Pantry storage

Does fish sauce need to be refrigerated?

No, sealed or open. Red Boat's best-by date is about 36 months from the date of manufacture. Red Boat recommends refrigerating an opened bottle for freshness but states plainly that keeping it at room temperature will not harm the sauce.

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

Kitchen list sorted by use soon, grouped into fridge and pantry, each item with its amount and buttons to change it
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Unopened and opened

Unopened and opened packages keep for different times. These are the times the source gives.

Unopened
Best-by date about 36 months from the date of manufacture
After opening
Use within about a year
Where to keep it once open
Pantry or cupboard. The fridge is optional, but the quality lasts longer there.

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 .

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