Of course, salmon lasts for a shorter period of time if it is not stored properly. But remember that salmon, like a lot of other proteins, usually has a sell by date and not a use by date or expiration date. Because of this distinction, you may safely use foods even after the sell by date has lapsed if they have been stored properly.

How to tell if Salmon is bad, rotten or spoiled?

Practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent foodborne illness.

Although not a perfect test, your senses are usually the most reliable instruments to tell if your salmon has gone bad. Some common traits of bad salmon are a slimy, milky flesh (a thick, slippery coating) and a fishy smell. Although this is tricky because it is smelly and slimy by nature, these traits become more pronounced when salmon has gone bad and just opening the package of spoiled fish should alert your nose right away that something is wrong.

There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled foods so always remember to practice food safety and enjoy your foods before their shelf life has expired!

How to store Salmon to extend its shelf life?

You can help salmon keep fresh longer by storing it in your refrigerator immediately after use. Once prepared, salmon should be stored in a tightly closed container to keep out moisture and other contaminants and returned to the fridge.

*Smoked salmon should only be kept in the pantry if it was purchased on the grocery shelf, if purchased in the refrigerator section it should be placed in the fridge at home. But once opened, both options must be placed in the fridge in a tightly sealed container.

**If freezing or refrigerating canned salmon, transfer the salmon to a freezer safe container first. Never freeze cans. They can be refrigerated only if they are unopened.

For a long-term option, you can freeze your salmon while preserving its taste if you use a freezer safe container. If you purchased your salmon frozen, be sure to keep it frozen until the day or day before you are going to use it. Always defrost salmon in the refrigerator or still wrapped and submerged in a large bowl of cold water if you want to use it sooner.

Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

Interesting facts about Salmon:

For more information on canned fish products, including when to toss, see our canned meat page.

How long is Salmon good for when prepared in a dish?

How long does salmon last? That depends. How long does rice last? In general, foods lasts only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the dish.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Salmon lasts, our content incorporates research from multiple resources, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scoured the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and the shelf life of Salmon.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Salmon shelf life information on Eat By Date is generally reliable, please remember that individual cases will vary and that our advice should only be taken as an opinion and not a replacement for your health care professional. Please eat responsibly!