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I have had a tupperware of sauerkraut I bought from the grocery store in my refrigerator for almost two months. When/Will it ever go bad?

MattCamp
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    In his book [Cooked](http://michaelpollan.com/reviews/cooked-by-michael-pollan/), Michael Pollan spends several pages describing how the different stages of sauerkraut fermentation develop and can go wrong. It will definitely go bad sometime, but it's hard to *predict* *what* can go wrong *when*. SAJ14SAJs answer *Throw your saurkraut away if it shows signs of mold, or if it has an unusual odor* is the most precise answer you can get ;-) The book is an amusing read about BBQing, fermenting and baking bread. –  Feb 01 '16 at 15:05
  • *making* sauerkraut may go wrong in many ways and lead to quick spoilage. Once properly, successfully made though, and kept immersed in the pickling juice, its "shelf life" is very long. – SF. Jun 02 '17 at 08:36

2 Answers2

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Yes, saurkraut can go bad. It is a fermented product, protected from other micro-fauna growing by the acidity of the juice, a natural pickle created during the fermentation.

Having the juice cover the solids is important to protect them from spoilage.

If the juice gets diluted, or there simply is not enough to cover the kraut do to spillage, being eaten or whatever, then molds and other things can colonize and begin to grow.

Throw your saurkraut away if it shows signs of mold, or if it has an unusual odor.

Still, because of the pickle, it should have a long shelf life in practice. Still Tasty suggests six months, refrigerated.

SAJ14SAJ
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yes, it can go bad and did with me. I ate a serving and regretted it for a week. Take no chances, throw it out.

Dick Byrne
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