What is the shelf life of Sweet-Nectar?
Unopened Sweet-Nectar is good for 3-years unopened. That said, the 1.5L bagged nectar in our exclusive Eco-fresh Pouch should stay fresh even after opened. This is due to our packaging process where a nitrogen barrier keeps oxygen from the remaining nectar, aiding in the prevention of oxidation/spoilage.
Where is the expiration date on my bottle/bag of nectar?
We package each nectar bottle/bag with a manufacture date and batch number instead of an expiration date. We find this procedure better aids in tracking in the case that bad product ever is released, so we can quickly remove it from store shelves. Thankfully, we haven’t needed this yet, but better safe than sorry.
You can look on your nectar packaging for a small label with a sequence of numbers. This label contains our batch number. The first two digits are the year of manufacture. Unopened, any of our nectar will be good to serve 3 years from that date.
Do I need to refrigerate Sweet-Nectar after opening?
Any nectar that is NOT packaged in our Eco-fresh Pouches should be refrigerated once opened. That said, it certainly does not hurt to refrigerate any nectar.
How long does bottled nectar stay fresh after opened?
2-3 weeks is a good rule of thumb for nectar to stay fresh after it is opened and refrigerated. As previously mentioned, any nectar packaged in our Eco-fresh Pouch will last well beyond this timeframe due to our unique packaging process.
Is my nectar bad? I see some cloudiness.
If nectar has gone too long once opened, or if a package seal has been damaged, etc. you may see your nectar become cloudy. This is a sign that oxidation has begun to occur, and the nectar should be discarded. Likewise, once nectar in your feeders becomes cloudy, any remaining nectar should be removed, and the feeder cleaned.
I have some nectar left over, is my nectar going to be good next year/season?
Any nectar packaged in our Eco-fresh Pouch should be good to serve the following hummingbird season. Any opened and unused nectar packaged in any other way should be discarded.
