Usually, vaping juices and other e-liquids have a long shelf-life. It implies that they have a long time before they start to degrade. These e-liquids contain three primary constituents that build up the delicious flavors you breathe. They are- Propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and nicotine. All of these products are good for two years from their manufacturing date. Similarly, the e-liquid’s shelf-life depends on the quality of its constituents.
The e-liquids deteriorate over time in several aspects, such as-
- The potency and flavor depend upon the composition of the liquid.
- Any added flavors may impact the shelf life. Artificial flavors have more longevity than natural flavors.
If the ingredients of the e-liquid are of low quality, the product will not stay for long. And spoil faster than any high-quality product. Considering all these factors, users can determine whether their vape juice is usable. Keep reading to find out what else can influence your product’s longevity and how you can extend its lifespan.
Does Vape Juice Expire?
Yes, vape juice does expire and comes with an expiration date. Propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) are the why vape juice goes terrible within 1-2 years. Most changes in vape juice are because of the oxidation process of the nicotine content and the degradation of the flavor and nicotine strength.
However, the expiry date mostly depends on the vape liquid; usually, the old vape juices have less nicotine and a weaker taste.
What Makes Vape Juice Go Bad?
All vape juices eventually expire with time; different factors influence the vape liquid to go out of date.
Firstly, the degradation of NIC salts is much slower than freebase nicotine. This breakdown happens due to their chemical nature as a salt instead of a base. Nevertheless, e-liquids with zero nicotine have no chance of degradation.
Lastly, the flavor also plays a significant role in the degradation of e-liquids. Few flavors begin to degrade faster than the others making the e-liquid go bad with ease. Usually, the flavors based on fruits and flowers lose effectiveness and impair exquisite flavors like dough or custard. As a result, the flavor dies down, which can disappoint you as a user.
You cannot control the nicotine type and flavor, but you can make vape liquid longer usable. Certain things like heat, agitation, light, and exposure to air can make your e-liquid go bad. Store your e-liquid bottle correctly.
Store e-liquid properly, and you can prevent your e-liquids from going bad by following these simple steps:
Try keeping it in a cold and dark place away where direct sunlight cannot reach. A cold and dry place like a fridge is appropriate for keeping your e-juice fresh.
Do not move or shake the bottles needlessly.
Open the bottle only when you need to use it.
When Does Vape Juice Expire?
All food products for human consumption have an expiration date printed on them, so vapers should consume the e-liquid products within that exact date.
Users regard vaping liquids to be shelf-stable. It means that the product will take a long time to expire. The shelf life of the vape products is fixed by roughly calculating how much quality will decrease over time.
- Factors like effectiveness, flavor, and composition of the e-liquids play a significant role in determining the sell-by date.
- The flavors drastically affect the shelf life of these items.
- The bitter truth is that the artificial flavors are longer usable than the natural ones.
- One more thing to consider is the quality of the constituents. If the product quality is low, the degradation process will be much faster than the high-quality ones.
The FDA on the Time of Expiry Of Vape Items
The United States Food and Drug Administration (USDA) gave detailed information about expiration dates for food products, which is educational. However, many consumers don’t consider the purpose behind the sell-by dates.
According to the USDA, the consumer often confuses the information on the labels and misinterprets their meaning. This lack of knowledge accounts for one-fifth of the food waste in the country. The USDA confirms this occurrence. They also stated that more than one-fourth of the food goes uneaten, and as a result, consumers lose approximately $165 billion annually.
These data are beneficial in making deductions about the wastage of vaping products. Multiple people throw their liquid out with the mindset that they are no longer healthy, whereas there is absolutely nothing wrong with them. By doing so, they are losing a lot of money.
FSIS on the Time Of Expiry Of Vape Items
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service, also known as FSIS, has a full page of detailed information about the expiry date.
The primary fact to note is that the manufacturers do not require to provide product dating information except the infant formula. According to FSIS, the imprinted expiry time does not mean that the product will go wrong on that date. Instead, it means that the potency and quality of the item will be better if you consume it within that date.
Does CBD Vape Juice Expire?
Yes, even CBD vape juice can expire with time. However, CBD is not a psychoactive compound and does not become toxic when it degrades. It may lose its potency due to its expiry date. So, it is best not to vape CBD e-liquids after their expiration.
Does Salt NIC Vape Juice Expire?
Salt NIC Vape juice contains nicotine, making it susceptible to oxidation. As a result, after a considerable time, the ingredients start to break down, and the e-liquid deteriorates in quality.
Does Vape Juice Without Nicotine Expire?
Yes. the vaping items can go wrong even if there is zero nicotine to oxidize. The main ingredients and flavorings can still degrade over time. If you notice the formation of sediments after a long time, you can deduce that the item has passed its expiration date.
Is It Safe to Vape Out Of Date Liquid?
Idealistically, it won’t kill you if you vape expired juice.
However, no studies have proven anything about the safety of vaping expired juice. The fact is still unclear whether vaping expired e liquids. Therefore, it is not wise for you to use vape liquids when it is expired. If you notice your vaping e-liquid has an unpleasant taste and does not satisfy your nicotine cravings, you should stop using it and buy a new bottle from the store.
Can I Use 3-Year-Old Vape Juice?
While vape juices have a long shelf-life, experts do not recommend using e-liquids three years past their expiration date. These products usually survive for two years. It implies that you may fall ill if you vape a three-year-old vape juice. Even if you do not experience health issues, the vaping experience might not be as good as with a fresh e-liquid. The flavors may have died, and you may get a poor taste.
Can You Vape Expired E-Liquid?
Expired juice may seem tasteless or mildly flavored. In some rare cases, it may impair your health.
What is the Best Way to Store Vape Juice?
Appropriate storage helps extend the lifespan of your vape juice. You can take advantage of the product’s natural shelf life. Users can follow some methods to maintain the quality of their e-liquid. Some steps that the experts recommend for storing vape juice are-
- One should always keep the vape juice in a cold and dark place. You can use cabinets and drawers of your pantry to keep the e-liquid bottles. These areas do not receive direct sunlight, which is beneficial for vape juice. These methods of storing can increase the lifespan of the liquid.
- Ensure your e-liquid is in a secured place. One should keep it out of the reach of children and pets. If they consume vape juice, they might fall severely ill. Keeping it on taller shelves and cabinets is an excellent idea.
- Before putting the e-liquid into a vape, ensure that its color, consistency, and smell are alright. If anything looks or feels out of order, chances are your product is no more usable.
- One should avoid a few places for storing vape juice. Areas like windows sills, balconies, or anywhere outside are inappropriate for this product. One should also avoid warm and humid places as both heat and humidity can destroy the constituents of vape juice.
- Similarly, one should also avoid cold places like the refrigerator or freezer. Lower temperatures may also destroy the quality of the product. This item thrives at room temperature, and one should avoid extreme temperatures for its storage.
- If you keep the vape juice in a dark and dry place, ensure it does not accumulate humidity or come in contact with heat. You can use a sealed bottle. Make sure you use the product quickly after you open the seal. The flavor starts to fade away when you open it due to oxidation. Experts recommend using it as much as possible.
How Do You Know If Vape Juice Is Bad?
Several things can happen to your e-liquid if you do not use it within the expiration date:
Separation
Vape e-liquid consists of different components. Occasionally the ingredients start to separate. A few separations are natural; thus, the bottle comes with a message – SHAKE WELL BEFORE USE.
Nevertheless, if you have an old bottle of vaping liquid, you will notice that the components are not coming together no matter how much you shake. Crystallized flavors and debris will be there, which you cannot dissolve even if you heat or mix them. It is wise to check the expiration date at that point because vaping expired vaping products are not worth the risk.
Color Changes
The color of your e-juices will darken over time, especially juices that have nicotine, which is natural. Nicotine chemically reacts with oxygen and changes its form, and this process is called oxidation. So it also gets darker along with the e-juice.
Nevertheless, if you notice your e-juice getting much darker than it was, you must buy a new juice bottle rather than using the bottle. The product is way past its expiration date.
Smells And Tastes
Fresh bottles of vaping liquid should have a good smell and taste. However, the flavor degrades with time, causing a change in taste or losing its flavor profile entirely. The flavorings of these products are one of the significant reasons for them to degrade.
If you notice the juice’s change in smell significantly from what it was in its initial days, avoid vaping that product. Likewise, a variation in taste occurs due to the flavors going bad.
The general rule for vapers is to check their vape frequently to identify if it has gone wrong. If you notice your e-juices are degrading, it is probably time for you to replace your old bottles and buy new ones. Most vapers try to vape expired vape juice, which experts do not recommend.
Thickness
In general, the expired vape juice either becomes thick or runny. The brands imprint the expiration dates of their products for a reason. You will have an unpleasant experience if you vape this kind of liquid.
Nicotine Content
As mentioned earlier, the nicotine content degrades with time.
Not only the nicotine content but also the nicotine amount decreases over time. However, the liquid generates a poor taste and will not satisfy your nicotine cravings.
Final Words
Now that you know how vape juice goes terrible and how you can prevent it, you can feel a bit relieved. Always remember to inspect the bottle when you buy it. Of course, one should also check the contents before using it.
Since using expired e-liquid may impair your health, it is best to keep them stored correctly and determine their suitability.
