Do Edible Gummies Expire?

Gummy bears are easy crowd-pleasers. Ever since their invention in 1922, they’ve been a favorite of children and adults alike. They got even better when someone decided to make them into on-the-go cannabis edibles.

Gummy-bear-shaped or otherwise, you can consume edibles virtually anywhere that they are legal. Like all good things though, surely not even cannabis gummies last forever. So, do edible gummies expire?

There’s nothing more tragic than wasted drugs. In this guide, learn how to determine the shelf-life of your gummies. We’ll discuss taking edibles with an eye for maximum potency and enjoyment.

DO EDIBLE GUMMIES EXPIRE?

Obviously, edibles do expire at some point. Anything humans consume does, even when you freeze-dry or seal it hermetically. Store-bought gummy bears, as a comparable example made with gelatin and glucose, only have an optimal shelf life of about a year.

You still can consume them safely after this point. They may, however, be harder to chew and thus less enjoyable.

Flavors in expired gelatin may also be less pleasurable with time. Fresh gummies with a strong flavor make for a better experience. One of the main benefits of edibles is feeling like you are eating fruity candy while taking drugs.

SHELF LIFE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EDIBLES

Gummies are not the only type of edible out there. You can get cookies, tarts, and different types of gummies such as rosin or resin. Fresh cookies, for example, will have a much shorter shelf life than gummies.

Another factor to consider is whether or not your edibles are homemade. Homemade edibles usually have a very short shelf life, about a week or so. Some may be lucky enough for their homebrew concoction to last a month.

Companies that manufacture edibles use preservative chemicals that give their products long shelf lives. They create them in sterile facilities and nuke potential bacteria before sealing them in their packages. The only factor that could shorten that shelf life is if you get a bad batch.

Of course, there’s more to the equation since your cannabis edibles contain an extra special ingredient: THC. You are taking edibles, after all, to get stoned. As long as you can get stoned, it might not be so bad if the gummy ingredients are a little chewy or tough.

So the real question is how long the THC lasts.

HOW LONG DOES THC LAST?

To understand how much THC remains in a gummy over time, we have to look at the flower itself. Bud, when dried out and stored correctly, lasts for six months to a year.

Chemical processes happening in the weed cause it to lose potency and aroma. Some studies have suggested it may lose as much as 16% of its THC content after just a single year. By two years, 26%, and nearly nearly half by 4 years in.

As you can guess, you’ll barely feel the THC content-if at all-much longer beyond this timeframe. The high may be negligible or nonexistent. For gummies, that timeframe is similar.

To give a rough estimate, expect your gummies to remain stable and edible for anywhere from 3 months to 2 years. Note, we mean 3 to 2 years from the date of production. Not from when you purchase it at your local licensed dispensary.

EXPIRATION DATES AND BEST-BEFORE DATES

It’s impossible to give an estimate that works across the board. The easiest way to tell how long gummies last is with the expiration date. There may even be further instructions on the package for consumption.

Gummies will often last beyond their expiration date. However, as we discussed, THC potency drops steadily year after year. It’s probably not a good idea to eat your buddy’s three-year-old gummies.

Another important date is the “best-before” date. As with other edible products, this designates when your food is most enjoyable to eat. Gummies are plenty edible beyond their best-before date, but may not be an optimal experience after that point.

To be clear, the best-before date is arbitrary. The manufacturer determines said date based on their opinion, not necessarily science. Use your own judgment and reasoning here.

HOW TO PROPERLY STORE CANNABIS GUMMIES

The potency of the edible dosage and the enjoyment you get eating it will also depend on how you store it. It’s not a good idea to leave resin gummies in your hot car where they’ll melt. They won’t just form into a big lump, they’ll degrade in potency as well.

Let’s look at some factors that affect storage and longevity.

INGREDIENTS

Aside from the expiration date, the ingredients give some indication. If you purchase gummies that have an “all-natural” flavor, the shelf life is usually shorter. Natural ingredients spoil and degrade faster than processed ones.

Lean more on the expiration date. Do, however, use the ingredients as an indicator of whether you should consume it sooner or later.

TEMPERATURE IN STORAGE AREA

Cannabis benefits from cool (or room temperature) storage areas. Ideal places include pantries, closets, or basements.

Some cannabis edibles benefit from being left in the freezer. Freezing can extend the lifespan of THC to a very small degree. Ask your local licensed dispensary if freezing is an acceptable storage method for a particular gummy.

Sometimes, there may be a source of heat you hadn’t considered. Suppose you store your edibles above the fridge. The heat from the compressor could be melting them without you realizing it.

HUMIDITY

Humidity is a gummy’s worst nightmare. Even a slight bump in humidity can change the texture and properties of gelatin or resin. Gummies may become sticky, slimy, and then dry out to be hard and crusty.

The enjoyment while eating them won’t be the only casualty. A significant level of humidity could reduce them enough to liquid that they start to spoil. Either find a dry place for them or get a dehumidifier for your storage area.

In addition to this, keep your gummies away from moist areas. It’s probably not a good idea to store them in your bathroom medicine cabinet, for example.

LIGHT EXPOSURE

It’s a good idea to keep your gummies away from strong light sources. In particular, UV light. UV light degrades everything it touches, especially terpenes and cannabinoids.

Exposure to UV light will shorten the lifespan of the cannabis product in your gummies. UV rays are most abundant in the sun, but your indoor lights do produce a small amount.

That harm is negligible when exposing them to indoor (or outdoor) light while you are consuming. Do make it a habit, though, to stow them away in a dark place shortly after.

Some packages may protect against UV rays, making this tip less important. Transparent containers-plastic or glass-are obviously most susceptible to UV light.

PACKAGE MATERIAL

Aside from blocking UV rays, the packaging will affect longevity. Keeping oxygen out is key. Oxidation robs THC of potency over time, like UV light.

Take for example polypropylene, a common polymer used in packaging. It does an excellent job of keeping oxygen out, assuming you seal the bag correctly. Screwtop bottles and tins also work just fine.

Take the time and effort to make sure your containers are airtight before storing them. If it’s a bag with a Ziploc seal, squeeze the air out of it before tightly pinching the seal shut.

BACTERIA

When we talk about bacteria, we mean you. Every time you touch gummies or eat them, you introduce them to trace amounts of bacteria. Food, in general, spoils faster after humans interact with it.

This isn’t to say that you need to wear gloves when you eat gummies. Instead, make sure your hands are clean so you don’t contaminate the entire batch.

If you only want part of a gummy, consider cutting off a piece rather than biting it off. The saliva from your mouth could potentially introduce bacteria to the rest of the container.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR GUMMIES ARE GOING BAD

Before consumption, check for signs of spoilage. If you notice the following, your gummies may be going bad-or may have already gone bad:

• Changes in color
• Changes in texture
• Changes in taste
• Changes in smell
• Mold buildup
• Dryness or brittleness
• Droplets of condensation

In short, treat your cannabis edibles the way you would any food from the grocery store. Use your senses to detect any potential warning signs. The expiration date and best-buy dates are really guidelines, not hard rules.

If something is off, don’t risk it. Ask a friend for a second opinion, then consider discarding it. You’ll be much better off spending money to replace it than risking it.

FIND ALL YOUR GUMMIES AT BORED N STONE

Do edible gummies expire? Like any food, they lose their potency and eating enjoyment after a given period of time. Learn how to store them properly and check for spoilage to enjoy the best edible experience you can get.

Bored n Stone is your one-stop shop in the LA area for gummies and much, much more. Visit our Koreatown location and consider joining as a member for free community cannabis.