How can you tell if Celery has gone bad?

Signs that Celery has gone bad: Limp throughout (not revivable in water), brown or black patches, slimy ends, off smell; Limp is fixable; rotten is not.

What does the date label on Celery mean?

Celery usually doesn't carry a printed date label — judge by storage time and the spoilage signs above.

Produce

How long does Celery last?

Q: How long does Celery last?

In the fridge: 1–2 weeks. Sealed / unopened: N/A. Wrap in aluminum foil in the crisper — keeps much longer than plastic. Limp celery? Revive in water.

Medium confidence Quality concern

How long does Celery last? fridge 1–2 weeks. Plus spoilage signs, sources, and an unopened-vs-opened note.

Fridge

1–2 weeks

Pantry

Refrigerate only

Freezer

Not recommended

Sealed / unopened: N/A

Signs Celery has gone bad

Limp throughout (not revivable in water), brown or black patches, slimy ends, off smell.
Limp is fixable; rotten is not.

Discard immediately if

Slimy texture even after rinsing
Sour smell
Black or fuzzy mold spreading from a single spot

Why guidance varies

Fresh produce ripening depends on ethylene-gas exposure, storage temperature, humidity, and time since harvest — duration estimates assume typical home conditions, not optimal commercial storage.

Track this in My Pantry

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Sources for this answer

A USDA FoodKeeper — Storage windows and refrigeration guidance for this category.
A FDA — Are You Storing Food Safely? — Date-label interpretation and food-safety baseline.

Reviewed: 2026-05 · Rule: if manufacturer storage instructions are stricter than category guidance, the manufacturer instructions win.