Aloe vera is a handy plant to have around, as the gel in its leaves is useful for hydrating skin and soothing sunburns, skin irritations, insect bites, and mild to moderate acne flare-ups. The major downside of fresh aloe is that it does not last long when harvested and preserved naturally. However, you can use a few tricks to coax your fresh aloe gel or even entire aloe leaves into lasting a little longer.
Storing Entire Aloe Leaves
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If you foresee that you'll need to use your aloe frequently in upcoming days, plan to store it in your refrigerator. To store a whole aloe leaf in the fridge, simply wrap the leaf in a damp hand towel ensuring that the cut end of the leaf is covered by the towel. This will keep the leaf hydrated, resulting in a shelf life of about one week.
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Because fresh aloe begins to degrade when it comes in contact with air, you can also store it using a relatively airtight method that may result in the leaf lasting longer — up to approximately two weeks. Wrap a piece of aluminum foil around the cut end of the leaf. Secure the foil in place with a rubber band and place the leaf in a large resealable plastic bag, pressing the bag from the bottom to the top to remove as much air as possible before sealing it, securing the whole thing with a second rubber band, and placing it in the refrigerator. If the leaf begins to smell or develops mold, discard it.
You can also store leaves in the freezer if you have a surplus or if a leaf has broken off and you don't plan to use it right away. Put the leaves in a large freezer bag and place the bag in the freezer, which can preserve the leaves for up to eight months. When it's time to use a leaf, just remove one from the bag and leave it on the counter to defrost at room temperature. Pop the bag with the remaining leaves back in the freezer.
Preserving Fresh Aloe Vera Gel
Removing the gel from the leaves makes it easier to use in a pinch, either topically or by throwing it in a blender to add to drinks. Since the gel will be exposed to the air, bacteria will begin to form almost immediately. If left out, the gel will spoil within a day of extracting it. Keep it fresh for longer by storing it in the fridge in an airtight container. It's preferable to use a UV-blocking glass container with a screw-on top to minimize the gel's exposure to bacteria and light. This will help keep the gel fresh for approximately 10 days.
A 10-day shelf life is quite short it you don't use aloe gel very frequently, though; in this case, consider adding preservatives to the gel. Add the gel to a blender with 500 milligrams of powdered vitamin C and/or 400 IU of powdered vitamin E for every 2 ounces of aloe gel. Since both of these vitamins are excellent preservation aids, this should extend the shelf of your gel to approximately two months in an airtight container.
Fresh aloe gel can also be frozen for up to a year. One way to freeze the gel is to blend it into a liquid and pour it into an ice cube tray. Once it's frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for secure storage.