Does Teriyaki sauce go bad?
In this brief guide, we will address the question, “does teriyaki sauce go bad” as well as other related questions pertaining to the subject at hand like how much time does teriyaki sauce take to go bad or what are some of the storage practices needed to prolong the shelf life of teriyaki sauce.
How long will teriyaki sauce last?
Teriyaki sauce does not last very long; its quality degrades over time. As it is one the rarely used condiments or in small quantities in food products or even required by fewer recipes. The shelf life of teriyaki sauce depends upon its storage conditions.
Teriyaki sauce can last long for 2 to 3 weeks, or even more if stored at ideal storage conditions. The shelf life of teriyaki sauce can be prolonged if placed at the dark and dry area away from heat or light source.
Packaging material or container in which it is placed also matters in prolonging the shelf life. Not only teriyaki sauce, anything can go bad if not stored appropriately. Teriyaki sauce that has been continuously refrigerated will generally stay at best quality for about 2 years.
How to tell if teriyaki sauce is bad?
Teriyaki sauce will lose its quality profile as it ages and eventually goes bad. It can only go bad if proper hygiene and safety measures are not ensured. Teriyaki sauce has a brown colour which might get darker by the age still it won’t be harmful for consumption until you see microbial spoilage, mould growth and experience unpleasant or foul smell. It should be discarded.
How to store the teriyaki sauce
You can store teriyaki sauce just like soy sauce as teriyaki sauce contains a huge amount of soy sauce. Teriyaki sauce has low or controlled water activity which means water is very well bound to salt and other molecules, lessens the possibilities of microbial spoilage, salt acts as a natural preservative. Therefore, teriyaki sauce can be stored at room temperature.
Store brought teriyaki sauce contains preservatives, therefore, has a long shelf life but placing opened teriyaki sauce in the fridge is the best option because this way the quality is retained for a longer period of time.
Homemade teriyaki sauce does not have any kind of preservative and it contains perishable ingredients which makes it susceptible to spoilage. It is advised to store it in an airtight jar with proper sealing and away from light, in a dark and dry area to avoid photolytic degradation.
Refrigerating teriyaki sauce
Like already mentioned, teriyaki sauce contains a huge amount of sodium that naturally prevents it from going bad. However, once it is opened it is recommended to store it at refrigeration temperature after sealing it tightly to enhance its shelf life by preventing oxidative degradation of compounds.
Storing it in the refrigerator is an ideal storage condition when optimal results are desired.
Freezing teriyaki sauce
Homemade teriyaki sauce has a short shelf life therefore freezing it makes sense. The easiest way to freeze teriyaki sauce is in an ice cube tray. It is always a good idea to freeze items in small portions so that you don’t open and expose unnecessary items to the environment. You can use different sized containers to store different portion sizes and use them as per your ease.
Once you have small cubes of teriyaki sauce, you can put them in a resealable plastic bag and put them in the freezer. Make sure that you draw extra air out before sealing the bag.
Teriyaki Sauce Recipes
Teriyaki sauce is made of soy sauce, sake (or mirin, if you’re taking it easy on the booze), sugar and ginger. You can add teriyaki flavour to just about any protein or vegetable. You can read more about Teriyaki Sauce Recipes here.
Summary
After all that we have discussed, it is safe to say that teriyaki sauce can go bad. I mean, any food item will go bad if you are not storing it properly. In the case of teriyaki sauce, the chances are highly unlikely because there is no special method involved.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we have addressed the question, “does teriyaki sauce go bad” as well as other related questions pertaining to the subject at hand like how much time does teriyaki sauce take to go bad or what are some of the storage practices needed to prolong the shelf life of teriyaki sauce.
