Do Weed Edibles Go Bad?

Edibles

What Are Weed Edibles?

Weed edibles are food products such as cookies, brownies, chocolates, and chewables that have been infused with cannabis. These products serve as alternatives for consumers who do either not wish to smoke or inhale marijuana or who cannot inhale due to a medical condition.

Edibles typically produce longer and stronger effects than cannabis does when it is consumed through other methods. Therefore, it is often recommended to begin with a relatively low dose. Similarly to regular food products, edibles can also go bad after a certain amount of time.

Factors Affecting Their Timeline

Per Scott Riefler, Chief Science Officer at CBD and hemp supplier company SōRSE Technology, if cannabinoids (psychoactive compounds) are introduced into an edible in the correct way, this product’s shelf life will likely remain unchanged. Additionally, most cannabis edibles often have an expiration (“best by”) date listed on the package they came in, so you may check this to gain a sense of its shelf life.

There are two primary factors that impact a cannabis edible’s timeline: the type of product it is and the ingredients it contains. Here is a close look at these two factors.

Type Of Edible

Not all edibles have the exact same shelf life. If your edible is a product that is typically refrigerated, (e.g. energy drinks, sauces, and condiments) it will likely last somewhere between 5 and 7 days. However, edibles such as brownies, cookies and rice crispy treats are often more durable. Meanwhile, candies such as gummies and lollipops last the longest. If you notice that your edible begins to smell different at any point, this is likely a sign that it has gone bad, much like a regular food product.

Riefler also noted that oxygen also impacts a cannabis edible’s degradation. Solid products such as baked goods and gummies normally last longer than liquid edibles because they have less oxygen inside them.

Ingredients In Edible

In addition to the form that a cannabis edible takes, the types of ingredients it contains also affects its shelf life. If an edible contains dairy, (e.g. milk chocolate or cheesecake) it will likely go bad in a week or less. The same applies to edibles with any other perishable ingredients such as oil or butter.

Meanwhile, edibles that are produced with non-perishable or semi-perishable ingredients such as salt, pepper and paprika will have a relatively longer shelf life. It’s also important to check the amount of THC and/or CBD that an edible contains, as this determines how strong the effect will be.

How To Preserve Them

Regardless of the type of edibles you are planning to consume, it’s important to know how to properly preserve them. There are two effective methods for keeping cannabis edibles fresh: storing them and putting them in a fridge or freezer.

Store Them

If your edibles have a long shelf life, you may keep them fresh by simply leaving them in the pantry or in any other similar area. Be sure to verify that the products are always kept in an airtight bag or Tupperware® container. Weed gummies, for example, should be protected from light and kept at a temperature of approximately 55 to 70℉.

In A Fridge Or Freezer

Edibles that have short longevity should be kept in a fridge or freezer, depending on the type of product (e.g. liquid vs. pizza) and how soon you intend to consume the good. Many edibles can last up to six months in the freezer.

Regarding the potency of a cannabis edible, this depends on factors such as the type of environment it is in (i.e. acidic vs. basic), among other things.

Contact The Professional Team At Pure Oasis

Reach out to the experts at Pure Oasis in Boston for more information on the average shelf life of weed edibles. We are Boston’s first recreational cannabis dispensary and offer a user-friendly experience that includes staff who are extremely knowledgeable about all of our products.

Our edibles that are baked goods (e.g. cookies and brownies) are made with THC infused into either cannaoil or cannabutter. The former may be mixed with any type of cooking oil. For our liquid products, drops of cannabis extracts or tinctures are placed into the beverages. We always make sure that all of our products contain safe levels of THC. Reactions to edibles may take anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes to become apparent, although this may vary depending on factors such as the consumer’s body weight and metabolism. We always recommend first-time users to take the lowest dose possible.

Call Pure Oasis today at (617) 420-6837 or contact us online to speak to one of our experienced budtenders.