An expert chef has shared a simple hack to stop opened jars of condiments and sauces from going mouldy in the fridge – and you won’t need to rush out to buy anything
Sick of finding furry friends lurking in your leftover jars when rustling up dinner?
Well worry not, as a food pro has revealed a nifty trick that’ll keep your condiments fresher for longer, and it’s something you’re likely to already have in your kitchen. Christina Soteriou, a wizard in the culinary arts, insists there’s no need to bin half-used jars of pesto or exotic sauces.
With just a dash of olive oil, you can kiss goodbye to premature mould. Christina’s quick fix involves “Adding a thin layer of olive oil on top of your condiments creates a seal that prevents bacteria from getting into the product.”
Here’s how: scrape off any sauce residue clinging onto the jar edges; compress the remnants downwards to put daylight between them and the lid; then grace the surface with a protective coat of oil – a mere few millimetres will suffice.
This trick isn’t picky; it plays ball with a variety of jars from pesto to chilli oils, minced garlic, tomato paste and others. Despite this clever hack, remember to double-check your condiments aren’t past their prime – no amount of olive oil can resurrect sour scents or funky colours.
The effectiveness of this hack is largely dependent on the quality of the olive oil used. The higher the quality, the better it preserves the freshness of the food.
However, since only a small amount of oil is required, the cost remains minimal and you save money by reducing food waste. This trick also works well with foods that are stored in oil, like sundried tomatoes.
You can add more oil after using them to prevent spoilage. This ingenious tip was shared on social media and quickly garnered praise from food enthusiasts.
One user commented: “We do this with pesto and it lasts loads longer,” Another queried: “Thanks for the tip!! Cannot wait to try it, I have a jar of opened pesto in the fridge right now but leaving for a holiday for 10 days. Do you think it will last until I come using this method or should I just freeze it?”
A third person said: “Wow. My rose harissa goes mouldy after a week after opening. I’m not using it daily. Going to try this.” Another food lover believes this hack will “absolutely revolutionise” her fridge shelf. One user revealed her grandmother uses this method to keep her pickles fresh for longer and it “works like a charm”.
