Of course, all foods last for a shorter period of time if they are not stored properly. Keep the husks tightly wrapped on fresh ears until ready for use. Peeling even part of the husk back will force the corn kernels to begin drying out.

How to tell if Corn is bad, rotten or spoiled?

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

It is the tips of the corn cob that will begin to go bad first. The best way to tell if your corn on the cob is going bad is to look at the top spray, if it is moist and darkening that is not a good sign. Often mold will begin to form on a moist tip, at which point you will want to either cut off the top end plus an extra inch of the cob (if it has not spread too far) or just discard the entire ear of corn if it has spread beyond the tip. If fresh corn cobs have been left on the counter they will dry out, starting with the outer husk and the color of the husk will be a lighter green and dry looking. This corn will cook up chewy and flavorless instead of moist and tasty.

Cut fresh corn will begin to leak a milky substance as it ages and the corn will not be good once it sits in this liquid. Discard if there is odor or change in appearance.

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 Corn to extend its shelf life?

It is best to store ears whole and unwashed in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. For a longer term option, corn may be frozen for 6-8 months, but they should be cooked or blanched first and then placed in freezer safe containers.

To find out how and how long to cook corn, see our page on how long to boil corn.

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

How long is Corn good for when prepared in a dish?

How long does corn last? That depends. How long does soup last? In general, foods last only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the recipe.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Corn 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 Corn.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Corn 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!