Pantry storage
Does orange juice need to be refrigerated?
Yes, for a carton from the chilled case, even before it is opened. A shelf-stable juice box can wait in the pantry until it is opened. Once open, it keeps 7 to 10 days in the fridge.
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
An unopened carton from the chilled case is good for about a week past the date on the package, FoodKeeper says. Freshly squeezed juice is shorter: 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
Unopened and opened
Unopened and opened packages keep for different times. These are the times the source gives.
- Unopened
- A carton from the chilled case stays in the fridge even before it is opened, and FoodKeeper gives it about a week past the date on the package; a shelf-stable juice box keeps in the pantry until its use-by date. Source: FoodKeeper App, FoodSafety.gov (opens in a new tab)
- After opening
- 7 to 10 days refrigerated
- Where to keep it once open
- Refrigerator. Refrigeration is required here, not optional.
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 in the fridge at 40°F or below once it’s open, 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 .