How Long Opened Canned Fruit Juice Lasts In The Fridge

Buying canned fruit juice can be a great way to cut down on your grocery bill and the fact that it can sit on your shelf for months at a time without spoiling means you don't need to worry about using it the same day you buy it. But that kind of longevity goes away the minute you open the can. There's nothing particularly special about the fruit juice inside the can that's allowing it to stay fresh for so long, it's the can itself that's preserving it from the natural forces in the world whose task it is to break things down. Now that the can has been opened, its power to preserve has been taken away and you should think about how long you have before the contents will need to be thrown out.

Luckily, you have a second preservation tool in your kitchen — the refrigerator. According to the USDA, an opened can of fruit juice will last in the fridge for five to seven days. While you can simply place the can on the fridge shelf, you may find that the taste starts to fade faster that way since it won't have any protection from the air. For best results, pour the contents into another container such as a plastic or glass bottle – preferably something that you can seal shut. You'll still want to keep it in the fridge and it will last the same amount of time but the quality won't deteriorate as quickly.

Although it's probably more information than you need to worry about, the more acidic the juice is the longer it will stay fresh. Acidity is a natural preservative so a highly acidic juice, such as pineapple juice, has more staying power than a less acidic juice, like tomato juice. As a rule of thumb, just go with the USDA guidelines since that's less complicated — no need to start doing complex math involving pH levels and atomic clocks to get the exact lifespan of your juice. 

If you want your juice to last longer you could consider freezing it. Definitely don't freeze unopened canned juice, though. Freezing will cause the juice to expand and there's not enough room in the can to allow for it. You'll end up with a big mess to clean and no juice to drink. Once you've opened the can of juice you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container and leave it in there for another 12 months or so.

You'll be able to tell juice has gone bad through sight and smell. It's not an exact science but if your juice smells off or sour it's probably past its prime. If mold has started to grow there's nothing left to do but dump it down the drain.