How long do condiments and canned goods last once opened?

Reviewed by the MyListResort team · Data from the USDA FoodKeeper · Updated July 30, 2026

The rule that trips people up: most condiments and sauces are shelf-stable sealed but need refrigerating once opened, and an opened can should never be stored in the can. High-acid and high-sugar condiments last longest; anything with dairy, egg or fresh aromatics is shorter.

What are common spoilage signs for condiments & canned?

• Mold on the surface or around the rim and cap.
• A bulging, leaking or rusted can, or a can that spurts when opened. Discard it unopened; this can signal dangerous spoilage.
• In cooking fats: a rancid, crayon-like or stale-nut smell, a darkened colour, or a sticky film round the rim. Re-used frying oil also turns on you faster once it has been through food.
• Separation that does not stir back together, a fizzing or fermented smell, or an off color.

Storing condiments & canned

• Refrigerate after opening unless the label clearly says otherwise, and wipe the rim before recapping.
• This one is the exception that stays in the cupboard after opening. Its acidity or sugar is doing the preserving, so cold buys nothing; just keep the cap clean and closed.
• Transfer leftover canned food into a sealed container; never refrigerate it in the open can.
• Keep lids clean and closed so nothing dries or molds around the thread.

Condiments & canned shelf life, food by food

Tap a food for its once-opened window, full shelf-life table and storage tips.

• Aioli, homemade
• Anchovies, canned
• Apple cider vinegar
• Bacon grease
• Balsamic vinegar
• Barbecue sauce, bottled
• Barbecue Sauce, homemade, canned
• Beef broth/stock/consommé, commercially produced
• Black bean sauce
• Broth, homemade
• Chicken broth/stock/consommé, commercially produced
• Chutney
• Cranberry sauce, canned
• Cranberry sauce, homemade
• Cream sauces, milk solids
• Dry gravy mixes
• Duck fat
• Frying oil, re-used
• Gravy, jars and cans
• Hoisin sauce
• Honey
• Horseradish, in jar
• Hot sauce
• Jams, jellies, and preserves
• Ketchup, cocktail, or chili sauce
• Marinades
• Mayonnaise, commercial
• Mustard
• Olives, black and green
• Oyster sauce
• Pesto, jarred
• Pickles
• Relish
• Salad dressing
• Salad dressing, creamy
• Salad dressing, dry,packaged
• Salad dressing, homemade
• Salad dressing, vinaigrette
• Salad dressing, vinaigrette,homemade
• Salad dressings, commercial, bottled
• Salsa, homemade, canned
• Salsa, picante and taco sauces
• Sauce mixes, nondairy (spaghetti, taco, etc.)
• Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
• Spaghetti sauce, in jars
• Tahini
• Thai red curry paste
• Tomato Sauce, homemade, canned
• Tomato sauce, spaghetti, pizza
• Vegetable stock/broth, commercially produced
• Vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce

Shelf-life windows come from the USDA FoodKeeper, published by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (public domain); we vendor the FSIS FoodKeeper dataset and refresh it in place. These are quality estimates, not food-safety determinations or guarantees: actual condition depends on storage and handling, and harmful bacteria may not have obvious signs. Follow package and official guidance; when in doubt, throw it out. See our food safety notice and terms.