How long to keep açaí for — and why you need to freeze it.

Açaí is one of the most perishable fruits there is. Freezing isn't a shortcut. It's the only way açaí can travel. Here's how to store it properly once it reaches you.

01Why açaí is always frozen

Fresh açaí starts to deteriorate within a day or two of harvest. Its natural fats oxidise quickly, and the fruit begins to ferment and sour. That's why you'll almost never see fresh açaí outside the Amazon. To keep its colour and flavour, the fruit is pulped, pasteurised and frozen as soon as possible after harvest, and it stays frozen from Brazil to your freezer.

02How long frozen açaí keeps

Kept frozen at a steady temperature, açaí pulp keeps its quality for many months. The exact shelf life depends on the product and packaging, so always go by the best-before date on the pack. Store it at -18°C or colder, the standard for frozen food storage, and keep it away from the freezer door, where temperatures fluctuate each time it's opened.

03The enemy: thawing and refreezing

Every time açaí partly thaws and refreezes, ice crystals grow and damage the texture. The result is icy, grainy pulp that blends thin, and colour and flavour fade too. Signs of temperature abuse include large ice crystals inside the pack, a pale or brownish colour, and packs frozen into odd shapes.

Once açaí has fully thawed, use it. Don't refreeze thawed pulp.

04How to thaw it for blending

For bowls, you only want to soften the pulp, not thaw it. Run a sealed sachet under cold water for 10–20 seconds, or let it sit for a minute, then break it into pieces before blending. Blending açaí from frozen is what gives a bowl its thick, scoopable texture. Pre-portioned cubes and pouches are designed to go straight into the blender.

05After it's blended

Blended açaí is best served immediately. It melts quickly at room temperature and doesn't refreeze well into the same texture. For cafés, the rule is simple: blend to order.

06For businesses: protect the cold chain

Check deliveries on arrival and get frozen stock into the freezer straight away. Rotate stock first in, first out, and keep a freezer thermometer to confirm temperatures. Our açaí is delivered on our own cold chain from freezer warehouses in VIC, NSW and QLD.