Coffee beans are roasted, during which they acquire their own taste and are saturated with aromatic oils. The most delicious coffee is made from freshly roasted beans. Further storage contributes to the loss of aroma and taste of the beans, and ground coffee loses its properties faster than grain coffee. However, this process is packaging dependent.
Freshly ground coffee
If you grind the coffee yourself, it will become unusable within three months. This is the maximum time during which volatile compounds and various essential oils from coffee will disintegrate, and the drink obtained from the remaining powder will rather little resemble the original taste.
The problem of storing ground coffee lies not only in the fact that the volatile compounds in it disintegrate on their own, an additional difficulty lies in the fact that the powder itself actively absorbs all the odors and moisture contained in the air. Therefore, if you keep ground coffee in a regular bag or can on a shelf in the closet, it will become unusable even faster: within about two weeks. The same can be said for coffee that is stored directly in the grinder: it is not uncommon for coffee lovers to leave the ground powder right there, using it as needed.
To extend the shelf life of ground coffee up to three months, it is recommended to place it in foil and wrap it up. Factory packaging based on metallized film will also work if you can seal it well. You can put coffee in a ceramic or glass jar and seal it. Then the container with coffee must be placed in the refrigerator: this will allow the ground beans to retain their moisture and hold out for three months.
It is best, if possible, not to store the ground coffee at all, using the grinder every time just before preparing the drink.
If the expiration date has expired
Even if the shelf life of coffee is out, it does not mean that it has become unhealthy. It is just that the aroma and taste properties of the drink, characterized by the concept of "caffeol", have been lost, and the coffee will no longer be so tasty. In any case, the drink will be safe to consume.
Shelf life of coffee in its original packaging
In the original packaging, ground coffee can be stored for a little longer. The shelf life depends a lot on how the coffee has been processed after roasting. Correctly processed grains under special conditions can hardly lose their properties for up to 5 years!
If the pack is sealed, then according to GOST, the following storage periods for ground coffee are provided. In plastic and film-coated paper bags, coffee will be stored for 6 months, polymer-coated paper will keep it for 9 months, aluminum and metallized foil, as well as vacuum packaging - for 18 months. Vacuum packing is considered the best, but if you open the coffee and start using it, its taste will disappear after 10-14 days, this is the same period for which coffee loses its aroma after grinding.
Nevertheless, true coffee lovers prefer to buy it as fresh as possible. It is better if the shelf life does not exceed two times the interval less than permissible according to GOST. Ideal if you can get your hands on a coffee roasted no later than a month or two ago in a vacuum package.
