How long does celery lasts? Depending on the variety, celery has a shelf life of between 2 and 6 weeks when stored in the refrigerator. When it goes bad, it will bruise, have an unpleasant taste and smell, and have a soft texture.
Celery has a short shelf life at room temperature
If it is kept at room temperature, it should be eaten as soon as possible to avoid spoiling it.
Also, it should therefore be eaten after 2 days at the latest. For this reason, storage at room temperature is generally not recommended.
Celeriac can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks
With regard to the shelf life of celery, a fundamental distinction must be made between celeriac and celery:
If the celeriac is stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 5 to 7 °C, a shelf life of up to 6 weeks can be assumed.
However, the celeriac then goes bad and can no longer be used.
Celery also has a short shelf life in the refrigerator
The shelf life of celery is different because it is more sensitive and generally does not have such a strong protective layer as celeriac.
Therefore, lasts for around 2 weeks, but should then be consumed in any case.
It should also be stored in the refrigerator for maximum shelf life, as the ideal storage conditions prevail here with a maximum of 7 °C.
Store celery properly to extend its shelf life
If it is to keep for a long time, it should always be stored in a dry place, regardless of its variety. This means that it should not come into contact with too much moisture during storage.
In addition, it should be stored away from light, because strong sunlight ensures that it dries out quickly or spoils.
Store celeriac in sand or newspaper
Celeriac should be stored in the refrigerator under special conditions: since it must not come into contact with moisture under any circumstances, it should be stored in sand, which is best placed in a bowl with sand.
If no sand is available for storage, the newspaper can also be used.
Store celery stalks on damp paper
The storage of celery stalks in the refrigerator differs somewhat from the storage of celeriac in the refrigerator:
Ideally, celery stalks should be wrapped in slightly damp paper and then placed in the crisper – it is particularly important to ensure that the damp paper is clean.
Other foods shorten the shelf life of celery
When storing celery, it should also be specifically noted that it does not come into contact with other foods in the refrigerator or is stored too close to them.
If this is the case, the celery usually goes bad faster, so the shelf life is significantly shorter.
Freeze for a shelf life of up to 18 months
A good way to extend the shelf life of celery is to freeze it. This means that celery can be preserved for up to 18 months.
Freezing is therefore recommended, especially if larger amounts of celery are available. You can find our extensive article with the best tips for freezing and thawing celery here.
Characteristics of expired and bad celery
If celery runs off or becomes worse, it initially forms bruises, which can become larger and larger over time, and ultimately mold can also form.
In addition, clear discolorations form on the celery, which differs from the color of fresh celery. The expired celery also has an unpleasant odor.
Recognizing gone bad celery
In addition to the unpleasant smell, the celery taste test also has an unpleasant taste when it has expired.
Typically, the taste is now musty and can no longer be compared to the taste of fresh celery. In addition, expired celery is no longer al dente.
Ate expired celery
Especially when larger amounts of expired celery are consumed, more severe symptoms can follow. These may include abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. For this reason, expired celery should be discarded immediately and not eaten again under any circumstances.