of time if they are not stored properly.

How to tell if Coconuts are bad, rotten or spoiled?

Practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent foodborne illness.

A whole coconut is hard to crack, but also hard to tell if it is good or not. A fresh coconut will be heavy and when you shake it you will hear the juice splashing around inside. Watch out for any cracks or bruises on the coconut shell. Getting a fresh coconut very much depends on where you live, since the shelf life of a fresh coconut is only about 2-3 months and the process from picking (probably in Asia) to selling in the U.S. (except Hawaii) is about 2 months! Because of this, many coconuts on the store shelves are already old and their shelf life has expired before they even reach your house!

To tell if a coconut has gone bad - look into it's eyes! Yes, a coconut has three eyes - two of which are blind and then the one on the largest third of the coconut should be a dry down circle - if you see any protrusions here it could be an infected coconut. Also, old coconuts are more of a greyish color and not a healthy brown. Once you crack it open, the meat should be pure white. The meat of a coconut with an expired shelf life will be yellowish in color.

The coconut meat can be stored in an airtight bag in the fridge.

Bad dried shredded coconut will just get drier (still ok) and drier when it is going bad until it finally becomes brittle and yellowish in color (gone bad).

For a long term option, the meat can be frozen and then later defrosted in the fridge.

There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled foods so always remember to practice food safety and enjoy your foods before their shelf life has expired!

How to store Coconuts to extend their shelf life?

Coconuts should be stored in a cool place, be it the pantry, fridge or freezer because low temperatures suppress infection by micro-organisms, to which coconuts are prone.

Freezing changes the consistency of the coconut, actually making the meat softer and easier to process.

For dried (shredded) coconut, it is best kept in an airtight container in the fridge once opened. A jar with a re-sealable lid works perfect to keep coconut fresh and handy.

Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

How long are Coconuts good for when prepared in a dish?

How long do coconuts last? That depends. How long do bananas last? In general, coconuts last only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the recipe.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Coconuts lasts, our content incorporates research from multiple resources, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scoured the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and the shelf life of Coconuts.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Coconuts shelf life information on Eat By Date is generally reliable, please remember that individual cases will vary and that our advice should only be taken as an opinion and not a replacement for your health care professional. Please eat responsibly!