Wrinkles

How long can probiotics be in the heat?

The Visbiome strains can be exposed to warm conditions for brief periods of time and are even stable at room temperature for up to a week. Unfortunately, temperature spikes above 86°F will begin to degrade the living bacteria, a phenomenon potentially present in competing products.7 Jan 2019

Do probiotics go bad in the heat?

Many probiotic bacteria are naturally sensitive to heat and moisture. Heat can kill organisms and moisture can activate them within pills, only to die due to lack of nutrients and a proper environment. These products should ideally be refrigerated and kept out of humidity.

What temp is too hot for probiotics?

Probiotics should not be exposed to temperatures above 70 degrees F, especially for prolonged periods of time unless they have been specifically designed to withstand the conditions.

How long can probiotics be left unrefrigerated?

Although probiotics should be refrigerated, they do not spoil or die-off quickly at room temperature. They may be left at room temperature for days and even several weeks without a great loss of viable organisms.

Can probiotics go bad if not refrigerated?

While some strains of probiotics are shelf-stable, others may require refrigerating to extend their shelf life. Certain probiotic foods like yogurt and kefir also spoil if not kept in the fridge.

How do you know if probiotics are alive?

A typical label will have the name of the specific probiotic (such as Lactobacillus acidophilus), the dose in CFU, an expiration date, and instructions for use and storage. The expiration date is important because it should have the “use by date,” which is how long the product will have live cultures.

Can you still take expired probiotics?

Good quality probiotic supplements contain live bacteria, and expired products may have less than or none of the advertised amount. The good news is that expired probiotic capsules won't hurt you, though they likely won't give you the probiotic health benefits you were hoping for.

Can probiotics survive the microwave?

You cannot microwave kefir, based on what the heat will do to it. The microwave's high temperature will kill most of the gut-friendly bacteria in kefir and other probiotic foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, and miso, among others.