Shipping in Extreme Weather
Posted by Nathan Jackson on
One of the more frequent questions I get asked by customers who order online is whether or not their sprouted, organic nuts will be OK during shipping in the hot summer heat or the cold winter. The short answer is YES, they will be OK.
Sprouted nuts and seeds can withstand temperatures up to 118 degrees Fahrenheit before they begin to lose their enzymes, which is the parameter used to determine whether a food is raw and alive. Basically, as long as the internal temperature of the sprouted nuts and seeds stays at or below 118 degrees then they are good to go. While summer temperatures can get pretty hot the chances of them getting high enough to compromise the nutrition and enzyme activity of the sprouted nuts and seeds are extremely low.
The same goes for the harsh winter temperatures that occur in some parts of the United States. Sprouted nuts and seeds are perfectly fine in cold and freezing temperatures. If anything, the lower the temperature, the more nutrients and enzymes are preserved as cold temperatures actually slow the natural loss of nutrients that occurs with time.
With that being said, all of Nate's Raw Harvest sprouted, organic products are safe to leave in an air-tight container at room temperature for several months, but it is recommended to keep them refrigerated if you want to preserve the most nutrients in them and extend their shelf-life up to one year. For more details see our FAQ page and blog about Shelf-Life and Storage.