Does CBD Need to be Refrigerated or Frozen?

Many things, including packaging and CBD extraction efficiency, affect the shelf life of CBD products. One of the essential things that can make or break the longevity of CBD oil is how it is stored. Proper storage will lead to the best potency of your CBD product. While keeping CBD in a cool, dry, and dark place is recommended, you may wonder if you can refrigerate or can you freeze CBD oil. Luckily we are here to answer all your cooler storage questions about your CBD products! 

Should CBD Be Refrigerated?

The importance of storing CBD oil cannot be understated. Proper storage will maintain the integrity of CBD products, vastly extending their shelf life. The shelf life of countless products can be extended by refrigeration, so it’s only natural to wonder does CBD oil need to be refrigerated. 

For the most part, if you are looking to use a bottle of CBD up quickly or roll a J with CBD blunt wraps as soon as you buy them, simply storing CBD products in an excellent, dry location will do the trick. On the other hand, refrigeration is the way to go if you buy CBD oil in bulk or plan not to use your products for a while. 

By refrigerating CBD oil that you do not plan on immediately using, you minimize the risk of bacteria or mold growing by leaving the oil out in the open for months. 

Since many people choose to refrigerate CBD oil, the next question may be does CBD oil go bad if not refrigerated? The good news is that CBD can last up to a year in the refrigerator. Periodically check the CBD oil to see if the color has changed; a darker oil color means the CBD oil is beginning to go bad. However, if the product is properly stored and refrigerated, you don’t need to look out for this for months. 

Does CBD Oil Freeze?

Can CBD oil freeze? Short answer: Yes, CBD oil freezes. Do you want to freeze CBD oil is the question we want to answer. Since refrigeration is encouraged, it may seem like freezing oil is the next logical step. However, you should only be freezing CBD oil if you are storing CBD for months or even years at a time before use. 

When you freeze CBD oil, it affects the product’s consistency and viscosity, which changes the texture of your oil. Cold temperatures will thicken the CBD oil since it hardens at freezing temperatures, making it harder to get out of CBD tincture bottles. That thickening is why CBD oil capsules, filled with a CBD oil filling syringe, are a popular item to freeze. You won’t notice the consistency change while still getting the benefits of CBD. 

If you do freeze CBD oil, you may notice it is cloudy when you thaw it. Don’t worry; your CBD isn’t bad! The cloudiness is a byproduct of the frozen temperatures that the oil has been stored, but it doesn’t change the quality and integrity of the CBD product. 

If you plan to freeze CBD oil, make sure to do it only when you need longtime safe storage for it. If you have already frozen your oil or want to unfreeze it, simply place it in a room temperature place (like a countertop) for a few hours. 

CBD Degradation Temperature 

Freezer temperatures hover at or slightly below 0°F, on average. If you choose to freeze CBD, make sure you have a freezer that doesn’t exceed a few degrees lower than 0°F. Anything colder than that will start degrading CBD, negatively affecting its potency prematurely. 

Conversely, too much heat can degrade your CBD, which is why we recommend defrosting  CBD bottle packaging and products at room temperature. Placing CBD oil in the microwave or oven will spoil the CBD oil enough that it will lose the properties that make you love CBD; we definitely don’t want that. 

Storing your CBD products at regulated temperatures will significantly extend the shelf life. Too much heat and too much cold will damage the CBD; always remember to never heat above room temperature and never freeze below zero! If you follow those guidelines, you are sure to get the best possible effects from your CBD products.