Quick Answer
Sushi can be stored in the fridge if it has raw fish or seafood for 1 to 2 days, and for 3 to 4 days if it has cooked fish or seafood. Sushi will only last about 2 hours at room temperature, and for about 1 hour at any temperature above 90 degrees (or in the late 20s Celsius).
Food is one of the most varied items on the planet.
They all have different tastes, and they all come from different places, but one of the most varied things about foods is just how long they last.
Some foods last for years and some are functionally immortal – like honey – however a lot of foods don’t last very long at all.
This can be a problem because you can guess how long a non-perishable food will last due to the huge length of time, but when a food lasts only a couple of days, wondering whether you should eat it now or leave it and potentially have it go off is a challenge.
This is especially true with foods like Sushi, which can go off very quickly and without you knowing.
So, just how long is sushi good for? Today, we seek to find out.
What Is Sushi?
Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that consists of prepared vinegared rice that has been shaped along with other ingredients.
These ingredients are usually a kind of seafood, normally raw, or with some vegetables.
While sushi can be prepared in multiple different ways with multiple ingredients, the key to the whole thing is that it is prepared with sushi rice and that it is sculpted with the rice and other ingredients into one edible shape.
The most common forms of sushi use squid, eel, yellowtail, salmon, tuna, and imitation crab meat, and it is most often served alongside soy sauce and wasabi paste as condiments.
It normally also has pickled ginger on the side as a palate cleanser.
Another thing to note is that Sushi and Sashimi are completely different dishes, as Sushi uses rice and Sashimi is thinly sliced meats.
The history of sushi may be one of the longest on planet earth, as the proto-sushi dishes of narezushi have been around since the earliest domestication of rice in China, close to the Neolithic times.
The fermentation of the fish in the proto-dish kept it from spoiling, and this led to people using this to preserve food.
Narezushi was invented in the Muromachi Era in Japan (1300s) when vinegar was added to the rice and by the Edo period (1600s) people were eating this vinegared rice with fresh fish over the top.
The shapes of modern sushi took place in the 1800s, thus giving rise to the dish today.
How Long Does Sushi Last For?
The answer is really, it depends on how you store it, however due to the ingredients it will not last long and should be eaten fresh.
If you store sushi in the fridge, it will last for 1 to 2 days if the sushi uses raw fish or seafood, and it will last 3 to 4 days if it uses cooked fish or seafood.
While it could technically last beyond this, it is not worth the risk as it will only be 1 or 2 days beyond these time frames.
Sushi can technically be frozen, but it will change the taste and flavor of the dish to something you may not want or expect.
At room temperature, sushi lasts for much less time, with it generally only being able to be out for about 2 hours or so and if the temperature is in the 90s (or in the late 20s for Celsius), then it will last no more than an hour.
This is because these temperatures are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, and these will grow the more time they spend out in the open air and in these temperatures.
As such, if you plan to give sushi as a meal to someone, make sure it is not out for a long time.
How To Store Sushi?
Firstly, if you plan to store sushi, you need to get a suitable container or on a clean plate. If you are using the container, make sure the lid is airtight.
If you are using a plate or the lid is not airtight to your container, then make sure to wrap the container in plastic wrap, foil, or butcher’s paper.
The only place you should really be storing sushi is in a fridge.
A freezer will make the food not taste as good, and out on the side will mean that the sushi will go off quickly.
As such, it needs to be in the fridge and kept away from other foods, so cross contamination does not occur.
When we say keep it away from other foods, we mean it should have its own shelf in your fridge, so you don’t have to worry of any bacteria jumping ship, especially since the sushi is normally raw.
If you do not store sushi this way, it may cause you to become ill.
How To Tell When Sushi Has Gone Bad?
The main one is smell. If your sushi smells unpleasant or not like it should, then it has gone bad, and you need to chuck it away.
Another thing to look out for is the look of the sushi.
Generally, the appearance will be bright, and the meat will be shiny. If the meat is dull (and if there is mold) chuck it out.
Finally, slime. The rice should not have a slimy texture and if it does, then that is an indication that the rice is spoiling. As such, you need to chuck it away.
Conclusion
Sushi doesn’t stay good for long, and it needs to be kept as a fresh food and eaten as such.
Therefore, you should keep sushi for a couple of days before you eat it, otherwise it may spoil or leave you ill.
Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.
I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!
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