How long does fresh whole lobster last?
Fresh whole lobster keeps for 1 day in the fridge. Freezing fresh whole lobster, live, is not recommended; frozen keeps up to 2 to 4 weeks in the freezer. USDA lists 2 kinds of fresh whole lobster; the first is shown here and all are in the table below.
live
No guideline
1 day
from the package date
It is not safe to cook and eat a whole lobster if it is dead at the time of preparation.
Not recommended
All kinds of fresh whole lobster, side by side
| Kind | Pantry | Fridge | After opening | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| live | no guideline | 1 day | no guideline | Not recommended |
| frozen | no guideline | 1 to 2 days | no guideline | 2 to 4 weeks |
No guideline: USDA gives no time for that place, usually because the food is not stored that way.
- live: It is not safe to cook and eat a whole lobster if it is dead at the time of preparation.
How to tell fresh whole lobster has gone bad
General signs for seafood: shellfish, the group USDA lists fresh whole lobster under.
- Shells that stay open and will not close when tapped
- Cracked or broken shells on live shellfish
- Strong ammonia or sour smell instead of a fresh sea smell
- Shrimp with a slimy texture or spreading black spots
- Live shellfish that float in water instead of sinking
More on seafood: shellfish. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Store live shellfish in a breathable container, like a bowl covered with a damp cloth, never sealed in plastic or submerged in water. Keep them cold, near 32 to 40 F (0 to 4 C), and cook the same day if possible. Refrigerate cooked shellfish and shrimp promptly and use within a couple of days.
More in seafood: shellfish
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). Times assume a fridge at 40 F (4 C) and a freezer at 0 F (-18 C). How we decode the data.