How long can boba tea last? The tea of boba can last for up to 3 days in the fridge, while uncooked boba can last for up six months, or longer within the freezer. The best method to get maximum value from Boba pearls is to keep them raw, but you can also keep the leftover boba in your fridge or freezer.
Based on tapioca starch, Boba pearls are able to lift any tea up to the next stage.
It is not uncommon to find boba left over (because of its delicious flavor) however, you could come across situations where you’ll want to save the tea in case you need it later.
I absolutely love Boba tea! I grew up drinking it and it’s always been one of my favorite drinks. I love the chewy tapioca balls and the sweet, milky flavor. It’s such a refreshing and satisfying drink.
Let me help you find out more about boba! Learn how to store them, how you can determine when they’ve been rotten, and much more!
What Is Boba?
Boba or bubble tea is a unique tea made using syrup as well as Boba pearls (tapioca pearls) as well as milk or ice, as well as any combination of tea leaves.
Boba tea has gained lots of attention throughout time and has now become an essential ingredient in many areas and some coffeehouses are even exclusively selling different various milk and boba teas.
Tapioca pearls are made from very few ingredients. They are akin to dough balls that are similar to regular. The tender and soft balls you’ll find inside these teas made dough!
To better understand how to preserve them, let’s discuss how the boba pearls are created.
There are a variety of boba. Some are called the traditional boba pearls made of tapioca starch, while others could be called “exploding boba” which are simply agar- or gel-based crystals that contain juice from fruit.
In order to make traditional Boba pearls all you need is tapioca starch and brown sugar and water. That’s all you need!
The brown sugar first dissolving in water, and later it is added with starch to the mix until it forms a dough.
When the dough is ready, it is formed and then formed into elongated logs. The logs are broken into smaller pieces, and each piece is then shaped into small balls. This is the foundation of Boba pearls.
If you still don’t understand what Boba tea is, I recommend reading my comprehensive guide on what crystal boba is.
How Long Does Boba Last?
Let’s look at some of the most popular versions of Boba and discover how long these pearls last!
Homemade Raw Boba Pearls
When the dough balls are made after which they are lightly sprayed with tapioca starch, they are then put in the refrigerator.
In their original form, tapioca balls are able to last for a long time when kept within the refrigerator. The best method to preserve them is to store all the balls that have been lightly dusted within an airtight box. Place the container in the rear of the freezer, at a temperature of 0degF.
If the storage conditions are met then that the balls will remain in good condition for up to six months.
However If you plan to use the pearls next day, you can store them in the refrigerator, too.
The tapioca ball can be edible over up to six days in the refrigerator but we suggest you consume in 3-4 days to get the most delicious texture.
Be aware that even though these balls are made from basic ingredient, these are intended to be kept in the freezer or fridge to prevent spoilage.
A lot of people think that pearls of tapioca can be eaten for a long time; however, it’s not true! They’re prone to spoil quickly particularly if they’re not properly stored!
In addition, because there aren’t any improvers or preservatives within the batter, the homemade Boba pearls won’t have the same shelf life.
But, they’ll be more flavorful than the conventional variety because of the use of top-quality, natural ingredients.
Commercial Boba
Commercial Boba can last for a longer period of time than homemade boba however, they are usually packed with many additives to make them last longer on the shelf-life.
Unopened bags of commercial tapioca pearls should last approximately 6-12 months at minimum, but it is important to look at on the reverse of package to find the ideal dates for expiry or replacement for the specific boba brand.
After they are open the pearls from boba need to be stored in a sealed container.
Be sure to follow the storage instructions for the most optimal experience. Not all commercial pearls from Boba are intended to be frozen. Some might even begin to split after you’ve thawed them!
Cooked Boba Pearls
When it comes to boba, “cooked” just means that the dough balls that are raw are cooked in water to become translucent and then submerged into caramel syrup.
When the boba peals are been dried and hydrated, they will be much less long in shelf time. However they’ll begin losing their delicate texture.
They have a shiny exterior and an opaque interior. The pearls are soft, but are chewable and soft.
The textural properties of the boba pearls begin to fade once they are cooked therefore you must try to drink the tea within six hours of making the tea.
When you have added the syrup and boba tea, milk and ice cubes have been put in, it’s time!
While you might be able to keep any leftover tea left in your refrigerator for a couple of days, if you’re looking for the most enjoyable experience, we strongly suggest that you keep the tea in the fridge for no longer than 4 hours, and then consume it within six hours.
The reason to be wary of eating 2-3 days older cooked boba the fact that the pearls can become excessively saturated and be stripped of their characteristic texture.
In addition, if you’ve added ice to your tea, you could be faced with a very watered down and discolored the base of your tea!
Cooked Commercial Boba
If you’re using tapioca commercial grade balls or an already-made large glass filled with boba that you purchased from your favorite cafe the best method to store your tea is to store your tea in its container it was packaged in.
Be sure the lid is closed and store your tea in the refrigerator at least away from foods that smell strongly.
Commercial boba can contain stabilizers, so it’s difficult to know how long they’ll stay in the refrigerator, but generally speaking, even commercial tapioca pearls begin losing their texture within one day in storage.
This is the reason we suggest drinking your beverage in between 8 and 12 hours. Also, you can request the barista to provide specific information about storage.
It isn’t optimal since they generally contain cream and dairy. As a guideline, try against freezing tea boba since it’s going to have a drastically different taste and texture when it is thawed.
Signs Of Spoilage
Milk tea and pearls from boba are prone to spoilage as with any other dairy drink. Here are some indications of spoilage on storage boba items:
Discoloration And Molding
Boba pearls tend to be lighter to dark brown, depending on the syrup made use of to make the pearls. In addition, boba pearls in raw form may have a dough-like hue with a translucent layer particularly when sprayed with starch.
If your boba is beginning to go bad you should be able to detect a change in color.
Begin by looking over the cooked boba that is in the tea. Then, take a few of boba using an ice cube and check them for signs of spoilage. Colors that are off-putting like gray, green, or yellow are an obvious sign that the boba is going bad.
Additionally, look over the top of the tea for additional indications of the tea’s spoilage. If the tea has turned bad, then you must throw out the entire tea. The boba that is not cooked should be inspected for similar texture changes as well.
Slime And Foul Odor
Another indication of the deterioration of your pearls is slime and the smell of a bad smell. Although they are designed to be slightly slippery, they are not going to be squishy even covered in syrup.
Make sure you inspect the boba prior drinking the tea, and also look for bad odor or a unpleasant flavor , too.
Other Questions Asked
Boba pearls are resistant to deterioration, however If they are not stored in a proper manner, they will be ruined just as quickly as other ingredients!
Once you’ve figured out how to store your boba and how to spot indications of spoilage, here’s a list of related concerns!
Does bursting boba’s bouncing be a problem?
Bursting boba is made of the agar powder. It is a gelatinous version of Boba pearls. They are not manufactured with starch and last for an extended period of time. In certain instances, they could remain in the fridge over 18 months..
They contain juice from fruit and could be flavored by any liquid base they are added to, so make sure all components are fresh are prior to consumption.
Which is the most efficient method to melt the boba?
The frozen boba that has not been cooked can be defrosted by boiling them. Don’t microwave the boba since it can weaken their structure and make them extremely soft.
To ensure their shape and texture, straight add the bobas to a pot with boiling water and cook them according to the instructions.
After being cooked the boba pearls may be consumed immediately or you can store them in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours to get the most perfect texture.
