How to Tell if a Lime is Bad (and How Long They Last)

If you are about to make a recipe but have a lime that is questionable and possibly could be bad. Good news, you have come to the right place! This post is all about limes... how to tell if a lime is bad, the qualities of a good lime, storage methods for limes, how long they are good for, everything about lime juice, and more.

I always like to buy citrus fruits in bulk since it seems like almost every recipe needs them! However, limes can go bad quickly if not stored correctly. I will explain to you how to tell if a lime is bad, how long they are good for, proper storage for limes, and even some recipes you can make with fresh good limes! 

how to tell if a lime is bad

There are a variety of factors to identify how to tell if a lime is bad.

1. Mold. One of the sure signs of spoilage is if the lime has mold on it. This is the first thing to check on your limes since it should be very obvious if there is mold or not. It usually takes quite a bit of time for a lime to develop mold growth on the rind but if it does have mold be sure to toss it. Harmful bacteria in mold can give you food poisoning if eaten.
2. Discoloration. The most common sign of a bad lime is discoloration on the outside. Old limes will become a brown color or get brown spots. Even a brown tint on the green skin is usually a sign of an expired lime. A yellow lime is not old but just a more ripe lime. Yellow limes are left on the tree longer and therefore develop more citric acid with a sour taste. However, a yellow sour lime is still good to use and some people prefer it!
3. Soft or hard spots. Hard limes or soft spots on limes are a sign of rotten limes. Whether it is the whole fruit that is hard or just has areas of hardness, these are both signs of bad food. Sometimes green limes can still have these textural problems and that will greatly affect the taste. Once a lime has hardened it will make the citrus juices inside taste extremely bitter.
4. Smell. A sure way of how to tell if a lime is bad is by smell. As a general rule for most food items, if there is an unpleasant smell it is past its expiration date. Bad limes will smell of ammonia. 

how long are limes good for?

How long do limes last? Well, the shelf life of limes varies on how they are stored. Whole limes are good for about 1 week on the counter or in a fruit bowl and 2-4 weeks in the fridge. Fresh key limes have the same shelf life as standard limes. Finger limes can last 2 days on the counter and up to 2 weeks in the crisper drawer. Cut limes or lime wedges will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. 

how long is lime juice good for?

So now we know how long limes are good for but does lime juice go bad? Unfortunately, like most fruit juices, fresh juice and juice from the grocery store do eventually go bad. The shelf life of lime juice depends on the type of lime juice and storage conditions. Fresh lime juice that has been squeezed from ripe limes is good for 2-3 days in the fridge. Homemade lime juice should be used as quickly as possible for best quality. Frozen lime juice will stay good for about 3-4 months.

A store-bought bottle of lime juice has a much longer shelf life. Store-bought lime juice has a natural preservative added that grants it a long shelf life. Unopened bottles of store-bought juice can last up to 6 months past the best-by date. Whereas an opened bottle of lime juice can last up to 1 month in the fridge. 

how to store limes

There are a couple of different ways to store limes. First, whole limes can be stored at room temperature in a fruit bowl or a dry place on the counter. Limes are very sensitive to direct sunlight and extreme temperatures, therefore the best option to store limes is in a cool dark place line in a pantry or kitchen cabinet. 

A great way to extend the shelf life of your limes is by storing them in the refrigerator drawer or shelf of your fridge. The best way to store any type of citrus fruit and keep it fresh for a long time is in a bowl of water in the fridge. 

If you are trying to store an already cut lime for later use, wrap the exposed part of the lime in plastic wrap and store it in a plastic bag in the fridge. For lime slices, store them in a freezer bag or airtight container in the fridge.

how to store lime juice

The best place to store lime juice is in a sealed container like a mason jar or any air-tight container. Too much air in the container can quicken the aging process. So just like fresh apple juice, fresh lemon juice, or juices of most fresh fruits, try to fill the juice to the top of the container or vacuum seal the container to lessen the air exposure to the juice.

You can also freeze lime juice for future use. A good idea to freeze lime juice is to use an ice cube tray to freeze it into small portions. That way when you're ready to use it you can just pop one or two out.

what to make with fresh limes

There are so many food and drink recipes to utilize fresh ripe limes! A classic and obvious choice is margaritas, like my aperol margarita. Salad dressings with fresh lime juice pack a punch of flavor and are delicious on a variety of summer and spring salads, like the honey lime vinaigrette in my watermelon salad . For desserts, you can make a lime pie or even lime cheesecake. Lime bars are a zesty take on lemon bars. For dinners, fresh lime juice is a great way to cut a rich dish like soup or a meat-forward meal. Lime also compliments seafood very well like shrimp or fish. Try lime instead of lemon in my cajun shrimp scampi! Lastly, use the lime zest to rim your favorite frozen cocktail like a pina colada or strawberry daiquiri.

lime faqs