Frutoza — Dried fruit and fresh fruit compared as | frutoza.com
Airtight jar, then pick a temperature band: 6-12 months in the pantry, 12-18 in the fridge, 18-24 in the freezer.
Shelf life is decided by two choices: an airtight container and a temperature band. Get both right and dried fruit keeps 6-12 months in a pantry at 18-20 °C, 12-18 months in a fridge at 4 °C and 18-24 months in a freezer at -18 °C.
The pantry is the default for fruit eaten within the season. Keep the jar in a dark cupboard, fill it close to the top, and inspect monthly: the characteristic pantry failure is the pantry moth, whose larvae leave fine webbing in the fruit.
The fridge roughly doubles the clock. Its characteristic failure is condensation — a cold jar opened in warm air collects moisture inside, which invites mould — so let the sealed jar reach room temperature before opening it.
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The freezer gives the longest band, 18-24 months at -18 °C, in a freezer-grade container. Its characteristic failure is freezer burn on unprotected surfaces; thawed fruit is softer and best used in cooking, porridge or baking.
One sight causes needless waste: a white, dusty coating is usually sugar crystallising on the surface, which is harmless. Mould is fuzzy, smells musty and is the signal to discard the jar.
For what to buy and how much to serve from each jar, see Dried Fruit Sugar Comparison and How to Portion Dried Fruit.
Further reading