How to store crackers

by Abbas Jahangir · June 25, 2021

The main reasons for the loss of their taste in breadcrumbs and their unsuitability for human consumption is the appearance of mold and other varieties of fungus, as well as infection with parasites or insects. All these factors appear, as a rule, as a result of improper storage or high humidity. If you store crackers in the right conditions, then their shelf life will be quite long.

How to store crackers at home:

you can store crackers in any dark and cool enough place and in any container (you can use plastic bags, containers or other containers as packaging);
if plaque or insects appear on the breadcrumbs during storage, then you should not store them (it is better to get rid of such a product right away and in no case eat it);
it is not recommended to store crackers near fresh bread (the shelf life will decrease for both bread and crackers);
crackers are best stored in cloth bags or paper (you can use parchment paper, foil or bags made of any natural fabric);
if additional ingredients (cumin, raisins, sugar and other components) were used in the manufacture of crackers, then it will not work to store them for a long period;
if the crackers are bought in a package, then they can be stored for the period specified by the manufacturer (after opening the package or box, it is better to put the crackers in plastic or fabric bags, since in the open form they will quickly lose their traditional taste characteristics);
crackers made on their own are subject to long-term storage only if they were really dried, and not fried (oil and any fat significantly reduce the shelf life of crackers and accelerate the process of their moistening and further oxidation);
rich rusks made from wheat flour must be eaten within 15 days (after this period, their taste properties will begin to change, and the consistency will become either crumbly or too hard, depending on storage conditions);
it is not worth storing crackers in a bread bin (any bakery products next to which crackers will be placed will deteriorate much faster);
if the crackers have been ground into crumbs, then they can be stored for no longer than one month (in this case, even the slightest ingress of moisture must be excluded, and it is recommended to store the bread mixture only in jars or containers with lids);
spicy crackers, which are most often called “crackers”, are best not stored after opening the package (in the manufacture of such products, the roasting method is used, therefore oil in combination with spices greatly reduces the ability of crackers to be stored outside the original packaging).

Where and how much can you store crackers

On average, the shelf life of crackers ranges from several months to several years. The main condition in this case is the creation of conditions with an air humidity of no more than 75%. If the humidity is high, the crackers will be moistened, and if the humidity is too low, they will dry out. Both processes lead to mold and taste changes.

The longest shelf life is distinguished by crackers made from flour of the first or second grade. They remain fresh and aromatic for several months. Crackers made from flour of lower quality can begin to crumble, dry out and deteriorate under the influence of minimal moisture in the air.

The shelf life of crackers, depending on their type :

ordinary crackers (without additives) can be stored for several months (in packages from the manufacturer, the shelf life can be up to two years);
the maximum shelf life of crackers with any additives is 7 weeks.

The optimal storage temperature for crackers of any kind is considered to be the range from 0 to +15 degrees. At higher temperatures, air humidity, as a rule, increases, which negatively affects the term.