How Long Does Tomato Juice Last?

There’s an old bottle of tomato juice in your pantry. It’s there for some time already, and you’re wondering: how long does tomato juice last?

Perhaps the juice is already past the date on the label.

Can you drink tomato juice after its “expiration date?” And if so, how do you know if it’s bad or not?

If that’s the kind of information you’re looking for, you’re in the right place. Read on.

How Long Does Tomato Juice Last?

Unopened, store-bought tomato juice that’s sold unrefrigerated retains quality for about 3 to 6 months past the date on the label.

Once you open it up and keep it in the fridge, it’s best for 2 to 3 days, but it should stay safe for up to a week.

Commercially-bottled tomato juices are pasteurized and packaged in safe conditions. That means that, like OJ (here’s whether you should refrigerate orange juice or not) or apple juice, they easily last months past the date on the label, as long as they’re unopened.

Once you open the bottle, carton, or can, the sooner you’re going to finish the juice, the better. The difference in quality between tomato juice that’s open for three and four days will usually be negligible, though.

Homemade tomato juice is best for 2 to 3 days. If you need more time, consider freezing it. Or juice the tomatoes in smaller batches and keep the excess tomatoes (here’s how long tomatoes last in the fridge) in the fridge.

	Pantry	Fridge
Tomato juice sold unrefrigerated, unopened	3 – 6 months past its date
Tomato juice sold unrefrigerated, opened		5 – 7 days
Tomato juice sold refrigerated		3 – 5 days
Homemade tomato juice		2 – 3 days

How To Store Tomato Juice

Tomato juice sold unrefrigerated doesn’t need to be stored in the fridge until you open it up. All it needs is a cool and dark place. All other types, including open tomato juice, require refrigeration at all times.

Besides that, there are a couple of things worth remembering.

First, the juice should always be sealed when not in use. If you don’t plan on finishing the bottle, pour yourself a glass, and reseal the bottle.

Second, put the open carton back in the fridge as soon as possible.

That’s one of the habits that become second nature after you practice it for some time: grab the bottle, pour a glass or two, put it back in the refrigerator.

How To Tell If Tomato Juice Is Bad?

Discard tomato juice when:

• The unopened can or bottle is bulging, rusting, leaking, or noticeably dented (and wasn’t dented when you’ve bought it). If something happened to the container, always assume its contents aren’t safe to consume.
• The smell is off. After unsealing the container, give the liquid a good whiff. If there’s something wrong with the smell, you know the juice is off.
• The juice is discolored, or there’s mold on the surface or walls/neck of the bottle or carton. Seeing mold is never a good sign, and if it’s there, the juice isn’t safe anymore.
• The taste is off. Pour a small amount and give it a taste. If it’s fine, the juice is okay to drink.
• The juice sits open in the fridge for more than 10 days. If you’ve forgotten about the container in the refrigerator, and it sits there already for like 10 days, it’s better to play it safe and throw it out.

More often than not, your unopened and past-expiration-date tomato juice will be just fine. Perhaps a bit bland taste-wise, but that’s about it.

Last but not least, if you don’t feel comfortable drinking or using that old tomato juice, don’t be hard on yourself. It’s better to assume that it’s gone bad and pour it down the drain. Better to be safe than sorry.