USDA-based · Sean Bernath · How this page was made · Last reviewed July 10, 2026 · Sources ↓
Orange Juice
Opened refrigerated orange juice lasts 7–10 days in the fridge.
How long it keeps — Opened
Fridge times here are mostly quality windows from USDA FoodKeeper and related federal guidance — past them, flavor and texture decline; discard when mold, slime, off odors, or other spoilage signs appear. Freezer times are also quality windows at 0°F (FoodKeeper / FDA where cited). Not medical advice.
Unopened refrigerated OJ is good until its printed date; shelf-stable cartons keep in the pantry until dated.
How long it keeps — Unopened
Fridge times here are mostly quality windows from USDA FoodKeeper and related federal guidance — past them, flavor and texture decline; discard when mold, slime, off odors, or other spoilage signs appear. Freezer times are also quality windows at 0°F (FoodKeeper / FDA where cited). Not medical advice.
How to store orange juice
Opened refrigerated orange juice keeps about 7–10 days. Freshly squeezed juice keeps only 2–3 days.
Store it in the coldest part of the fridge, not the door, and keep the carton closed. Juice absorbs odors and loses vitamin C to oxygen every time it is opened.
Shelf-stable cartons and cans keep in the pantry until their date, then follow the same 7–10 day rule once opened and refrigerated.
Do not pour unused juice back into the carton after it has been sitting in a glass.
Orange juice freezes well for 8–12 months and frozen concentrate is a genuinely good product. Leave headspace in any container, since juice expands.
By state & packaging
Why orange juice goes bad
Orange juice is acidic — around pH 3.5–4.0 — which puts it below the threshold where foodborne pathogens can grow, and is why juice is one of the safer things in a refrigerator.
That acidity does not stop yeasts and molds, which tolerate acid conditions easily. They are what spoil juice, fermenting the abundant sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This produces the classic signals: a fizzy or carbonated texture in a juice that should be still, a bulging carton, and a smell that has turned winey or alcoholic. Any of these means discard.
Pasteurization is what separates the categories. Nearly all commercial juice is pasteurized, which is why it keeps for weeks unopened. Unpasteurized juice and fresh-pressed cider are a genuine risk — the 1996 Odwalla outbreak, in which unpasteurized apple juice carrying E. coli O157:H7 caused severe illness in dozens of people and the death of a child, led directly to the FDA's warning-label requirement for untreated juice.
The FDA advises that children, pregnant people, the elderly, and immunocompromised people avoid unpasteurized juice entirely.
Separation and settling in orange juice is normal — shake it. Discard on fizzing, mold at the spout, or any alcoholic smell.
Signs it has gone bad
Any of these means discard it. Do not taste food to check (FDA / CDC). Fridge times above are mostly quality guidance — use these spoilage signs (and package condition) to decide when to toss, rather than treating the day count as a raw-meat-style safety cliff.
What the date on the package means
Carton "best by" dates on juice are quality estimates under USDA FSIS food product dating, not automatic safety deadlines for an unopened, refrigerated carton kept cold.
Once opened, use the refrigerator window on this page. Fizzy, sour, or off-smelling juice after opening: discard it.
FAQ
Why does old orange juice taste fizzy?
It has begun fermenting — yeast is converting sugars to alcohol and gas. Discard it.
How long does opened orange juice last?
About 7–10 days refrigerated. Unopened follows the carton date for quality while kept cold.
Can orange juice sit out after breakfast?
Return it to the fridge promptly. If perishable juice sat out more than 2 hours, discard it.