Is the shelf-life of butter in a refrigerator at 1 0 c 21 months?

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Shervan360

Assistant Cook
Joined
May 4, 2024
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5
Location
Middle East
Hello,

The expiration date/best-before date for butter in freeze is 9 months.

I read the following article, that said the shelf-life of butter in a refrigerator at 1 0 c is 21 months.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4597838/

Could you please explain more? If it can last 21 months in the refrigerator at 10 degrees Celsius, then why only 9 months in the freezer?


Screenshot 2025-02-02 232132.jpg
 
Freezing has it's own problems mostly with moisture loss, ice crystal formation and reduced flavor over time and consequently the longer butter is frozen the more these factors effect this product, which might be totally different for another product. Make sense to me.
 
I usually have one stick in the butter dish on the counter, the other three sticks in the refrigerator butter keeper, and one more pound in the freezer. Within a month Iam putting the last stick in the butter dish and I am buying another two pounds. Why on earth would anyone have butter hanging around for 9 months, let alone 21 months? Quit wasting your money on butter and buy margarine. It's life expectancy is forever!
 
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My butter may have been in the fridge for a year :)
I don't normally use it, but bought it for a friend that came to stay and proceeded not to eat butter either.
I would use it for frying steak, but I tend to forget I have it.
I better check and do the smell test.
I'll report back on its age
(And no, I have no margerine. Refuse to buy it)
 
Someone might buy a bunch of butter if it was a really good special. I have several pounds of butter in the freezer from before my husband died in April, last year. They were bought on special, while butter was being eaten a lot faster at my house.
 
I vacuum seal my butter, and freeze it, until I need it, and will store until the next Christmas season (when I use the most, for all those cookies). I keep some in a mason jar in the fridge, for the occasional time I use some - I use the Vacuvin to suck the air out of the jar, to keep it fresh even longer. Occasionally I make some ghee, with 3-4 sticks of butter, and strain it into a pint mason jar, which I also keep in the fridge.

IMO, what is the worst problem with butter storage is absorbing food aromas, from the fridge or freezer - the reason I keep it in glass in the fridge, and use the vacuum seal bags, for the freezer.

BTW, who would ever keep butter or cheese of any type @ 35°C (95° F)? I know - someone with no refrigeration.
 
35'C=95'F . . . .

there are many many differing opinions on frozen butter "life"
they all seem to revolve around "desiccation" turning butter unpleasant.
desiccation aka "freezer burner" is the result of frozen moisture subliming into water vapor and leaving the 'object' dried and 'not so good'

this will easily happen to the typically waxed paper wrapped quarters in a one pound box.
neither the carton nor the wrapping offers even the slightest protection against freezer burn.

I buy Kerry Gold and freeze it. it's wrapped in foil. foil aka "metal" is a 'perfect' barrier against moisture loss. a year in my -10'F/-23'C freezer has no effect on the butter.
 
I suppose but for me a waste of energy to power it when 0 would be OK. Electricity is very expensive here.
Of course, if it's less than minimum full that would be a good reason. Filled to the right capacity is, I'm sure you know but for the benefit of others who might not, the best and most efficient way to run.
 
Found my butter :)
Just about 2 years old but looks and smells fine.
(Butter is salted and comes in a plastic tub that closes properly)

Gonna have to remember I got it.
Garlic butter comes to mind
 

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