Raw shrimp keeps for about 1-2 days in the fridge, and 6 months in the freezer. The table below splits those times by opened and unopened โ and a date still in range never overrides what your nose tells you.
Shrimp start to blacken at the head first. That darkening is an enzyme reaction rather than spoilage on its own, but it means freshness is slipping โ cook them soon. Refreezing thawed shrimp ruins the texture.
Storage times
| Unopened | Opened | |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Not recommended | Within 1 hour |
| Fridge | 1-2 days | 1 day |
| Freezer | 6 months | 3 months |
Throw it out if you see this
- An ammonia smell
- Mushy flesh losing its shape
- Blackening across the whole body
Storage tips
- Take only what you need from the freezer bag
- A short soak in salted water thaws them quickly
- Cooked shrimp keep three days refrigerated
Thawing
Sell-by and use-by are not the same date
A sell-by date tells the shop how long it may display the product; a use-by date tells you how long it stays safe to eat. They are not interchangeable, and a use-by date is usually later than the sell-by date printed on the same product.
Every printed date assumes the package is unopened and stored at the labelled temperature. Once opened, follow the "opened" column below instead of the printed date โ and if the smell, colour or texture is off, throw it out regardless of what the date says.