The carton of vegetable broth has sat in the pantry for months without a problem. Then you open it for tonight’s soup, use a cup, and stare at the rest. Does it go in the refrigerator? What about the jar of stock you simmered from carrot ends last weekend? The answer depends on which kind of broth you have and whether it has been opened. Here is what USDA, extension and brand guidance says, and how to read your label.
Does vegetable broth need to be refrigerated?
The Short Answer: Opened vegetable broth needs to be refrigerated, and so does homemade broth. Unopened shelf-stable broth, the kind sold on the ordinary pantry shelf, doesn’t need refrigeration until it is opened. Broth labeled Keep Refrigerated or Keep Frozen needs cold storage even before opening. After opening, refrigerate it promptly and follow the time on your label. With no label time, 3 to 4 days is a conservative default based on USDA’s general guidance, which has no separate time for opened broth cartons. Refrigerate homemade broth within 2 hours, or 1 hour when the air is above 90°F. Extension recipes give it 3 to 4 days.
For a complete pantry and fridge reference, see our Food Storage Guide. For how long broth lasts once it is open, see whether vegetable broth goes bad. The same rules apply to chicken broth and beef broth, though USDA lists meat broth separately.
Refrigerating Vegetable Broth: At a Glance
Unopened, shelf-stable carton or can
Pantry. No refrigeration needed until opened
Unopened, labeled Keep Refrigerated or Keep Frozen
Keep it cold, as directed on the package. Do not treat a product sold frozen as shelf-stable
Opened
Refrigerate promptly. Use the label time, or 3 to 4 days as a conservative default if there is none
Homemade broth or stock
Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour when the air is above 90°F. 3 to 4 days per extension recipes
Vegetable scraps saved for broth
Oregon State and University of Maine Extension: a freezer container or bag
Pantry temperature
USDA: below 85°F is best for canned goods. Swanson: rarely above 70°F. Pacific: 32 to 80°F for its products
Refrigerator temperature
40°F or below, per USDA
Mold, sour smell, bulging or leaking package
Discard it
Key Takeaways
USDA’s Shelf-Stable Food Safety page defines aseptic packaging as a process that keeps microorganisms out of a package: a commercially sterile food is filled into a sterilized package and sealed in a hygienic environment. It names soups and broths among aseptically packaged products and says to store shelf-stable foods in a cool, dry place.
The same page says unused portions of opened canned food must be refrigerated and may stay in the can, though glass or plastic is better for quality. It lists opened low-acid canned food, which includes soups, at 3 to 4 days.
USDA’s Keep Food Safe chart has no vegetable broth row. It lists soups and stews at 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, and it says to refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1
