How long does seafood last?

It varies by item — the table on this page lists all 24 seafood products we track with their unopened, after-opening, and frozen windows from USDA FoodKeeper v128.

How do you tell if seafood has gone bad?

The general signs for this category: A strong fishy, sour, or ammonia smell; A slimy film, or dull sunken eyes on whole fish; Flesh that doesn't spring back when pressed; Discoloration or darkening at the edges. Never taste something to test it — when in doubt, throw it out.

Seafood: how long does it last?

24 seafood items with published storage times, 2 of them with a specific after-opening window.

Updated 2026-08-10 · Free · No sign-up

Item	After opening	Unopened / other	Store at
Caviar (fresh, in jar)	2 days	1–4 weeks	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Cooked fish (all)	—	3–4 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Cooked shellfish (all)	—	3–4 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Crab legs (king, dungeness, snow)	—	2–4 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Crab meat (fresh)	—	1–3 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Crab meat (pasteurized)	3–5 days	10–12 months	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fatty fish (bluefish, catfish, mackerel, mullet, salmon, tuna, etc.)	—	1–2 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fish (cold smoked, air pack)	—	14–30 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fish (cold smoked, vacuum pack)	—	21–30 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fish (hot smoked, air pack)	—	14–45 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fish (hot smoked, vacuum pack)	—	14–45 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fresh clams, mussels, oysters	—	5–10 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fresh lobster tails (cooked)	—	2–3 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fresh whole lobster (frozen)	—	1–2 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Fresh whole lobster (live)	—	1 day	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Herring (glass packed, in wine sauce)	—	4–6 months	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Lean fish (cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, sole, etc.)	—	1–2 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Lean fish (pollock, ocean perch, rockfish, sea trout.)	—	1–2 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Live clams, mussels, crab, and oysters	—	1–2 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Scallops	—	1–3 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Shrimp, crayfish	—	1–3 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Shucked clams, mussels, and oysters	—	3–10 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Squid	—	1–3 days	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below
Surimi seafood	—	Until the package use-by date	Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below

Tap any item for its full storage table, spoilage signs, and storage tips. A dash means no figure is published for that situation — not that it keeps forever.

Spotting spoilage in seafood

A strong fishy, sour, or ammonia smell
A slimy film, or dull sunken eyes on whole fish
Flesh that doesn't spring back when pressed
Discoloration or darkening at the edges

General guidance for the category, not a per-product finding. When in doubt, throw it out.

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