How long do fruits last?
USDA lists fruits with freezer guidance only; see the table.
No guideline
No guideline
No guideline
Do fruits go bad?
Yes. The fridge time above is the window USDA gives for good quality; after it, fruits 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 fruits compare with other food purchased frozen
USDA FoodKeeper gives fruits one time: 10 to 18 months in the freezer, and no figure for the other places. A blank usually means the food is not stored that way, not that the data is missing. The foods USDA lists next to fruits in food purchased frozen show the range for the group:
| Food | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg substitutes(first of 2 kinds) | no guideline | 7 days | Not recommended |
| Fish(first of 6 kinds) | no guideline | 14 to 45 days | 9 to 12 months |
| Frozen entrees | no guideline | Not recommended | 12 months |
| Frozen potato products | no guideline | Not recommended | 12 months |
| Frozen pretzels | no guideline | 3 to 4 days | 9 months |
| Ice cream | no guideline | no guideline | 6 months |
| Ice pops | no guideline | no guideline | 9 months |
| Juice concentrates | no guideline | no guideline | 2 years |
| Kugel(first of 2 kinds) | no guideline | no guideline | 1 year |
| Lobster tails | no guideline | 3 to 4 days | 8 months |
About food purchased frozen. Food that was frozen at the store stays safe indefinitely at 0 F (-18 C), but quality drops the longer it sits, especially with freezer burn. Once thawed, these foods behave like fresh or refrigerated food and should not be refrozen without cooking first. All food purchased frozen.
How to tell fruits have gone bad
General signs for food purchased frozen, the group USDA lists fruits under.
- Greyish-brown, dry patches on the surface (freezer burn)
- Heavy frost or ice crystals built up inside the package
- Package that feels soft or has clearly thawed and refrozen
- Off smell as soon as the food starts to thaw
- Freezer odour that has soaked into the food itself
More on food purchased frozen. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
How long do other food purchased frozen last?
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.