But remember that condiments, usually have a best before date and not a use by date or expiration date. Because of this distinction, you may safely use this sauce for your flavoring needs after the best before date has lapsed if it has been stored properly. Many other products including Tamari sauce, Soya sauce and Keycap Manis are very similar but not exactly the same product.

How to tell if Soy Sauce is bad, rotten or spoiled?

Practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent foodborne illness.

Soy sauce will experience changes in color and flavor, but it will not be harmful to consume. Soy sauce will become darker and stronger in flavor and aroma over time as changes occur due to the oxidation process. Peak flavor is experienced when the bottle is first opened. If a mold (mould) should develop, then the sauce must be discarded.

If your soy sauce has gone bad, visit our substitution page for ideas.

There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled foods so always remember to practice food safety and enjoy your foods before their shelf life has expired!

How to store Soy Sauce to extend its shelf life?

The best way to store soy sauce is in its original air tight container in a cool dark place like the pantry. A constant temperature is also best, away from the stove or dishwasher which will alter the temperature of foods stored near them, constantly raising and lowering.

Once opened, soy sauce may be kept with the lid tightly re-sealed in the pantry - but for longer shelf life soy sauce should be constantly kept in the refrigerator. The quality declines quicker if not refrigerated, so it depends how often you use soy sauce as to where you choose to keep it. The little glass containers with a spout (as pictured) are not airtight and should only be used for daily serving purposes.

There are large differences in the way that soy sauces are processed and this can affect their storage times. Naturally brewed and fermented Japanese Shoya sauce and Tamari sauce will begin to taste "off" before chemically processed soy sauces. Shoyu and Tamari sauces are good for months beyond their best-by dates if kept in a dark place at a constant temperature, and at least a month or more once opened.

Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

How long is Soy Sauce good for when prepared in a dish?

How long does soy sauce last? That depends. How long does rice last? In general, soy sauce will be the longest lasting ingredient in any dish, soaking into the other ingredients. But still, it can only last as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the dish.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Soy Sauce lasts, our content incorporates research from multiple resources, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scoured the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and the shelf life of Soy Sauce.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Soy Sauce shelf life information on Eat By Date is generally reliable, please remember that individual cases will vary and that our advice should only be taken as an opinion and not a replacement for your health care professional. Please eat responsibly!