Fish sauce is the sort of condiment that is produced from the small fish or krill, both fermented. This product is widely used in Asian countries where it is the same common as sunflower oil for us.
As long as this foodstuff contains a lot of salt that works as a preservative, its lifespan is quite long. Normally, a bottle with such a sauce can easily live on your shelf for months!
Does fish sauce go bad? Let’s find this out!
How to Store Fish Sauce?
It may be surprising for those who are not familiar with this condiment that much but fish sauce is stored very much alike to soy sauce and teriyaki!
Since the product includes a significant amount of salt, it prevents the condiment from fast spoiling. For this reason, the storage regulations for this condiment will be the same as for any other salty sauce:
- This foodstuff is ok to keep on a shelf in your kitchen cabinet or toss it to the cupboard or pantry
- Make sure that the level of heat around it is not too high, at the ordinary room level or slightly lower
- Avoid exposing the bottle to the direct light
- Put the condiment as far as it is possible from the heating objects
- Once the tank with the condiment is opened, double-check that it is tightly closed to avoid oxidation and further spoilage
- As for the opened product, it is recommended to keep the tank refrigerated to preserve the foodstuff’s aroma
Nevertheless, despite the fact that fish condiment should go to the fridge when opened, don’t stress if you forget it on the table for a day or two! This foodstuff is extremely durable and nothing will happen to it.
How Long Does Fish Sauce Last?
Of course, everyone who uses this condiment, want to know the length of this product’s lifespan.
Many people get confused with the best-by date indicated on the bottles as they think this is the final use date and the sauce will turn spoiled the next day after the printed date.
That’s nonsense! This date only shows until when the product will remain at its best quality and, even though later it will start losing its qualities and potency, it won’t turn harmful.
As for the duration of its lifespan, here everything hangs upon whether the tank is unscrewed or not.
To make it simpler to compare, check the following chart.
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And in addition, remember that this sort o product can easily stay good much longer if we keep it under the correct conditions. However, note that its potency will decrease with time anyway.
How to Tell If Fish Sauce Is Bad?
Being able to tell the difference between the old and spoiled product is a must in order to protect yourself from consuming off food.
Even though fish condiment will hardly ever turn really spoiled, note the following symptoms of the spoilage:
- Any traces of mold or yeast on the surface of the product
- Moldy or yeasty traces on the bottle’s neck
- Noticeable changes in color
- Noticeable changes in its aroma
However, this product is somewhat tricky as sometimes, when aging, it may have certain traits that people tend to explain as spoilage.
What do we mean?
If your sauce has clear crystals on the bottom of the tank, or you notice cloudy areas floating inside of it, don’t worry! It’s all-natural and normal. The crystals are simply the particles of salt, and floating “fog” is protein!
What Are This Product Health Benefits?
It is not something that comes to mind first of all but fish sauce is in fact a very healthy thing!
Even though it is not that rich in nutrients, the list of its health benefits is quite impressive!
- It consists of a lot of protein that our bodies need to create tissues
- It has enough calcium to cover our daily needs
- It lowers blood pressure
- The amino acids it contains stimulate insulin production
- The regular consumption of this foodstuff boosts our immune system
So, if we add some of it to our daily eating, we will get pretty much profit. Besides, the product is widely used in various dishes.
[wp-faq-schema title=”Frequently Asked Questions”]
Fish sauce is a great condiment that is easy to store and super tasty when used! It is perfectly suitable for meat dishes, burgers, grilled food, dips, and sauces, and of course, for almost any soup.
All you have to do is to store it according to the required tips and be sure that this delicious and healthy product will delight you and your family members longer!
Hello to everyone! I’m here with a question to ask. I have quite a lot of fish sauce left after some celebrations recently and the huge issue now is to preserve it somehow. Can I freeze the fish sauce, how d’you think?
Hey! Yeah, freezing it is fine but why would you do that?! I mean it is so durable! Just toss the leftovers into the fridge and that’s all.
Does anyone know: is fish sauce supposed to smell bad? Did you face this issue before? Mine isn’t bad, I bought it two weeks ago but it smells really weird. Any ideas? Thanks.
Hey! It depends on what you mean saying “bad”. It smells like fish and soy sauce 50/50 I would say and some people think this smell is weird. If it’s what you have, then it’s fine. Otherwise, I’d recommend to check it for other signs of the possible spoilage (e.g. mold).
How do you store opened fish sauce? Is refrigeration a must?
Refrigerating the opened bottle of condiment will extend its lifespan and preserve the odor and taste. However, it’s not mandatory.
Hi! Please I need help quickly! I was cooking with some fish condiment and now my kitchen is stinking fish! How do you get rid of fish sauce smell? Please, please help! Thanks.
Hello! I’d recommend opening the windows to let the aroma out, and also, pour some white vinegar into a saucepan and simmer it on the stove for 60 min or so. It will deodorize the room.
Why is a fish sauce so good for health? I heard it’s a very beneficial product.
Fish sauce has calcium and protein, also, it helps to balance our blood pressure and prevent inflammation. In addition, it’s good for boosting our immune system.
My greetings to all of you! I do need a piece of advice. I recently used some fish condiment and I have an opened bottle of it now which I’m not sure how to keep. How long will fish sauce last after opening, does anyone know?
Hello!
I remember that mu opened condiments used to last for something like 6 months in a cabinet but in the fridge they will be fresh longer for sure!
Can fish sauce go bad in the fridge? I have a bottle of traditional Japanese fish sauce that my friend brought me from his trip to Japan, and I have been storing it for a couple of weeks in my fridge. Do you think it can spoil if I keep it longer?
Well, I’m not familiar with Japanese fish sauces, but I know for sure that the common fish sauce will stay edible for about six months (and sometimes even a bit longer) if kept refrigerated. So I assume that yours will last the same long.
Our fish sauce expired a couple of days ago according to its expiry date, but I can’t smell any bad odor. There are also no visible signs of spoilage. Can we eat expired sauce?
It’s safe to consume unless you see mold or other visible signs of spoilage. Or unless the sauce developed a bad odor. Since your product has none of these “symptoms”, and it is not too old, it can be consumed safely.
How can you tell if fish sauce is bad? I have a bottle of unopened sauce but it’s made of dark glass so I can’t see anything inside of it! I can’t even tell whether there is sediment or mold. So how can I figure out whether the sauce is ok or not?
Well, I’d open it if I were you. If you really notice mold inside, or the smell of your sauce is very bad, then discard it, of course, since there is no turning back. A good quality fish sauce must have a clear, reddish brown color with no sediment, and its smell must be earthy and savory. If you see or sense something totally different, then it’s not good.
How long can you keep fish sauce in the fridge? I know that in the pantry, it can last for half a year if stored according to all the rules. But what about the fridge? Will the storage period be longer or the same?
Well, I can tell you that if your sauce is opened, you can store it refrigerated for a year for sure, and sometimes even longer. But as for the unopened bottle…I don’t know, to be honest. I’ve always stored it in my pantry where it could last for one year past the best by date.
Does fish sauce go bad if never opened? And where is it better to keep it like this?
If you haven’t opened the bottle yet, I suggest you store it in your pantry. This is literally the best place for this foodstuff! Fish sauce will easily last far past its best by date there. But of course, it will go bad even when being unopened. I once forgot about a bottle of fish sauce that I had, and it spent two years in my pantry! Of course, when I remembered about it, it already turned bad, but now you understand how durable it is!
I left an opened bottle of fish sauce on the counter for two days. Of course, the second I remembered about it, I put it in the fridge. But now I’m worried: does fish go bad if not refrigerated? Could it spoil already while it was staying unchilled for two days?
No, I don’t think those two days could influence it so badly! See, this sauce contains quite many salts which makes it a rather long lasting product. It’s not easy to spoil it. People say that they used to leave fish sauce opened on the counter for a week, and it was still ok!