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

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

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

You can usually tell by looking or feeling if they are going bad. Firm peppers are your best choice, whichever your choice of color. Some common traits of peppers getting old are when they show the appearance of wrinkles and a softer skin. These peppers can still be used to cook with, but will not be appealing to eat raw. Soon after they become soft, they will start to become slimy and mold will begin to develop. Cut bell peppers will first start to form a white moistness on the cut side. Remember that whenever you see mold, it's time to toss your pepper.

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 Peppers to extend their shelf life?

To extend the shelf life of peppers it is best to store them whole in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator. Once a pepper is cut, it should be sealed in a plastic bag and used within a few days.

For a longer term option, chopped peppers may be frozen in a freezer safe container. The best way to freeze peppers is to chop them onto a cookie tray and briefly freeze the tray before transferring them to a freezer safe bag (to keep them from forming one large ball). Peppers will develop ice crystals quite quickly so it is best to use them as soon as possible. Defrosted peppers will be soft, thus best used for cooking.

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

Interesting facts about Peppers:

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

How long do bell peppers last? That depends. How long does chicken last? In general, they last only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the recipe.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Peppers 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 Peppers.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Peppers 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!