How Long Does Sauerkraut Last?
We all want our refrigerated food to be safe to eat. That’s why we go through the fridge on a regular basis and follow the rule, “When in doubt, toss it out.” But unlike most foods we keep in the fridge, our wildbrine probiotic fermented foods come ready-colonized by health-giving bacteria. So, what’s the story with these foods? How long does sauerkraut or kimchi last, once the jar is opened?
How Long Does Sauerkraut Last?
Here’s some good news: sauerkraut and kimchi can last in the fridge for a month or two past the expiration date that’s printed on the package—If you understand what’s going on and what keeps these foods safe and tasty.
Your wildbrine sauerkraut or kimchi is fermented rather than salt cured. That means the vegetables were kept submerged in a weak brine solution of between 2 to 5 percent salt, depending on which vegetables were fermented. At first, the vegetables carried into the fermentation vessel any microorganisms that were on their surfaces, including spoilage organisms as well as beneficial Lactobacillus acidophilus and other acid-loving bacteria (often referred to as LAB—lactic acid bacteria).
During fermentation, the LABs went to work on the sugars and carbohydrates in the vegetables, turning them into lactic acid. As the weak brine became more and more acidic, the spoilage organisms were killed off. The vegetables developed the lip-smacking sour flavors that make ferments so delicious. After all, the word “sauerkraut” is German for “sour herb.” By the end of the initial fermentation, the LABs rendered the vegetables tastier, more nutritious, perfectly safe to eat, and probiotic, meaning the bacteria that fermented the vegetables could now take up residence in your digestive system and continue to provide health benefits and improved nutrition as they participate in your gut microbiome.
Incidentally, salt curing is done with a stronger brine—from 10 to 20 percent salt or more. That amount of salt will preserve the vegetables, but is too salty to allow the LABs to grow, so salt-cured foods are not fermented.
So, what’s this mean for our question: how long does sauerkraut or kimchi last once the jar is opened? And the answer is a couple of months or even more if three requirements are met.
First, the vegetables must remain submerged a 1/2 inch or so beneath the brine in the jar. If they float to the top and are exposed to air, they will eventually become moldy and inedible and the jar will be spoiled. If there’s not enough brine in the jar to cover the vegetables, add a little filtered water, enough to fill to above the vegetables. To keep the vegetables submerged, weigh them down with a small plate, cup, or freezer baggy filled with weak brine.
Second, the sauerkraut and kimchi must be kept refrigerated at all times. If you want to serve some with a meal, transfer the meal’s worth to a cup or bowl and put the jar of kraut or kimchi back in the fridge without letting it sit out and warm up.
Third, only use a clean utensil to take the fermented vegetables from the jar. Don’t eat from the jar by reinserting the utensil in the food. If you double dip, you’ll be seeding the food with a wide range of mouth and other bacteria, and it will eventually spoil.
Over its time in the fridge, sauerkraut and kimchi will become more acidic as the LABs proliferate, the crunchiness of a fresh jar’s vegetables may abate and become softer over time. But as long as you keep the vegetables submerged and enjoy the flavors, you’re good to go.
About the Author: Sonoma County resident Jeff Cox is the author of 24 books, including The Essential Book of Fermentation (Avery, 2013)
Karen
We just discovered your WildBrine Sauerkraut and love it!
A concern I had though was that I couldn’t find any information on the container about how long the sauerkraut lasts once the jar had been opened. I did find it on your website with the three rules for keeping it fresh.
It would be very helpful if that information was printed on your container.
Thank you for a healthy, delicious and convenient food!
The wild Bunch
Hi Karen – Thanks so much for the love! If only we had more room on the label to put all the info that customers would like to see! We try to include as much helpful information as possible on our website though. Glad you found what you needed.
Shari
Regarding the salt brine I can make to add to what’s already in the jar of sauerkraut, I’m wondering if a course salt (that I normally grind) will work without grinding it. It’s called Selina Celtic Sea Salt. I also have a Himalayan Cooking Salt, Ava Jane’s Colima Sea Salt, and Redmond Real Salt, which is mined. Thank you, Shari
The wild Bunch
Thanks for the question Shari! We suggest adding a little water to the kraut if you need the liquid to get to the level of the solids.
Billy
Awesome article! Thanks!
By the way, if I eat all the kimchi out of the jar, can I then put more vegetables into the jar and re-pickle them?
Also, what books would you recommend on making kimchi or fermentation in general?
The wild Bunch
Hi Billy – This is not recommended for these reasons: 1) Probiotics tire and die off after a while. Using the brine means using micro-organisms that are on the down slope of their lives. Start with fresh vegetables every time to get fresh, vibrant organisms; 2) Carrying over a “starter” from one batch to another risks not being able to control/sort good (or better) batches from each other; in the food business this is definitely a food safety no-no as there is no control/trace-ability between batches; and 3) the complex flavor of fermented foods comes from the fermentation progressing from more neutral pHs (i.e. acidity) to lower PH’s (higher acidity). As the ferment goes down this path, different organisms are more prevalent at the various pH’s. All of those organisms contribute different flavor notes. So to get a symphony of flavor in the end product, always start with fresh produce and let the ferment progress at its own pace. The right pace is set by providing the right environment (65-70F temp), the right amount of salt for kimchis & sauerkraut (~2% by weight), and an anaerobic environment via “weighing down” the solids.
On books on fermentation – refer to Sandor Katz’s books, although I would insert a little more science in some recipes to be safe: 1) always ferment using salt since no salt fermenting is not as safe; and 2) always ferment to a pH below 3.7.
– Chris Glab, Co-Founder of wildbrine
Sally
I have an unopened jar of recently purchased sauerkraut.
Fridge died, but kraut got moved to neighbours fridge while still fairly chilled.
Got fridge fixed and brought kraut back.
Fridge died overnight and nothing was cool come morning :/
The jar is still sealed, and it didnt get hot exactly, but would a jar of seals sauerkraut still be safe to eat if say it was at room temp for 4-6 hours?
The wild Bunch
Hi Sally – Sounds like that fridge is doing you no favors! If the kraut was only out of refrigeration for 4-6 hours, then it should be fine to eat. But the added heat might have restarted a bit of second fermentation, which can change its texture and flavor a bit. But this short of time likely didn’t affect it. Hope this helps!
Barb
How long can you keep the sauerkraut juice/brine for use in salad dressing? Thanks
The wild Bunch
Hi Barb – Not quite sure since we’ve never been asked this before. But it should probably be good for about a month or so if kept in the refrigerator.
Ed S.
There is no expiration date on the container of sauerkraut that I bought from Costco.
Or I just can’t find it.
How long will the sauerkraut last if I don’t open the container?
The wild Bunch
Hi Ed – The sell-buy date is printed on the lid but sometimes the printing isn’t super easy to read. But as for how long it stays fresh unopened, it is the same as if it were opened – about a month or two after the sell-by date.
Sami
One of the comments says the 4-6 hours out of the fridge unopened is okay. My mother purchased a jar for me yesterday and didn’t realize it was perishable before giving it to me today. I’m probably closer to 20 hours, unopened, unrefrigerated. Too much?
The wild Bunch
Hi Sami – The kraut should be fine. We usually advise people that if it’s under 24 hours out of refrigeration, that it should still be okay to eat.
Connie
Love the Wildbrine Organic Sauerkraut!! Never had it before, saw it at Costco, and tried it. We opened it on Memorial Day to have with our Brats, and as a “side”. Have a bit left over, it’s been refrigerated ever since. Plan to have it on 4th of July. Still good? tastes fine, but I am the only one who eats it.
‘
The wild Bunch
Hi Connie – Welcome to Team wildbrine and thank you for your kind words! Yes, the kraut is still good, as long as it has been refrigerated and covered with brine. This is a blog post telling you more: https://wildbrine.com/how-long-does-sauerkraut-last/. Thank you for reaching out.
Brett
I have a comment similar to adding fresh cut veggies to the Wildbrine Sauerkraut brine. Being mid to late summer there’s a bounty of veggies we love. I chopped fresh radishes, cucumber, broccoli and cauliflower, added the chopped veggies to a Wildbrine sauerkraut container which was almost done it had about with 1/3 container of brine. We left the chopped veggies & brine in the fridge for 3 days. Do these vegetables become fermented or just pickled? Is doing this a couple of times, say over one month safe? At the end of a month we’ll discard the brine.
The wild Bunch
Hi Brett! Thanks for the interesting question. We don’t recommended this for many reasons: 1) probiotics tire and die off after a while. Using the brine means using micro-organisms that are on the downslope of their lives. Start with fresh vegetables every time to get fresh, vibrant organisms; 2) Carrying over a “starter” from one batch to another risks not being able to control/sort good (or better) batches from each other. In the food business, this is definitely a food safety “no-no” as there is no control/traceability between batches; and 3) the complex flavor of fermented foods comes from the fermentation progressing from more neutral pHs (i.e. acidity) to lower PH’s (higher acidity). As the ferment goes down this path, different organisms are more prevalent at the various pHs. All of those organisms contribute different flavor notes. So to get a symphony of flavor in the end product, always start with fresh produce and let the ferment progress at its own pace. The right pace is set by providing the right environment (65-70F temp, the right amount of salt — for kimchis and sauerkraut ~2% by weight), and an anaerobic environment via “weighing down” the solids.
Johanna
I had ambitious hopes to eat my wildbrine but never opened the container. The expiration says 02/2021. It’s never been opened and has remained in the sealed container in the fridge. Is it still safe to eat? I plan to cook it with stuffed cabbage before consumption. Wondering if that’d make it safe? Thanks.
The wild Bunch
Hi Johanna – while the kraut is likely still safe to eat, we don’t encourage you to do so. Hope this helps!
Craig
My sauerkraut is still within the expiration date but it looks a little gray. All of the sauerkraut is below the liquid but just barely. It is still good to keep and eat?
The wild Bunch
Hi Craig – A few questions before we can answer: Is the jar opened or unopened? Was there any brine poured off? And how old is it? You can always call our customer service team at 707-657-7607.
Donna
The sauerkraut has changed Color from a light yellow to a light green. Is it still ok?
The wild Bunch
Our krauts are good until at least 1-2 months past the expiration date printed on the package. But even then, they’re still good to go, although the crunch might dull a bit and, since wildbrine is alive and actively fermenting, expect the flavors to continue to deepen as they chill out in your fridge. Just a side note: Make sure to always use a clean spoon when digging into the krauts. In your case, the kraut may need to be shaken since the brine may not be covering the cabbage. Hope this helps!
Chris H
Got the normally “white” organic kraut at Costco. It’s green. I’ve never seen it this color before. It also has a strong odor, even when closed. I’m thinking it’s spoiled. Thoughts?
The wild Bunch
Hi Chris – Sorry you’re experiencing this. Please send this note to info@wildbrine.com and we can take it from there.
Gloria
I purchased two of your Probiotic Fermented Raw Organic Sauerkrauts at our Costco, as I love your product! Opened one just now! It was green and it looked like cabbage that had been boiled for hours! It was NOT raw! It tasted funny and it had a smell! Didn’t open the second one to check it, as it was also “green” and looked like mushed, wet, boiled cabbage! What happened to these!
I just finished a wonderful jar of your Fermented Raw Organic Sauerkraut yesterday, and have purchased your product, before that jar, and it was the “best” kraut ever! This is not edible and am hoping tasting it will not make me sick. Perhaps some how on the way to being delivered to our Costco, they were left without refrigeration for several days! Should I return these to Costco to let them know? Sell dates on jars are: 01-25-23 and 02-10-24
The wild Bunch
Hi Gloria – Sorry you’re experiencing this. Please send this note to info@wildbrine.com and we can take it from there.
Gloria
I sent the above comment on Saturday, July 9th. I clicked on info@wildbrine.com so you would be able to take it from there! A note came up: “Safari cannot open the page because the address is invalid.” Will be returning these to our Costco! I have taken pictures of both containers, beside each other, the one I opened and the unopened one, and lids with expiration dates!
Thank you for a quick response, but it was “not” helpful as was “not” able to open the page!
The wild Bunch
Hi Gloria – Apologies for the confusion, but we meant for you to email info@wildbrine for more instructions. That said, you are more than welcome to return them to Costco.
Glenda
How long do the probiotics in a jar of your sauerkraut last?
The wild Bunch
Hi Glenda – The probiotics stay active as long as the kraut is kept refrigerated.
george
Can one mix sauteed cabbage and sauerkraut with onions to store in a fridge for how long?
The wild Bunch
Hi George – Without knowing the recipe, it’s tough for us to say how long. Sorry!
Schmitty
This is absolutely the best kraut ever. Thank you for making such a quality product. I wish all food was made like this amount of care
The wild Bunch
Thank you Schmitty!
Mari
My Mom did not store the sauerkraut in the fridge. It’s been about 2-3 weeks that its been in her pantry. Is it safe to eat or shall we discard it?
The wild Bunch
Hi Mari – We would not recommend eating this kraut. Thanks for checking in.
Lindsay
We have a new unopened jar of Wildbrine Sauerkraut from Costco. We have had it refrigerated for a couple weeks unopened. It is now looking green/gray and mushy. It hasn’t reached its expiration date yet. As another commenter put it, it looks like gray boiled cabbage. The brine is murky. As I understand it, this has gone bad? Correct? We have purchased many times and this only happens at the end of a batch usually after inadvertent contamination to the brine.
The wild Bunch
Hi Lindsay – We would like to investigate this further with you. Can you please email info@wildbrine.com and let us know the lot number and the sell by date printed on the jar? Thank you!
Adeline Nicholas
What ingredients should healthy sauerkraut have? Mine has water,salt,lactic acid. Is it healthy?
It also says produced in small batches. Thanks!
The wild Bunch
Hi Adeline – Our Green Organic Kraut only has cabbage, salt and garlic. And be sure to check out our blog post on the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods.
Zeina
Hi, I got some sauerkraut delivered to my apartment however only found it 48hrs later. It was delivered with a frozen water bottle however when I found it it was already melted. It was still pretty cool and it’s winter here in Australia. Would the probiotics still be alive?
The wild Bunch
Hi Zeina – Beneficial probiotic bacteria die above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Hope that helps!
Jennifer
Hello,
I love your kraut! I opened a jar of your dill and garlic organic kraut last evening, but it got left out overnight. Is it still ok to eat? It was left out for about 16 hours.
The wild Bunch
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for being a fan. 🙂 The kraut should be fine. We usually advise people that if it’s under 24 hours out of refrigeration, that it should still be okay to eat.