PrepHow long does tinned tuna last?
FoodKeeper gives tinned tuna 3 years unopened, as a US guide to quality. Once opened, it has no figure in FoodKeeper.
How to store it
Once opened, put what's left in a sealed container in the fridge. Tuna in a pouch doesn't last as long: USDA gives seafood in retort pouches 18 months on the shelf.
USDA says temperatures below 85°F (about 29°C) are best, and to avoid anywhere above or beside the cooker, under the sink, or in a damp garage or cellar. Once opened, the FSA says not to store food in the tin: empty it into a bowl or container and put it in the fridge.
What to look for
Small glassy crystals in tinned seafood aren't a fault. USDA says the FDA regards them as harmless. They're struvite, which can form naturally after canning. Throw out anything that smells wrong.
Throw a tin away, without tasting, if it's bulging or swollen, leaking, badly rusted or deeply dented, or if it spurts when opened. The FSA says food should stay fit to eat if a dent is shallow and there's no other damage. A deep dent may hide a split or a break in the seal, and a dent that has caused rust means the food shouldn't be eaten. Take a tin that's bulging when you buy it back to the shop.
Worth knowing
FoodKeeper's tuna entry has no opened figure. FoodKeeper's general entry for low-acid tins, which lists fish, gives 3 to 4 days in the fridge. USDA also gives 3 to 4 days for seafood from a pouch.
USDA FoodKeeper says tinned items will be safe to eat well past the ‘use-by’ or ‘best by’ date as long as the tin shows no dents, rust or swelling. In the UK, tins usually carry a best before date, which fits that advice. A UK use-by date is different: it's a safety limit, so never eat food after one.
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From preppantry.app. Checked 2 November 2026. Independent tool, not official advice.
How it works
FoodKeeper is USDA's food storage database. Its figures are guides to quality for food stored at cool room temperature, not safety cut-offs, and we show them as USDA gives them. FoodKeeper doesn't tie this figure to the date of purchase, so count it from the day you bought the food, which is the cautious reading. Opened times start when you open the pack.
There's no UK shelf-life dataset, so these figures are from the US. The date on your pack comes first. On a UK pack, use by is about safety and best before is about quality, so never rely on this page to go past a use-by date.
Common questions
How long does tinned tuna last unopened?
3 years, according to USDA FoodKeeper, as a guide to best quality. FoodKeeper doesn't tie this figure to the date of purchase, so count it from the day you bought the food, which is the cautious reading.
How long does tinned tuna keep once opened?
FoodKeeper gives no figure for an opened pack in the cupboard. FoodKeeper gives no fridge figure.
Can I eat tinned tuna after the best before date?
A tin past its best before date is usually safe if the tin is sound, though quality can drop. The FSA says how long depends on the product, storage and brand. Never eat anything after a use-by date.
What should I look for before using tinned tuna?
Small glassy crystals in tinned seafood aren't a fault. USDA says the FDA regards them as harmless. They're struvite, which can form naturally after canning. Throw out anything that smells wrong.
Sources
- USDA FoodKeeper data (CC0) (data version 128)
- USDA FSIS: shelf-stable food safety
- Food Standards Agency: home food fact checker
- GOV.UK: best before and use-by dates
- Be Ready checklist
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Checked on 2 November 2026. This is an independent tool and not official advice. See sources and method.