Unopened tahini lasts for up to 24 months when stored in a cool, dry place. We generally recommend using your tahini within 12 months and storing it in the fridge to maintain freshness and slow the separation of natural oil in the sesame seeds. However, tahini is shelf-stable both open and unopened. If you notice that your tahini has a layer of oil at the top, that doesn’t mean it’s gone bad! All you need to do is stir it. You can alsosafely store your tahini in a cool pantry.