Here's How Long Canned Corn Lasts After Being Opened

For many of the tastiest recipes involving corn, the canned form of the vegetable is often the easiest and most efficient option. Making an elote-style corn dip? Or a flavorful corn salad, or creamy corn pudding? You can cook up corn on the cob, or utilize frozen corn, but canned corn strikes a balance of freshness and convenience. With its versatility, you may end up cracking one or two of these cans open fairly often, and even using different portions of what's inside. So, it's important to know how to actually store any leftover canned corn so you can use it when it's still delicious and — importantly — safe. 

The most essential consideration is how long canned corn actually lasts once it's been opened. The shelf life of these cans before you open them can be from two to five years if they're stored in a cool, dry place, and you may even be able to eat the corn inside after the printed best-by date if you know the spoilage signs to look for. But once you open a can, you only have three to five days. And that's only if you store the corn properly. 

Make sure the liquid is drained off of the corn, and transfer leftovers to an airtight glass container or zip-top bag. It's vital to keep air and moisture out because they introduce bacteria to the corn that will speed up its spoilage. Dry, sealed, and refrigerated, the once-canned corn has several days of freshness left. 

Whether you're opening a can after its expiration date or keeping an eye on corn from an open can that you've been storing in the fridge, you should know what to look for to determine if the corn's gone bad. Corn that's gone off will have a distinct, less than appetizing smell — if it no longer smells like corn, it's gone bad. Visually, the corn may start to change color a bit, so a loss of that fairly-to-very golden hue is a red flag. Mold is naturally an indicator of spoiled corn, too. 

To get even more than three to five days from opened canned corn in the refrigerator, you can freeze your leftovers, but this comes with a big caveat: Frozen canned corn will start to lose its flavor and texture. You store it the same way you would in the fridge, in an airtight container or zip-seal bag, and it will remain safe to eat for about two months. However, because the corn will immediately start becoming more neutral in flavor and softer in texture, you don't want to store it too long in the freezer, and canned corn that's been frozen is better used in cooked dishes like soups and sauces — it won't have enough snap to its bite for salads. While the freezer can safely prolong corn's life, refrigeration for just a few days is ideal flavor-wise.