How can you tell if Raw Fish / Seafood has gone bad?

Signs that Raw Fish / Seafood has gone bad: Strong fishy or ammonia smell (fresh fish smells like ocean, not fish); Slime on surface; Dull eyes or sunken flesh.

What does the date label on Raw Fish / Seafood mean?

Raw Fish / Seafood usually carries a "Use By" date. The last date the manufacturer recommends for peak quality — for most foods this is still quality-based, not a safety cutoff (infant formula is the one exception). See our date-labels guide for the full breakdown.

Meat & Fish

How long does Raw Fish / Seafood last?

Q: How long does Raw Fish / Seafood last?

In the fridge: 1–2 days. In the freezer: 3 months. Sealed / unopened: N/A. Store on ice in the coldest part of the fridge. Salmon and tuna may last 2 days; shellfish less.

High confidence Safety concern

How long does Raw Fish / Seafood last? fridge 1–2 days, freezer 3 months. Plus spoilage signs, sources, and an unopened-vs-opened note.

Fridge

1–2 days

Pantry

Refrigerate only

Freezer

3 months

Sealed / unopened: N/A

Signs Raw Fish / Seafood has gone bad

Strong fishy or ammonia smell (fresh fish smells like ocean, not fish).
Slime on surface.
Dull eyes or sunken flesh.

Discard immediately if

Any slimy texture even after rinsing
Greenish tinge or strong off-color
Past the use-by date with any of the above signs

Why guidance varies

Whole cuts keep longer than ground meat because ground meat has more surface area exposed to bacteria; cut type, fat content, and packaging method (vacuum vs. butcher paper) shift duration significantly.

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Sources for this answer

A USDA FSIS — Refrigeration and Food Safety — Storage windows and refrigeration guidance for this category.
A USDA FoodKeeper — Date-label interpretation and food-safety baseline.

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