How to store vanilla in good condition

Vanilla is a fragile product and it should be taken care of and followed by a few rules in order to keep it in good condition over the long term.

In view of the misadventures of some, it seems necessary to us to recall the good practices and the mistakes not to be made.

First of all, never store vanilla in the refrigerator. The ideal storage temperature for vanilla is between 15 and 20 ° C. Vanilla is also very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, and we recommend storing it in a dry cellar and protected from light.

The best container we can recommend is a glass tube narrow enough that the pods sit tight inside.

In the absence of tubes, you can also use glass jars, but if the ratio between the volume of the jar and that of the vanilla is important, then we recommend adding a small base of rum or vodka in the jar to limit drying out of pods.

Avoid all plastic packaging of any kind. The plastic allows the aromas to pass through and gives the vanilla a bad taste. In addition, if this packaging method is combined with the above factors, there may be condensation inside the boxes which will in the short term cause the appearance of mold.

Freezing vanilla is also common practice, and in this case, we recommend individually wrapping the pods in cling film.

And like every rule with its exception, an Australian customer told us that he kept his vanilla pods for several months in plastic bags of the “Peak Fresh” brand without any deterioration in the quality of the products. These bags, which are partly composed of zeolite, have the particularity of absorbing gases such as ethylene produced by fresh vegetables, which allows for longer storage.

This remains the only positive experience of using plastic bags for storing vanilla and is why we strongly recommend the use of glass which also has the advantage of being 100% recyclable.