How Long Does Flour Last? {Storage Tips & Signs of Spoilage}

Flour is one of the foundations of baking. And if you’re like most of us, you never give a second thought to flour being ‘spoiled’. But if you accidentally used an expired or rancid batch of flour, you and your taste testers will know immediately that something doesn’t taste right.

Not only that, flour that is past it’s shelf life, doesn’t produce the best breads, muffins and cakes. In order to avoid this baking flop from happening to you – it’s important to note your flour’s shelf-life, proper storage and signs of spoilage. 

So, how long does flour last? 

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How long does flour last?

The short answer is typically, flour can last from 3-8 months. Of course, this will vary depending on several factors, such as: 

• Storage container
• Storage area’s temperature
• The type of flour

Storage and Storage Area’s Temperature

Usually, a cool and dry pantry works well in preserving your container of flour’s freshness. But from my experience – placing your flour supply inside the fridge or freezer is a good move if you have a lot of flour and are not planning on using it right away.

Here’s a general guideline of how long each type of flour usually lasts when you store them in the pantry, fridge, or freezer. 

Type of Flour	Shelf Life
	Pantry (50 to 70°F)	Fridge (at or below 40°F)	Freezer (0°F)
Amaranth	Two months	2-3 months	Four months
Barley	Three months	2-3 months	Six months
Brown rice	Three months	4-5 months	Six months
Buckwheat	One month	One month	Two months
GF flour mixes	1-3 months	2-3 months	2-3 months
Millet	One month	1-2 months	Two months
Oats	Two months	2-3 months	Two months
Quinoa	Two months	2-3 months	Four months
Rye	Three months	4-5 months	Six months
Sorghum	Two months	3-4 months	Four months
Teff	Two months	3-4 months	Four months
Almond	Three months	Six months	Six months
Coconut	Three months	Six months	Six months
White rice	Three months	4-5 months	Six months
Starches	One year	One year	Two years

Types of Flour

Flour is a product of milling grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, or seeds, specifically rice, barley, maize, wheat, or rye. Whereas ground almond, coconut, tapioca, or potato makes gluten-free flours. 

Wheat flour is the most popular type of flour. Included in this category are all-purpose flour, gluten flour, self-rising flour, among others. 

Some of your gluten-free flour options include almond, coconut, rice, potato, tapioca flours, and gluten-free bread mixes. Gluten-free bread mixes are usually a combination of flours from different plant or grain sources.

In general, whole grain and nut flours turn rancid faster than other types of flour.  

Why? 

Because whole grain and nut flours contain higher amounts of natural fats or oils. And when exposed to moisture and air, your flour becomes rancid. However, no need to worry! In the next section, we’ll tackle a few tricks you can do to extend their shelf life. 

How to properly store your flour? 

If you found yourself with a flour supply that’s more than you can utilize for your baking day, you can put them in an airtight (and moisture-proof) container at room temperature. 

Thankfully, placing them inside the fridge or freezer will extend your flour’s shelf life. Remember to bring the frozen flour’s temp to room temperature before using them.

But… you can also avoid this situation (especially if you have no room for storage) by taking note of this quick list: 

• 1 pound (between 454 -520 g) flour = about 4 cups
• 5 pounds flour = about 20 cups
• 10 pounds flour = about 40 cups

As for the type of container, you can use glass, plastic, aluminum, or a ziplock plastic bag, as long as they’re airtight. Mason jars make lovely containers and kitchen decor, too. 

Placing them in an airtight container will protect your supply from moisture and air. This will also prevent them from developing a rancid odor and keep bugs (weevils) and rodents away! 

It’s also a good practice to put labels on them individually, indicating best by dates and the type of flour. Also, keep in mind that you shouldn’t mix old with new flour. 

When you choose to store them in the pantry, you’ll want to store them away from products with a strong odor (e.g., soap, onion, etc.). Here’s a weird tip that actually works…Bay leaves keep the insects at bay, with bay leaves being a natural insect repellent.

Signs that your flour has gone bad…

The bottom line is… if you notice your flour has a rancid smell, change in color, mold growth, or small bugs, then, by all means, discard it!

Other Tips When Handling Flour

You probably knew this already, but it doesn’t hurt mentioning this…flours are raw. And they are from milled grains or nuts that are grown in soil. So, there’s a risk of exposure to harmful bacteria and pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Here are a couple of reminders when you’re handling flour: 

• Follow package instructions, especially cooking time and temperature; 
• Only refrigerate cookie and pastry dough according to the manufacturer’s directions (appropriate temperature etc.); 
• Have separate storage for your raw and ready-to-eat food; 
• Wash your hands with soap and water after handling flour or pastry dough; 
• Wash utensils, baking pans, workspace, etc. with warm soapy water; 
• Don’t use raw cookie dough in ice cream or milkshakes; 
• Throw away recalled flour; and
• Don’t let your kids play with raw dough. 

FAQ’s

More help on flours!

• 50 Terms You’ve Got to Know in Gluten-Free Baking
• 6 of the Best Types of Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
• Gluten Free Flours
• The Best Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread Recipe
• Gluten Free Rice Flour White Bread for the Bread Machine