Prep

How long do canned fruit and tomatoes last?

FoodKeeper gives canned fruit and tomatoes 12 to 18 months unopened, as a guide to quality. Once opened, that's 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Throw away, without tasting, any can that's bulging, leaking, heavily rusted or deeply dented, or that spurts when opened.

How to store it

Use these sooner than your beans and vegetables. USDA explains that natural chemicals in food keep reacting with the can, especially in high-acid food such as tomatoes. Over several years that changes taste and texture, and eventually lowers the food's nutritional value.

USDA says temperatures below 85°F are best, and to avoid anywhere above or beside the stove, under the sink, or in a damp garage or basement. USDA says unused food may be refrigerated in the can, but a glass or plastic container keeps it tasting better.

What to look for

Open the can and look inside. USDA says that if there's any rust inside, you shouldn't eat the food. Throw it out if it smells wrong or looks unusual.

Throw a can away, without tasting, if it's bulging or swollen, leaking, heavily rusted or deeply dented, or if it hisses loudly or spurts when opened. USDA says a small dent on a can that's otherwise in good shape should be safe; a deep dent is one you can lay your finger into. Surface rust you can rub off isn't serious, but rust inside means don't eat the food. Double-bag anything suspect and put it in an outdoor trash can.

Worth knowing

High-acid means fruit, tomatoes, juices, pickles, sauerkraut and food in vinegar-based sauces. That's why these have a shorter time than low-acid cans.

USDA FoodKeeper says: “Canned items will be safe to eat well past the 'use-by' or 'best by' date as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling.”

Similar foods

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 counts this from the date of purchase. Opened times start when you open the pack.

Where FoodKeeper gives no figure, we say so instead of guessing. The date printed on a package is the manufacturer's, and it's about quality except on infant formula.

Common questions

How long do canned fruit and tomatoes last unopened?

12 to 18 months, according to USDA FoodKeeper, as a guide to best quality. FoodKeeper counts this from the date of purchase.

How long do canned fruit and tomatoes keep once opened?

FoodKeeper doesn't recommend keeping this at room temperature once opened. 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Do canned fruit and tomatoes go bad after the date on the package?

USDA says canned items will be safe well past the date as long as the can shows no dents, rust or swelling. Quality can drop with time, so use the oldest first.

What should I look for before using canned fruit and tomatoes?

Open the can and look inside. USDA says that if there's any rust inside, you shouldn't eat the food. Throw it out if it smells wrong or looks unusual.

Sources

Checked on 2 November 2026. This is an independent tool and not official advice. See sources and method.

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