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Homemade jam expiry date

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Tumtitums
Tumtitums Posts: 312 Forumite
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I have just found a jar of home made apricot jam i was given in 2017 so made in 2017. Is it still safe to eat. The jar is unopened .


How long until it goes bad after opening if it is still safe to eat



I know these sorts of things cost a fortune in artisan shops and in supermarkets so dont want to throw it away if it is still good to eat

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  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,260 Forumite
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    Yes it's fine, I'm eating my stuff made over five years ago

    However if when you open it there is mould on top I'd bin it because the seal was not good when first made

    I'd keep it in fridge once opened. It will keep for yonks, treat it as you would a jar of commercial jam
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  • D&DD
    D&DD Posts: 4,405 Forumite
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    The seal on the jar should 'pop' if its still good and as Farway says homemade is usually fine years past when it's made.


    If the jar has mould on top or spurts as you open it either is a good sign it's not usable as the air has got in and that's when bacteria can breed.


    I had a can of mamade paint the ceiling literally last week when I opened it so I just threw it out,you can never be too careful.
  • Primrose
    Primrose Posts: 10,622 Forumite
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    Goodness yes! As long as the seal is intact homemade jam will literally keep for years. I currently have some plum jam that's five years old in my cupboard.

    As suggested, keep it in the fridge once opened, especially in this warm weather where mould can grow quite quickly.
  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,035 Forumite
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    Not saying you (or anyone else) should do this - but my old aunt used to just stir the mould in. She lived to be 91...
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • PollyWollyDoodle
    PollyWollyDoodle Posts: 2,060 Forumite
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    Not recommending it of course, but when I was growing up we just used to scrape the mould off the top. We were a large family and the jam wasn't usually more than a year old as my mum made it every year. If it's not mouldy then it should be fine. That's the whole point of jam, it's a preserve ...
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  • Valli
    Valli Posts: 24,803 Forumite
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    another vote for yes it's fine...
    Don't put it DOWN; put it AWAY
    "I would like more sisters, that the taking out of one, might not leave such stillness" Emily Dickinson
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  • Tumtitums
    Tumtitums Posts: 312 Forumite
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    ok interesting , im sure the shop bought jam doesnt last for years after opening.
  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748 Forumite
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    I think its the fact if you open it you're introducing more fresh oxygen perhaps ? Sugar is an oxidising agent ultimately I suppose. I think all I'm (guessing!) here is each time you open it, you reduce its life a little bit.

    I think the initial sealing method might be a factor too, if you vacuum sealed it, so there was no oxygen in the space above the jam itself, then it would last a fair bit longer I'd speculate. That might be difficult to 'DIY' though without some kind of vacuum sealing kit, I've not even looked to see how much they are or even if they are a popular thing for those who regularly make their own jams and the like. :) , could be wrong but I think there's some special type of jars for this purpose too.
  • Topher
    Topher Posts: 640 Forumite
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    There isn't one, it's a preserve. Crystallised at the top doesn't mean it's off, even mould on the top doesn't mean it's off. I don't want to eat either, so (in the case of the presence of crystallised bits or mould) dig any of the above out & about 1-2cms below that & discard, the rest should be fine. Lemon curd doesn't obey this rule of thumb as it has eggs in it. I wouldn't eat jam or marmalade that's crystallised all the way through ....... wartime rations apart, but if it looks fine dig in & go by taste.
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