Seeds are one of natures best superfoods. Packed full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, these tiny powerhouses offer an abundance of great health benefits to kids and adults alike¹. Seeds like flax, chia and hemp are some of the highest sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the planet offering an abundance of omega-3 ALA². Because these oils are quite delicate, seeds have special storage needs to keep them as fresh and nutritious as possible. Seeds can get spoiled if exposed to oxygen, heat and light so proper storage is advised. We recommend the following to optimize the nutrition of any bag of seeds you purchase, and especially for those seeds that are milled (ground). Grinding seeds releases those powerful omega-3’s, which improves its absorption by the body³, but also makes the seed more prone to getting spoiled if not stored correctly as they have now lost their protective outer shell⁴.

Refrigerate or freeze your seeds

Seeds function best at cooler temps so storing them in the refrigerator will keep them as fresh as possible and even extend their shelf life 5. Storing seeds in the fridge/freezer also reduces oxygen exposure which is another factor that degrades seed quality. There are two exceptions to this:

• Most whole seeds are okay to be stored at room temperature. Note that hemp seeds are the whole seed form of hulled hemp seeds/hemp hearts.
• Unopened bags of milled or hulled seeds are safe to be stored in a pantry.

Purchase and store seeds in opaque packaging

• When exposed to oxygen and light, the delicate fatty acids in the seeds may oxidize and produce byproducts like aldehydes and lipid peroxides. This can reduce the nutrient profile and health benefits of your seeds ⁵.
• Purchase seeds in a thick, opaque, re-sealable package with no clear window so you can be sure the seeds were not exposed to any light before they ended up in your home. All Tiny Spouts Organic Superseed Boosters come packaged in a durable, opaque packaging to eliminate light exposure. We also use a unique process to remove the oxygen from the bag before it is vacuum-sealed to ensure there is no exposure to oxygen and humidity, and keeping the seeds as fresh and nutritious as possible. 
• If you prefer to remove your seeds from their packaging you purchased them in, we recommend storing them in dark, air-tight containers like dark-green mason jars. Don’t forget to write their expiry date on the jar!

Follow the manufacturer's instructions 

• Every manufacturer likely works with different seed suppliers who follow different processing methods, so it’s always best to follow the storage instructions that are found on the front or back of the pouch.
• Once opened, the shelf-life of the seeds will be less than the printed expiry date, so look for the ‘consume by/use-by’ date for an opened bag. This date will likely range from 30-90 days from the time you open the bag ⁶.
• While it is likely that your seeds will still be safe to consume past the printed expiry date if you store them in the fridge/freezer and away from oxygen and light, we still recommend consuming them by the date suggested by the manufacturer.

The best way to tell if your seeds have gone off is a ‘smell test’. Fresh seeds emit a nutty or neutral smell versus seeds that have gone rancid will have a strong, off-putting odor...almost like a fishy or musty scent ⁷. If you still are unable to determine its state of freshness after a ‘smell test’, then we recommend having a taste of the seed in question. If it tastes bitter, then the seed has likely gone bad.

As seeds are consumed in small quantities, consuming spoiled seeds may cause a mild upset stomach but you will otherwise be fine. In rare situations, seeds like flaxseeds and chia seeds could get moldy over time if they are not stored as per the recommended storage instructions, because of their ability to absorb water. The mold would be visible, or the seeds will start to form hard clumps together.

At Tiny Sprouts, we test all our products for yeast, mold and microorganisms to ensure you are receiving the purest and freshest bag of seeds possible. You can read more about our ingredient standards here.