A half-opened bottle of fish sauce has just been found. It was purchased, opened it once, and then put it in storage. It’s now been a while since you bought it, but you aren’t sure if you can still use the product. Does fish sauce go bad?
This is a common scenario, especially when it comes to condiments such as oyster sauce and fish sauce. A bottle is purchased because you want to make a particular recipe. The bottle is then stored in its half-opened state for several months.
There are many uses for fish sauce in Southeast Asian and East Asian cuisines, where it is a staple. Fish sauce isn’t something you know unless you are a fan of that cuisine or have a lot of research on recipes. That’s okay.
This article will discuss storage, shelf-life, and going bad for this condiment made of fermented fish. Continue reading to find out more about fish sauce.
How do you store fish sauce?
Fish sauce can be stored in the same way as teriyaki and soy sauce. You can store the fish sauce in your pantry or kitchen at room temperature, or slightly lower, as long as it is not opened. It should be kept away from heat and light, as this could affect the sauce’s quality.
After opening the bottle, ensure it is sealed tightly. Red Boat Fish Sauce suggests storing it in the refrigerator for best quality.
This condiment, which is a lot of salt (like soy sauce), won’t spoil if left at room temperature for either a day or week. You can even leave it at room temperature for a month.
However, it will keep its quality longer if it is kept in the refrigerator.
Tip: I recommend the fridge if you plan to keep the sauce for longer than six months. You should store the sauce in the pantry for shorter periods.
How long does fish sauce last?
Most fish sauce bottles come with a best by date. This date tells you how long the product should keep its freshness and taste. Because fish sauce isn’t perishable and high in sodium , it can easily last for many months or even years beyond the date. Some producers do not include any date on the label, other than the bottling date.
Although fish sauce is not known to be unsafe for food, it can become less tasty over time. This means that if you store fish sauce for a long period of time, it might become milder in flavor and less delicious.
It’s difficult to predict when it will happen. This is especially true if you decide that it’s not good enough.
Let’s discuss time periods. Unopened fish sauce bottles should last for at least a year after their best-by date, or for 3-4 years after bottling. Red Boat says that an unopened bottle of fish sauce should last at most one year if it’s been refrigerated. It will likely retain its freshness for longer, however.
How can you tell if fish sauce is bad?
As I said earlier, it is unlikely that fish sauce will go bad. Let’s begin with some situations where people may think it’s bad.
The first is the presence clear crystals at the bottom of the bottle. Those crystals are made from sea salt and don’t affect the condiment’s quality.
Second, sometimes particles or clouds may be floating in sauce. These are proteins formed during the process of protein precipitation. This natural process occurs when fish sauce is exposed to temperature changes. It’s not dangerous and does not affect the quality or safety of the product.
Let’s now look at the signs that fish sauce is actually going bad.
Throw out any signs or yeast growth on the sauce or neck of the container . The same applies if you notice a change in the color or smell.
If the condiment looks and smells fine, you can taste it to determine if it is safe enough to be used. You can discard any condiment that you aren’t sure is safe to use.
