ShelfLife
How long does shrimp last?
Raw shrimp keeps 1 to 3 days in the fridge after you buy it, and 6 to 18 months in the freezer. Cooked shrimp keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw shrimp | 1–3 daysfrom purchase | 6–18 monthsfrom purchase |
| Cooked shrimp and shellfish | 3–4 days | 1–3 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 shrimp has gone bad
- An ammonia, sour or strongly fishy smell. Fresh shrimp smells faintly of the sea, or of nothing at all.
- A slimy coating or a soft, mushy texture.
- Black spots on the flesh, or yellowish, gray or dull shells.
- Cooked shrimp that smells off or feels slimy should be thrown out.
How to store shrimp
- Keep raw shrimp in the coldest part of the fridge, in a sealed container or bag on the bottom shelf.
- Shrimp sold as "fresh" has often been frozen and thawed. Don't refreeze it raw; cook it within 1 to 3 days.
- Frozen shrimp is often the better buy: freeze it as soon as you're home and thaw only what you need.
- Refrigerate cooked shrimp within 2 hours, or 1 hour on a hot day.
Can you freeze shrimp?
Yes. Raw shrimp keeps its best quality for 6 to 18 months, cooked shrimp 1 to 3 months. Freeze it in a sealed bag with the air pressed out. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, or in a sealed bag under cold water for 15 to 30 minutes, and cook it right away.
Questions
How can you tell when shrimp is cooked?
The flesh turns opaque and pearly white with pink-red edges, and the shrimp curls into a loose C. Cook it to 63 °C (145 °F).
How long can cooked shrimp sit out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 32 °C (90 °F). Keep shrimp cocktail on ice.
Can you refreeze thawed shrimp?
Raw shrimp thawed in the fridge can be refrozen, but it turns rubbery. Cooking it first and then freezing it gives a better result.
Add shrimp to ShelfLife when you thaw or buy it, and get a reminder before its days are up.
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Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.