Pantry storage
Does brown rice need to be refrigerated?
No. A sealed bag keeps about 1 year in the pantry, and an open bag keeps longer there than in the fridge. FoodKeeper gives opened brown rice the same year in the pantry it gives white rice.
These times are a guide, not a safety guarantee, and a label that says to refrigerate comes first.
How we checked this: the storage times here come from the sources named on the page, and each one is checked against its source before the page goes live. Editorial policy
Brown rice keeps its bran layer, and the small amount of oil in that bran is what goes rancid in storage, which is why it keeps for less time than white rice. Store it somewhere cool, dry and dark. Source: Utah State University Extension: food storage booklet (opens in a new tab)
Unopened and opened
Unopened and opened packages keep for different times. These are the times the source gives.
- Unopened
- About 1 year in the pantry
- After opening
- About 1 year in the pantry, or 6 months refrigerated
- Where to keep it once open
- Pantry or cupboard. The source gives a shorter time in the fridge than in the pantry, so the fridge does not help.
Sources and limits
The after-opening time runs from the day you opened it, not from the date printed on the package, so write that day down. Well Stockd doesn’t know when your package was made, bought or opened: follow the package directions, keep it somewhere cool and dark, and check the official listing when food safety is in question.
The storage times above are quoted from the sources below. They’re a guide, not a safety guarantee: quality varies with packaging, temperature and how the package is handled between uses. Nothing here overrides a label that says to refrigerate. This page was last updated .
Out of brown rice? What to use instead of brown rice