How long does crab meat last?
In the fridge, crab meat keeps for 1 to 3 days from purchase. All 2 kinds are below.
No guideline
1 to 3 days
from purchase
No guideline
By kind
| Kind | Pantry | Fridge | After opening | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fresh | no guideline | 1 to 3 days | no guideline | 2 to 4 months |
| pasteurized | no guideline | 10 to 12 months | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 10 months |
No guideline: USDA gives no time for that place, usually because the food is not stored that way.
Does crab meat go bad?
Yes. The fridge time above is the window USDA gives for good quality; after it, crab meat may still be safe for a short while but quality drops and spoilage signs start. The date on the package is the maker's quality promise; the times here count from purchase unless marked "from the package date".
Two numbers to keep in mind: a fridge at 40 F (4 C) or below, and no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90 F / 32 C) for anything perishable.
How to tell crab meat has gone bad
General signs for seafood: shellfish, the group USDA lists crab meat 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.
How long do other seafood: shellfish last?
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.