ShelfLife
How long do mussels last?
Live mussels, clams and oysters keep 1 to 2 days in the fridge from purchase; cook them as soon as you can. Shucked shellfish in their liquor keep a few days longer, within the date on the container. Cooked shellfish keep 3 to 4 days.
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Live mussels, clams and oysters in the shell | 1–2 daysfrom purchase | 2–3 monthsfrom purchase |
| Shucked mussels, clams and oysters | 3–10 daysfrom purchase | 3–4 monthsfrom purchase |
Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.
How to tell if mussels have gone bad
- Open shells that don't close when tapped: the mussel is dead. Throw it out before cooking.
- Cracked or broken shells, or shells that feel unusually heavy (full of sand) or light (empty).
- A strong, unpleasant smell. After cooking, throw out any that didn't open.
How to store mussels
- Take them out of any plastic bag as soon as you get home: live shellfish need air.
- Keep them in an open bowl in the coldest part of the fridge, covered with a damp cloth.
- Never store them in fresh water or on melting ice: fresh water kills them.
- Rinse and debeard mussels just before cooking.
Can you freeze mussels?
Freeze them cooked: steam them open, remove them from their shells, and freeze them in their cooking liquid for 1 to 3 months. Shucked raw shellfish can be frozen for 3 to 4 months.
Questions
Should you eat mussels that don't open when cooked?
Traditional advice is to throw them out. A closed shell after cooking may mean the mussel was dead before cooking.
How long do cooked mussels last?
3 to 4 days in the fridge, out of the shell, in a sealed container.
Is it safe to eat raw oysters?
Raw oysters can carry bacteria such as Vibrio and viruses such as norovirus. Health agencies advise people with weakened immune systems, liver disease, pregnant people and young children to eat them cooked.
Add shellfish to ShelfLife the day you buy them.
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Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.