Soy sauce is a condiment that’s famous for using to cook Asian cuisine. It’s used to give food a more salty flavor to it. However, most foods don’t call for soy sauce all the time so you’ll probably have a bottle full of soy sauce at home. Therefore, you’ll probably be wondering how long does soy sauce last?
So how long does soy sauce last? Soy sauce that has been opened will last about 6 months in the pantry and a year in the fridge. If the soy sauce hasn’t been opened yet, it can last up to 2 years in the pantry or the fridge.
In this short article, we’ll be discussing how long soy sauce last, how to store them, and how to tell if it has gone bad.
Soy Sauce Shelf Life
| Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soy Sauce (Unopened) | “Best by” + 2 years | “Best by” + 2 years | Not Recommended |
| Soy Sauce (Opened) | “Best by” + 6 months | “Best by” + 1 years | Not Recommended |
How Long Does Soy Sauce Last?
Soy sauce is one of those condiments that can last for a very long time. This is due to their salty liquid content, which helps prevent bacteria from forming.
For an unopened bottle of soy sauce, they can last for about 2 years past the “Best By” date.
For an opened bottle of soy sauce, they can last for about 6 months past their “Best By” date.
If they can last for a long time, you’ll probably wonder why is there a “Best By” or “Use By”date on them. That date printed on the bottle informs you how long the soy sauce should be at its best quality (according to the manufacturer’s research data). That means once the product has gone past it’s printed date, it will start to slowly lose its quality. By quality, it means the flavor will not be as good as when it was fresh.
Even though it’s has gone past it’s printed date, you’ll still be able to consume the soy sauce. However, it might taste a bit off but that depends on what you’ll be using it for.
If you’ve already opened a bottle of soy sauce, it’s shelf life will be reduced drastically. So it’s best that you try to use it as quickly as possible.
How To Store Soy Sauce?
Soy sauce will last for a very long time if you store them properly. For a bottle of soy sauce that is unopened, you can store it in a cool, dry place. The pantry or the cupboard is usually the best place to store them.
Once the bottle of soy sauce has been opened, you can store them in the pantry or the fridge. For a bottle that has been opened, the place where you store them will play a vital role in the quality of the soy sauce.
Storing an opened bottle of soy sauce in the pantry will last for about 6 months. If you’re planning to use the entire bottle within this time period, the pantry should be fine.
If you’re planning to store it in the fridge, the soy sauce will last for about 1 year after it’s been opened. Storing them in the fridge will help retain their taste longer than storing them in the pantry.
Whether you store it in the pantry or the fridge, always make sure to seal the bottle tightly. This is to prevent air and bacteria from getting into the bottle which will deteriorate the taste.
How To Tell If Soy Sauce Is Bad?
The great thing about soy sauce is that it won’t go bad if stored properly. However, they can go bad if other ingredients or water gets into the bottle. Therefore, after every use, seal the soy sauce bottle tightly and it will prevent it from going bad.
If you’ve left the bottle out for a couple of days or even weeks and it’s unsealed, there are a couple of things to look for.
Smell – The smell of fresh soy sauce will have a salty smell to it. If the soy sauce has any other smell, you’ll want to investigate it more by looking at the color and tasting it.
Taste – The taste of good soy sauce will be salty. If it has an off taste or any other taste that salt, the product is probably bad.
Color – Soy sauce that is in good quality will be dark black in color. If any contaminants got inside the bottle, the color will change. If the color is light brown or a color lighter than black, it’s probably bad and should be thrown away.
A surefire way to check to see if the soy sauce is still good is to look inside the bottle. If you find any debris or anything else in there, it’s best to just throw it out.
How To Make Soy Sauce Last Longer
Soy sauce is one of those condiments that can last for a very long time due to the high salt content.
If you use soy sauce to flavor your food or for cooking often, storing them in the pantry or on the countertop if fine. If you’re storing the soy sauce on the countertop, make sure the sunlight doesn’t directly shine on it. Also, keep the bottle tightly sealed.
For those who use soy sauce sparingly, it’s best to store them in the fridge so the soy sauce can last longer. In the fridge, due to the cold temperature, it will prevent bacteria from forming. Therefore, keeping the soy sauce fresh for a longer period of time.
Soy sauce comes in different size bottles. To make soy sauce last longer, if you’re not a big fan of using soy sauce in your food, buy the smaller bottle. For those who use soy sauce often or in large quantities, big the bigger bottle of soy sauce.
In addition to bottles, soy sauce also comes in a small packet as well. These are usually made for the restaurant, but they are great to use in homes as well. especially if you need soy sauce once in a while. By buying soy sauce in a packet, you won’t have to worry about containment getting in the soy sauce, which will make soy sauce go bad quickly.
The best way to ensure that the soy sauce will last as long as possible is to keep them properly stored and seal the bottle tightly. In addition, soy sauce should always be stored in a cool and dry place, away from sunlight.
Related Questions
Does soy sauce go bad if not refrigerated?
Soy sauce won’t go bad if it’s not refrigerated. When the soy sauce is stored in the fridge, it will just retain its taste longer.
Is soy sauce gluten-free?
Traditional soy sauce is not gluten-free because it contains wheat. Wheat is one of the main ingredients used to make soy sauce.
However, there are other brands of soy sauce that are gluten-free. If the soy sauce is gluten-free, it will have a “Gluten-Free” label on the bottle.
Can you freeze soy sauce?
For a standard home freezer, freezing soy sauce isn’t possible. This is due to the high salt content that it has. In addition, a home freezer doesn’t get cold enough to freeze soy sauce. The standard home freezer can get only as cold as 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, freezing soy sauce is possible if it reaches the correct temperature. In order to freeze soy sauce, the freezer would need to go about -10 degrees Fahrenheit.