How Long Does Kratom Tea Last In The Fridge? Safety First

According to professional herbalists Thomas Easly and Steven Horne in their book “The Modern Herbal Dispensatory, kratom tea that has been prepared and extracted via the use of hot water and steeping (also known as a hot infusion), can be safely refrigerated for up to three days.

By the way, I am not affiliated with Thomas or Steven in any way. I’m simply recommending a book which I found to be exceptionally useful in my botanical journey. However, if possible, make fresh kratom tea on a daily basis to take full advantage of its potent results. 

The most common form of kratom found online is kratom tea powder, also known as regular kratom powder.

There is much debate online regarding kratom powder’s shelf life. From my experience, I have successfully stored kratom tea powder without any noticeable loss of potency for up to one year. Some blogs claim it only lasts 8-12 weeks, but I have a really difficult time believing that’s the case, as I’ve stored kratom for much longer than that many times.

Other blogs claim kratom tea powder shelf life can last up to 2 years. If stored correctly, I don’t doubt it to be possible, especially if you freeze it, but more on that later. 

Kratom leaves contain various alkaloids which are responsible for its amazing results. However, the two primary alkaloids are Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine.

Once these alkaloids are absorbed into your bloodstream, they travel to your brain where they bind to the same receptors as opioids. Thus, producing very similar results. However, when kratom leaves are harvested, they’re usually grounded into a fine powder that we’ve all come to know and love. This powder, however, has more surface area exposed to natural elements that are known to destroy the alkaloids over time. When you prepare a kratom tea, these alkaloids are extracted from the powder or crushed leaves into the water, but the same threat from the elements persists.

These elements include:

• Oxygen
• Sunlight
• Heat
• Humidity
• Strong scents

Therefore, when storing kratom tea, your utmost priority is to store it in a way that minimizes its exposure to said elements.

Failure to properly store kratom will result in a reduction of alkaloids, and thus, its potency. 

Alright, so now that you’re aware of what destroys kratom tea’s potency as well as its shelf life, let’s go over all the do’s and don’ts regarding kratom tea storage.

The best way to store your leftover tea is to put it in the fridge. Storing your kratom tea in the fridge protects it from two elements, sunlight and heat, its two biggest nemesis which are known for destroying the alkaloids in the water. However, make sure you use an air tight lid to protect it from overexposure to oxygen, other strong scents, and humidity. Oxygen is the least threatening element, but overexposure to humidity can create mold in your kratom, and believe me, that’s the last thing you want to be drinking.

Drinking mold can induce health damaging side effects such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Skin rashes

Even if you correctly stored kratom tea in your fridge, make sure to throw it out after the third day. A lack of mold does not signify a safe beverage, as harmful bacteria can form once you exceed the three days limit. Once again, according to professional herbalists, Thomas and Steven, water does a poor job of conserving plant constituents, which is why they set the limit at three days.

A better solvent for conservation is alcohol, but now we’re dabbing into the realm of tinctures, so I’ll save that one for another blog post.

Additionally, in their book they advise against refrigerating cold infusions. Cold infusions should be made fresh daily, and should never be stored or refrigerated. Cold infusions are basically the same thing as hot infusions, except the kratom powder is steeped in cold water and for a much longer time period.

To learn how to make kratom tea, including hot, cold, and solar infusions, check out this post I wrote titled, “How To Make Kratom Tea: My 3 Favorite Recipes.” Many people have asked me whether they should store their kratom in plastic or glass. My answer is always the same, use glass as much as possible.

Kratom tea can absorb odors through plastic as well as other harmful chemicals. Therefore, always use glass, and since you’re storing your tea in the refrigerator where it’ll be unexposed to UV light, feel free to use clear glass, such as a glass jar with an airtight lid.

Opaque glass is only necessary if the herb or plant is being stored in a location where it will be exposed to UV light. 

Alright, so you’ve followed all the guidelines regarding proper kratom tea storage, but you notice there’s somethin’ a little funky about your kratom tea’s scent and appearance. You get the feeling it’s no longer safe to drink, but how do you know for sure?

Keep an eye out for the following signs if you suspect your kratom tea is no longer safe for consumption. You may notice one or a combination of the following signs. 

If your kratom tea has lost an easily noticeable amount of color, it’s probably no longer good for consumption. The loss of color can signify a significant loss of potency at best or unsafe and expired tea at worst. 

Kratom tea has a very distinct earthy smell that can be easily recognized with a whiff. The same rule as loss of color applies here. Loss of aroma can mean loss of potency at best or unsafe and expired tea tea at worst. 

This one is a no brainer. If you suspect mold is growing on your kratom tea, play it safe and toss it out. The risk of drinking moldy tea is not worth it. Make yourself a fresh tea and avoid the plethora of side effects from accidentally drinking mold.

Just in case you’re wondering, the same warning signs apply to kratom tea powder. Should you notice a loss of color, scent, or mold in your kratom powder, throw it out. Your health should be your utmost priority. 

Kratom tea is a great way to take advantage of kratom’s amazing experiences in a much more potent manner. However, storing your kratom tea the right way is just as important as knowing how to correctly prepare it.

Make sure to never drink kratom tea after three days of refrigeration, regardless of how safe it looks, and always keep an eye out for the telling signs of a bad tea:

• Loss of color
• Loss of scent
• Moldy

Doing so will protect your health in the long run. If preparing kratom tea is highly inconvenient for your busy schedule or you simply don’t like the bitter taste, you might prefer using capsules.