Although many people didn’t know what hummus was until just recently, nowadays, it is one of the most popular cold dishes out there. You can buy it in every single supermarket, and even in the supermarket itself, you can find hummus in both refrigerated and not refrigerated sections. That shows how famous hummus is but is also precisely the reason so many people are left wondering:
How long can hummus sit out? According to the USDA, most kinds of hummus can sit out for two hours, with other sources like the FDA saying four. However, some kinds of hummus can be left out basically for as long as you like because they don’t require refrigeration at all, provided they haven’t been yet opened.
But this was just to put it briefly, and in order to indeed understand how it is with hummus sitting out, we’ll have to dive into this topic a bit deeper.
So without any further delay, let’s just jump right into it!
Table of Contents
- Can you eat hummus if not refrigerated?
- Does unopened hummus need to be refrigerated?
- How long can unopened hummus stay out of the fridge?
- Does opened hummus need to be refrigerated?
- How long can opened hummus sit out of the fridge?
- Can hummus be left out overnight?
- How can you tell if hummus is bad?
- How do you keep hummus fresh?
- What happens when you eat bad hummus?
- Summary
- Resources
Can you eat hummus if not refrigerated?
Whether it’s safe to eat hummus that was not refrigerated or not depends on two main factors. Firstly, it is the state of the packaging:
Unopened
So when we’re talking about an unopened package of hummus, you actually can eat it if not refrigerated. Well, as long as it is provided that you didn’t buy it at the refrigerated section, because hummuses sold in there should obviously be refrigerated even when unopened.
Opened
But after you’ve opened the package, the type of hummus doesn’t matter at all, because you now have to store it in the fridge without any exception, no matter in which section of your supermarket you got it from.
Does unopened hummus need to be refrigerated?
No, unopened hummus doesn’t need to be refrigerating, as long as you’re sure you bought it at the unrefrigerated section. That’s because there are some kinds of hummus that need to be refrigerated even when unopened.
But obviously, those have to be in the fridge even in your shop, and it’s therefore pretty easy to tell them apart from the ones that don’t require the fridge.
How long can unopened hummus stay out of the fridge?
There are two types of hummus, the one that needs to be in the fridge even when unopened and the one that doesn’t. Telling them apart is easy; the first one will simply be sold in the refrigerated section. And unopened hummus of that kind can sit out of the fridge for only two hours.
Does opened hummus need to be refrigerated?
Yes, opened hummus needs to be refrigerated no matter what type it is! That way, it’ll stay good for a really long time, especially if you also store it into some airtight containers; in many cases, it may be good even for a few months.
However, if you don’t refrigerate it, it’ll turn rancid in a matter of a few hours; we have yet to get there, though, so onto the following answer!
How long can opened hummus sit out of the fridge?
According to the USDA, opened hummus cannot sit out of the fridge for more than two hours. The reason is that bacteria’s activity is exceptionally high at room temperature, which can pretty quickly make any perishable food dangerous to eat.
Can hummus be left out overnight?
No, hummus can’t be left overnight. In fact, according to the USDA, hummus, like any other perishable food, should never be eaten when left out for more than two hours. And although some other sources talk about 4 hours, leaving it out overnight is simply too much in all cases.
How can you tell if hummus is bad?
Telling if your hummus is bad is an effortless task because you literally only have to smell it. Have you noticed any weird odor coming from it? Then you should definitely throw it out immediately.
How do you keep hummus fresh?
To keep your hummus as fresh as possible after opening it, you should always seal it into airtight containers. This is the most crucial part that’ll ensure no oxygen can get into the hummus, and afterward, you just have to put it into the refrigerator.
What happens when you eat bad hummus?
When you eat bad hummus, it is not unlikely that you’ll be experiencing some of the most common symptoms of food poisoning. But, what does that mean specifically? Well, to put it simply, when you eat bad hummus, you may be having diarrhea, vomiting, or stomach ache.
Summary
When we’re talking about storing it, there are two groups of hummus – the ones that have to be in the fridge and those that don’t require refrigeration. Telling those two apart is easy because the hummus that must be refrigerated is sold in the refrigerated sections.
The reason for that is that this kind of hummus turns bad as soon as after two hours of sitting out because bacteria grow very fast in there at room temperature. Quite the contrary, the hummus you can buy in the unrefrigerated section can be left out as long as you like, and nothing bad will happen to it.
Well, at least until you’ve opened it – when your hummus has been already opened, it has always to be in the fridge, no matter whether you bought it in the refrigerated or unrefrigerated section.
Related:
- How Long Can Heavy Cream Sit Out?
- How Long Can Whipped Cream Sit Out?
- How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out?
- How Long Can Ice Cream Sit Out?
- How Long Can Coffee Creamer Sit Out?
Resources
Image credits – Canva
