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Like any dried spice, herb, tea bag, or coffee grounds you have in your kitchen, kratom is made of living matter, and can therefore expire. To prolong the life of your kratom and keep it as potent and effective as when it was plucked from the ground, you should follow these simple tips for storing kratom.
If you’re interested in why kratom expires and what you can do to prevent it
Kratom contains an alkaloid called mitragynine. This powerful substance is what gives kratom its kick, but it can and will degrade over time, especially when exposed to oxygen.
Keep your kratom in an airtight container, and don’t leave that container open for a long time. Store your kratom in the same container that you would your ground coffee beans or tea leaves for maximum freshness. Make sure your container is sealed completely every time you use it, otherwise your kratom will quickly have a noticeable change in aroma and potency.
Humid conditions can not only accelerate your kratom’s degradation, they can also promote dangerous mold. Like any herb, spice, tea, or plant material, you should never store kratom in humid conditions.
If you keep your kratom in the kitchen, ensure it’s in an airtight container away from steam. Even boiling pasta or a kettle of water on a regular basis can introduce high levels of humidity in your kitchen. Keep a window open as you cook as often as you can, and store your herbs, spices, and kratom in a separate location. A dark, closed off pantry is ideal.
UV rays can also contribute to kratom deterioration. Keep your kratom powder away from direct light to prolong its shelf life.
If you choose to store kratom in a clear glass jar or plastic bag, make sure you keep it in a dark cabinet or pantry. Don’t place a transparent container of kratom in direct sunlight, such as in front of a window.
A location that is too hot or too cold can degrade your kratom and hasten its expiry.
Additionally, if you’ve opened your kratom container up to a very hot room, make sure the air has cooled down to room temperature before you seal your airtight container again. You don’t want to trap air that’s a different temperature than the surrounding room — this can create condensation, which can in turn promote mold growth.
We’ve herd many people recommend this method of Kratom storage all the time!
You might think that a refrigerator would help prolong kratom’s shelf life much as it prolongs the life of your fruit and vegetables. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
If you refrigerate or freeze your kratom powder, you run the risk of introducing moisture into your kratom. Even a small amount of moisture, as we mentioned above, can create a serious risk for mold. This is a good kitchen rule in general — keep dried herbs dry!
Labeling your kitchen ingredients is a great habit to get into, beyond just learning how to store kratom powder. Think of all the times you’ve poked around in the pantry and asked yourself, “What is this?” “When did I buy this?” “Is this still good?” Labels can answer all of those questions and help you eliminate waste.
For kratom, it’s especially important to label your opening dates because it can lose its potency over time. While expired kratom cannot hurt you (unless it’s moldy), the aroma won’t have the same desired effects. If your primary reasoning for using kratom is for energy, a sense of soothing calm, or mood enhancement, expired kratom will not be as potent as you may wish. This is another reason why it’s important to learn proper kratom storage!
Mold can be very dangerous. If your kratom has developed any mold because of improper storage, dispose of the entire contents immediately to prevent mold growth in other areas of your pantry. Check that your container is stored at the right temperature and humidity. Don’t forget to thoroughly sterilize and dry your storage container before using it for storing kratom again.
Kratom capsules and liquid kratom are manufactured in many different ways. As such, their storage requirements and shelf life can vary widely. Generally, kratom capsules and liquid are preserved in such a way that they last much longer than kratom powder — but that doesn’t mean they’ll never expire or lose their potency.
The most important advice we can give you for using kratom correctly is to purchase it from the right retailer. Poor-quality kratom powder can contain any number of substances that could be completely ineffective, or, at worst, bad for your health- no storage solution is going to fix that. You should always purchase kratom from a retailer that has verified third-party testing to ensure the best purity and potency of your product.
Please note that the US FDA has not approved kratom to be sold for human consumption, sold for external use only. The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. None of the products sold on our website are intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition.
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