How Long Does Canned Tuna Last?

An unopened can needs no fridge or freezer at all, given its remarkably long 3-5 year shelf-stable life from commercial canning, but once opened, canned tuna should be transferred out of the can and used within 3-4 days in the fridge.

A sour smell beyond tuna's normal fishy scent, or a noticeably slimy texture once it's been sitting a few days past opening, are the signs it's turned — worth checking before adding it to a dish, since canned tuna doesn't develop the more obvious color changes that fresh fish shows when it spoils. Transferring leftover tuna to a separate airtight container rather than leaving it in the opened can, even refrigerated, avoids a metallic taste some cans can impart to the tuna the longer it sits in contact with the tin. The best-by date on an unopened can reflects peak quality rather than a hard safety cutoff, since properly sealed and stored canned goods generally remain safe well past that printed date.

Tuna left unrefrigerated for more than two hours after opening the can, such as forgotten on a counter after making a sandwich, should be treated as unsafe and discarded rather than returned to the fridge and used later.

Storing an unopened can in a cool, dry pantry spot away from direct heat, rather than somewhere like above a stove, helps it reliably reach its full multi-year shelf-stable life rather than degrading in quality early.

See Canned Tuna's full storage & shelf-life guide (with spoilage signs) →