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Originally Posted On: https://www.cbdmd.com/blogs/posts/how-to-properly-store-your-cbd-products
How to Properly Store Your CBD Products
When you purchase CBD products, you likely have a purpose in mind, and you need to know that the tinctures or gummies you buy will meet your needs. This partially depends on the brands and products you choose, but you must also do your part to preserve potency.
Storing CBD products properly extends their usable life. Here are a few things you should know about how long your products might last and how to ensure longevity.
How Long Do CBD Products Last?
Like most substances, CBD and other cannabinoids may break down over time. The rate at which that breakdown occurs may vary, depending on factors like product type, ingredients, and packaging.
Natural products like flower have a fairly long shelf life; you can generally expect them to last up to a couple of years when properly prepared and stored.
What about shelf-stable, manufactured products? CBD tinctures tend to reliably last about 24 months, while CBD gummies and capsules should be good for a year or more and could remain stable for up to eighteen months.
Factors that may impact the longevity of a given product include the ingredients used, such as the type of carrier oil, along with packaging materials.
Oil tinctures, for example, are often sold in amber glass bottles to minimize potential harm from exposure to UV rays, which could cause premature product degradation.
Properly Storing CBD Products
CBD potency preservation depends somewhat on the type of products you purchase, as well as the steps the manufacturer has taken to ensure longevity. The use of high-quality ingredients, such as essential oils in tinctures, can also have an impact on the usable life of a product.
However, the best ingredients in the world can’t be expected to deliver if you don’t take care to properly store your CBD products. Storage methods may vary by the type of product you prefer.
CBD Tinctures
Extending CBD shelf life for oil-based tinctures can be tricky. As soon as you open the bottle and expose the product to oxygen, both oils and cannabinoids will begin to break down. This is why it’s so important to store products in airtight, resealable containers that minimize harmful exposure to air.
Always keep products in amber glass – do not transfer oils to clear glass bottles that won’t protect against UV rays. Even so, you should store products away from direct sunlight, preferably in a dark, enclosed space like a cabinet.
Room temperature or slightly cooler storage spaces are ideal. Although you can store tinctures in the refrigerator and this could slightly increase the shelf life, you may notice that products thicken or crystallize in low temperatures.
If you live in a particularly hot, humid climate, however, the cool and controlled fridge might be your best option for maintaining product potency and flavor.
CBD Gummies and Capsules
Like tinctures, CBD capsules and gummies are shelf stable, which means they can safely be stored at room temperature. However, the best bet for storing CBD products like these is to keep them in a relatively cool, dark place.
A pantry or medicine cabinet should be fine, but you may prefer to simply keep them in the fridge. Unlike tinctures, these products are often sold in plastic bottles. Although they are opaque, keeping UV rays at bay, they’re not necessarily designed to be airtight or resistant to temperature fluctuations.
