The Wall Street Journal reports that prices for Jif, Peter Pan, and other peanut butter jars will be going up as much as 40% starting in a couple of weeks.
Lifehacker Article Here

Peanut butter is an awesome high-energy food though it does have a somewhat limited shelflife.
-Blast

Working in the food distribution industry, I was noticing a drop in the volume of peanut butter this summer but I did not know what was causing it.

Jeanette Isabelle

I thought peanut butter was pretty much bomb proof. If it seperated, mix it back together. The use by dates were there for freshness and taste - or so I thought.

I'm a commodities trader by profession and I can verify what Blast has posted. If you eat peanut butter, go ahead and buy a year supply now.

I'll add that I don't think you should buy more than 1 or 2 years supply though. This is only a temporary supply disruption. It takes a different kind of market disruption, like a geopolitical event or a sudden and permanent spike in labor costs to permanently drive up the cost of a commodity. Peanuts did not experience that kind of disruption. Peanuts just had a bad harvest and should get back to normal with the next good harvest.

The fats in peanuts oxidize (goes rancid) fairly quickly, usually in 9-12 months.
Link
-Blast

I can't eat peanuts. I wish I could because I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches!!!! Fluffer-nutters are also awesome. So, good riddance!!!

The article does not mention what the shelf life is if the container remains sealed.

Anyone know what the storage condition specifics are for the shelf-life statements?

Most PB containers I've encountered have a foil seal thats concave which indicates to me a vacuum, or at most a very minimal amount of oxygen in the lid area. I'll bet low temperature storage would be beneficial as well.

Also, I never buy "adulterated" PB ie: brands with added oil, sugar, stabilizers etc.

I only buy PB which is made from nuts and a little salt. Those are the only two ingredients on the label. Sure, you have to stir it but usually only once. And I never have to put it in the refrigerator either. It gets consumed within a couple of months after being opened.

After eating this kind of PB for years I got a dose of one of the kids' stuff brands and I almost vomited!
It tasted horrible with all the added sugar and oil. It literally tasted like greasy, peanut flavored candy.
I know I loved Jiff when I was a kid. "But when I became a man..."
Sorry, just a little legumor there.

In my opinion, that extra stuff is added for two reasons:
1. To make kids like it (brand loyalty conditioning)
2. To make it easy to spread (parental suffering reduction)

Thanks for the heads up Blast. My family practically lives on the stuff!

Pete2

To be honest, I have not looked that closely to the dates on peanut butter. If it will help, I will look at some jars of peanut butter when I return to work Tuesday.

Jeanette Isabelle

Commercial peanut butter, unopened= 2 years according to this site. http://www.stilltasty.com/