How to Store African Superfood Powders at Home

A brand can source carefully, dry gently and pack quickly, and all of it can be undone in six weeks on a sunny windowsill. Storage is the part of the chain the customer controls, and it matters more than most people assume.

The four enemies

Oxygen. Drives the oxidation that dulls colour and flattens aroma. The main defence is minimising headspace and keeping the pack sealed. A half-empty large jar is worse than a full small one.

Light. Ultraviolet light degrades pigments and some vitamins. This is why serious packaging is opaque or amber rather than clear. A clear glass jar on an open shelf looks beautiful and is the worst container you can choose.

Heat. Every reaction that degrades a powder runs faster when warm. The cupboard above the oven and the shelf next to the hob are the two most common mistakes in any kitchen.

Moisture. Causes clumping and, at the extreme, microbial growth. The usual culprit is a wet spoon, or opening a cold pack in a warm humid kitchen so that condensation forms inside it.

Practical rules

• Keep powders in their original pouch if it is opaque and resealable. Press the air out before sealing.
• If decanting, use an opaque or amber airtight container sized to the quantity.
• Store in a closed cupboard away from the cooker, ideally below twenty degrees.
• Always use a dry spoon. Never pour from the pack over a steaming pot.
• Do not refrigerate powders. Taking a cold pack out repeatedly causes condensation. The exception is unrefined oils and butters in hot weather.
• Buy quantities you will actually finish. A three-month pack used fully beats a twelve-month pack used a third.

Product-specific notes

Moringa. The most fragile of the common powders. Green fades to olive within months in poor conditions. Use within three to six months of opening.

Baobab. Robust because it is already very dry, but hygroscopic. It will absorb ambient moisture and clump. Keep it tightly sealed.

Bissap calyces. Fade from burgundy to brown with light exposure. Store in the dark. Whole calyces keep better than broken ones.

Cocoa powder. Absorbs surrounding odours readily. Do not store it next to spices or coffee unless you want it to taste of them.

Shea butter and unrefined oils. Keep cool and dark. They will soften and harden with temperature, which is normal and does not indicate spoilage. Rancidity announces itself by smell.

How to tell something has gone off

Trust colour and smell before dates. A powder that has lost its aroma has lost most of what you paid for, even if the best-before is a year away. Conversely, a product that still smells vivid past its date is usually fine in every sense except the legal one.

ATTOTE Original sources African superfoods and natural beverages from Cote d'Ivoire and West Africa, and ships across France and Europe.