KeepsUntilSearch My fridgeSeafood · USDA FoodKeeper

How long does Fresh whole lobster last in the fridge?

2 kinds · each with its own window

Fresh whole lobster, live · From purchase · in the fridge

Use by1 day

Counted from the day you bought it

USDA FoodKeeper figure · as published

How this date is worked out

From KeepsUntilIt is past the dateThe FDA and USDA FSIS rules, and where to ask when a date runs out Where these numbers come fromThe USDA source, the parse rules and what this site cannot tell you Every food on the siteOne page, every product, longest first

Turning the range into a date

Fresh whole lobster (live) keeps 1 day in the fridge from purchase. Enter a day and each row becomes a calendar date, worked out in your browser.

Fresh whole lobster, live

From purchase · in the fridgeUse by1 day after the day you bought it

Fresh whole lobster, frozen

From purchase · in the freezerBest quality by2 weeks to 4 weeks after the day you bought it
From purchase · in the fridgeUse by1 day to 2 days after the day you bought it

Every storage figure the USDA publishes for this item

USDA FoodKeeper lists 2 kinds under Fresh whole lobster.

Fresh whole lobster, live

In the freezernot recommended
From purchase · in the fridge1 day

Fresh whole lobster, frozen

From purchase · in the freezer2 weeks to 4 weeks
From purchase · in the fridge1 day to 2 days

What the USDA adds in words

Word for word from the FoodKeeper record.

Fresh whole lobster, live, in the refrigerator, from the day you bought it. It is not safe to cook and eat a whole lobster if it is dead at the time of preparation.

From KeepsUntilWhere these numbers come fromThe USDA source, the parse rules and what this site cannot tell you

Other foods on the same USDA shelf

Food safety rules that apply to every food

Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C). The freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C).
Never allow meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce or other foods that require refrigeration to sit at room temperature for more than two hours—one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F.
Though food will be safe indefinitely at 0° F, quality will decrease the longer the food is in the freezer.
Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
If you're not sure or if the food looks questionable, throw it out.

Sources: FDA: are you storing food safely · FDA: safe food handling · USDA FSIS: safe defrosting.

Where these numbers come from

Every figure and note on this page is reproduced from USDA FoodKeeper as published; the calendar date is the only arithmetic, and it runs in your browser.

Source: USDA FoodKeeper, retrieved 1 September 2026. A figure that does not match the source? Tell us. How the site is built.

The answer at the top is for Fresh whole lobster, live, the kind this site shows first; every kind the USDA lists under this name is printed with its own figures.

USDA index terms: frozen, live, lobster, whole lobster

KeepsUntil is an independent reference built on public USDA data. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Food and Drug Administration. Storage times are reproduced from USDA FoodKeeper as published; when in doubt, follow the FDA and USDA FSIS guidance linked on every food page.