Do Tortillas Need to Be Refrigerated? (Explained!)

Buying precisely the amount of tortillas you know you will use is an arduous task, and because of that, having some leftover tortillas isn’t that rare. And although that is not a problem at all, it makes it important that you know something about their storing, as the answer to this fundamental question:

Do tortillas need to be refrigerated? While tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated in some cases, putting them into the fridge is still recommended to maximize their lifespan. When properly stored, tortillas will last for up to two weeks, but otherwise, they could spoil even as quickly as after a few hours. 

This is hardly everything that can be said about this topic, though, so we’ll now take a closer look to actually understand it.

What are we waiting for then? Let’s just get started!

Do tortillas need to be refrigerated?

Usually, tortillas need to be refrigerated because it will drastically increase their lifespan. So although the kinds of tortillas bought at the unrefrigerated section of your store can technically be left out, we still recommend you put them into the fridge if possible.

Additionally, you should remember that putting your tortillas into the fridge becomes necessary once you have opened them, no matter what kind of tortillas we’re talking about.

Do soft corn tortillas need to be refrigerated?

No, soft corn tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated because putting them into the pantry is good enough. But with that in mind, refrigerating them will still increase their lifespan, and you should also remember that it is crucial to make sure they’re always kept in an airtight sealed container.

Do Mission Flour tortillas need to be refrigerated?

Although Mission Flour tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated, you will significantly increase their lifespan by putting them into the fridge. Hence, we still recommend you do it, even though it is unnecessary.

Do flour tortillas need to be refrigerated?

While flour tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated, putting them into the fridge will still significantly increase their lifespan. Because of that, we still recommend you to keep them in the fridge; however, the choice is upon you.

Do homemade tortillas need to be refrigerated?

Although it is usually thought that homemade tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated because they will stay good even on their own, we would still recommend you to do so. Why? Well, simply because it extends their lifespan!

Do Mr. tortillas need to be refrigerated?

According to the manufacturers, Mr. tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated, but putting them into the fridge is assured to increase their lifespan. Hence, if you were to ask us, we would advise you to keep them in the fridge.

Do cooked tortillas need to be refrigerated?

Yes, cooked tortillas need to be refrigerated because, at least according to the USDA, otherwise they would become dangerous to eat even as quickly as after any more than two hours.

Do uncooked tortillas need to be refrigerated?

As we have explained above, uncooked tortillas technically don’t need to be refrigerated, but even though that, we would still recommend you to put them into the fridge. Why? Simply because it’ll significantly increase their lifespan!

Do wheat tortillas need to be refrigerated?

Although not even wheat tortillas need to be refrigerated, we still recommend you put them into the fridge. The reason for that is pretty simple –  refrigerating your wheat tortillas will increase their lifespan.

How long do tortillas last in the fridge?

Unfortunately, answering this question is nearly impossible because the lifespan of tortillas varies by each case. But generally speaking, it can be said that tortillas last in the fridge for something around a week; however, you have to remember that this number is just approximate.

Can unopened tortillas be unrefrigerated?

Yes, unopened tortillas can be unrefrigerated; however, we still recommend putting them into the fridge because it will extend their lifespan. But if you don’t have any free space there, they will stay good even in the pantry.

Do tortillas need to be refrigerated after opening?

We have mentioned a couple of times that we recommend you refrigerate your tortillas, even though they technically don’t have to be in some cases. However, after you’ve once opened them, refrigerating indeed becomes a necessity. Hence, tortillas need to be refrigerated after opening.

How to store tortillas without refrigeration?

As we have explained above, we recommend you always keep your tortillas in the fridge, although it is not technically necessary in some cases. But what if you don’t have any place in your refrigerator? Well, the best way to store your tortillas without refrigeration is simply to put them into the pantry; however, remember that this may not be enough in some cases.

How long can tortillas stay unrefrigerated?

Once again, coming up with an exact answer to this question is nearly impossible because it varies by case. However, generally speaking, it can be said that tortillas can stay unrefrigerated for something around a week, provided they are the shelf-stable kind.

But when talking about the kind that belongs to the fridge (or simply about an opened package of tortillas, no matter its kind), leaving them unrefrigerated might result in them spoiling even as fast as after any more than two hours.

Is it safe to leave tortillas at room temperature?

While it is safe to leave tortillas at room temperature in some cases, in many others, it’s not. Because of that, we recommend you always keep your tortillas in the fridge because otherwise, they might quickly get dried out or even spoiled.

What happens if you leave tortillas unrefrigerated?

Generally speaking, if you leave tortillas unrefrigerated, they’re probably going to dry out (and maybe even spoil) quickly. And while this isn’t the case with some kinds of tortillas before breaking their original packaging, afterward, this applies even to them. Therefore, we simply recommend you keep your tortillas in the fridge all the time.

How do you know if tortillas have gone bad?

Telling bad tortillas from the good ones isn’t anything hard – to know if tortillas have gone bad, you have to check their texture and appearance. If they seem or smell weird, you’d better toss them out immediately, but otherwise, they should be good to go.

Summary

Even though tortillas don’t need to be refrigerated in many cases, there are many others when they most definitely do. And additionally, it will always increase their lifespan; therefore, we simply recommend you to put your tortillas into the fridge, no matter what kind we’re talking about. And this is especially the case after you have already broken their original packaging.

Also Read:

• Does Tabasco Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Does Hummus Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Do Olives Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Does Salsa Need to Be Refrigerated?
• Does Minced Garlic Need to Be Refrigerated?

Resources

Image credits – Canva