You didn't know this: how long can preserves made at home be stored?

On average, the shelf life of salted and pickled vegetables, as well as fruits and berries stored for the winter is 1–2 years, but there are some nuances that we will discuss below.

Mushrooms

In Russia, chanterelles, porcini mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, honey mushrooms, aspen mushrooms and russula are most often canned. They are placed in jars either whole or in pieces, and before that they are boiled, salted or pickled.

Regardless of the processing method, mushrooms in glass containers, hermetically sealed and sterilized, can be stored:

• 2 years – if the room temperature does not rise above +25 °C;
• 3 years – at temperatures up to +6 °C.

Tomatoes and cucumbers

It is generally accepted that pickled and pickled cucumbers, as well as tomatoes, retain their taste and remain safe for health for 2 years. However, it is advisable to eat them in the first year if:

• the jars are closed with not very tight nylon lids;
• sterilization was carried out by pouring boiling water twice, rather than keeping it in a pan of boiling water;
• a modified proportion of salt, sugar or vinegar was used.

Canned tomatoes and cucumbers that are pressure sterilized in an autoclave can be stored for 3-4 years.

Zucchini and eggplant caviar

Squash or eggplant caviar prepared with the addition of table, apple or balsamic vinegar is suitable for consumption for 2–3 years from the date of production, if it has been in a cool room all this time. It is advisable to keep it at room temperature for no longer than 2 years.

Squash caviar with mayonnaise can be stored for only 1 year. Exactly the same shelf life for any unsterilized caviar, provided that it is kept in the refrigerator or cellar.

Vegetable salads

Salads are prepared in two ways - pre-pickle the vegetables with the addition of sugar, vinegar and salt, or boil all the ingredients for a while before putting them in jars.

The duration and storage conditions depend on the method of preparation:

• raw salads should be kept in the refrigerator, and you can eat them throughout the year;
• boiled salads will remain suitable for 1–2 years, and will not sour or explode even at room temperature (if they have been sterilized).

Compotes

The more sugar is added to the compote, the longer it will retain all its qualities. However, the shelf life of such preservation also depends on other factors. For example, the presence of seeds in fruits, the method of heat treatment and the method of capping.

Compote prepared in accordance with the recipe is suitable for drinking for 2 years, with the exception of:

• compote of plums, apricots, cherry plums, if the fruit was placed in a jar along with the seeds (it should be drunk within 6–8 months);
• compote that has not been sterilized in an autoclave or a pan of hot water (it is recommended to store such a product for no more than a year and only in the cellar).

Jam

Low-moisture jam (well boiled) containing at least 50% sugar remains edible for 5 years.

Liquid jams, as well as those made with minimal addition of sugar, can be stored for no more than a year.

Don’t risk your health, as well as the health of your loved ones - throw away “rolls” that were stored incorrectly or were made a long time ago, even if the contents of the jars seem edible and the lids are not swollen.