Put "tahini" in the FP search box and you will see previous discussions on this subject at the end of the list. Personally, I've never had rancid tahini, many years, many brands; or a bitter taste (which would be an indication of rancidity). I think I can tell, since that smell is so characteristic! And, I don't refrigerate.
Another thought, I suppose you wouldn't need to refrigerate it if you use it so frequently that it is never really stored. I don't keep my cooking oil or my olive oil in the fridge because I turn it around in a month or less. But I do think sesame is a bit more sensative and I should keep my pure sesame oil in the fridge as well.
I do referigerate it because it will last a very long time-- months and months, yes--a year, yes, in my experience. I am extremely sensitive to rancid oil odor, so I just give the sniff test. I have not experienced bitterness yet, but I'm going to give a small taste in the future to avoid that. Thanks for that tip, harlikearmor
I have kept tahini for time periods that seem like forever! I think I've gotten tired of it and figured "it's time to get some new" before it became rancid or bitter. I do refrigerate it. But I guess that's me. There are a heck of a lot more things that other people refrigerate while I do not.
good question. It lasts a reasonably long time in the fridge (months I'd say), but will eventually it gets hard and difficult to get the oil mixed back in plus it becomes horribly bitter.
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