Does soy sauce go bad?

Soy sauce is one of the most popular condiments. It is crucial in countless recipes and dishes, not only in Asian food, but also in a wide range of cuisines. Soy sauce has a distinctive flavor that helps to elevate anything that comes in contact with it.

It is logical that you always have it at hand. It’s no wonder, then, that most people buy large bottles of this product at any given time. So the next question that comes to mind is

Does soy sauce go bad?

Soy sauce is very unlikely to spoil if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This is due to the ingredients in the sauce, its chemical composition, and its high level of sodium. However, storage conditions can also affect the shelf life of your soy sauce.

Read on as we delve into what makes soy sauce so long-lasting and long-lasting.

Soy Sauce Overview

Soy sauce is an incredibly popular seasoning, especially when it comes to sushi. but many recipes and dishes use this sauce in one form or another.

Due to its umami and salty taste, it has become an important part of a wide range of recipes and dishes around the world. However, this sauce is more than meets the eye. That is why we must take a closer look at its nutritional content.

Nutritional content of soy sauce

The table above is incredibly important. As you may have noticed, soy sauce contains high levels of salt, amounting to around 38% of your recommended daily intake (RDI).

This is worth keeping in mind, as the high density and salt levels help answer any questions about spoilage and shelf life.

Can soy sauce go bad?

Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter: can soy sauce go bad? After all, it is not unlikely that you will find this sauce in your fridge or pantry for a long time.

Although all types of food can go bad if not stored properly, soy sauce stands out for its incredibly long shelf life.

It can last for years and still be usable. Like miso paste, another Japanese staple, the high sodium level in this sauce prevents the growth of microorganisms.

So technically it should be edible after many years (provided it’s been stored correctly), but it won’t necessarily be of the best quality.

To better expound this answer, we must examine some of the finer details of this sauce. Specifically, how it’s made and how that ultimately contributes to the longevity of the sauce.

Making soy sauce

Soy sauce is made with four basic ingredients. They are soybeans, wheat, salt, and leavening agents like mold and yeast.

Now, you may wonder if the presence of leavening agents doesn’t make this sauce more susceptible to spoilage.

In most cases, it probably is. After all, fermentation is a form of controlled spoilage that brings out specific flavors, aromas, and textures in certain ingredients.

Therefore, we must carefully examine the production process. The traditional production process for soy sauce is complex and time consuming.

However, it is a necessary part that we need to delve into if we want to better understand what makes this particular seasoning last so long.

The process of making soy sauce is as follows:

1. The first step in making traditional soy sauce is to take the soybeans and soak them in water. While the soybeans are steeped, the wheat is crushed and roasted before being introduced into the mix, along with a culture mold. The most commonly used mold is aspergillus, or koji. Next, all the ingredients are left to cook and get to know each other for the next 2-3 days.
2. Once this step is completed, the water and salt are added to the mixture. These are the last ingredients that are used to make the soy sauce.
3. Once everything is added, the concoction is left to ferment for 5-8 months or even longer. This is part of the fermentation process, as the mold interacts with all the ingredients in the tank.
4. When the mixture enters the fermentation phase, enzymes from the mold are activated and react to the presence of proteins from soybeans and shredded wheat. Slowly but surely, these proteins are broken down into amino acids and the starch in wheat is transformed into simple sugars.
5. After the aging and fermentation process is complete, the mixture is placed on top of a large piece of cloth that is pressed. This will release the liquid that you will recognize as soy sauce. Then, when all the liquid has been drained from the mixture, it is pasteurized to kill any lingering bacteria from the fermentation stage.

Only when these steps have been completed is the soy sauce bottled and shipped. High-quality soy sauce follows this natural fermentation process, as is traditionally used in Japanese production.

As we’ve already said, this complex process effectively explains why soy sauce rarely goes bad.

As you may have guessed, pasteurization and the high sodium environment created in the mixes themselves make it virtually impossible for soy sauce to go bad.

They create an environment that is not conducive to bacteria and other microorganisms.

Different types of soy sauce

A quick trip to the grocery store would tell you that you’re pretty much spoiled for choice when it comes to soy sauce.

After all, soy sauce is divided into several categories and each of them has its specific use.

Here are some of the types of soy sauce available:

• Dark Soy Sauce - It is the most widely available type of soy sauce. It is characterized by its reddish brown color. It also has a very strong scent.
• Light Soy Sauce - As the name suggests, this type of soy sauce is considerably lighter in color and appearance than its more common counterpart. It also has a milder aroma and flavor.
• Tamari - This is another type of soy sauce that has a dark color. However, the difference is that it does not have the characteristic aroma that is usually associated with soy sauce. This is because it contains low levels of wheat, with 10% or less being the average for different brands.
• Shiro - In contrast, Shiro has a very light tint. This is possible thanks to the minimal use of wheat and soy.
• Saishikomi - This type of soy sauce is dark and has been fermented twice as long and is stronger than other types of soy sauce. Due to its strong flavor and antimicrobial properties, it often accompanies sushi and sashimi.

Now, you may wonder if some types of soy sauce last longer than others. Are they all the same, in terms of their duration?

To answer this, you need to remember that while the ratio of ingredients used to make these sauces varies, they all have one thing in common: All of these varieties of soy sauce contain high levels of sodium.

This means that all of these subtypes have that characteristic flavor that soy sauce is known for. Specifically, they all taste salty and umami, but each varies in intensity.

As explained above, the saltiness of these sauces does more than just add flavor to your dish. Rather, it is crucial to ensure that bacteria or other harmful contaminants cannot grow and thrive in the liquid itself.

All these subtypes of soy sauce follow the same production process outlined in the previous section.

Therefore, you can only expect these sauces to have the same level of longevity and shelf life that they usually do, regardless of your preferences.

Soy sauce shelf life

Now that we’ve established why soy sauce lasts so long, it’s time we take a look at how long it lasts. A quick glance at the soy sauce bottle should tell you a lot. Pay close attention to the fine print on the label, as it should have an expiration date.

The text is crucial: expiration date. This means that the date on the bottle does not refer to the possibility of the soy sauce going bad or toxic once the specified date has passed.

Rather, it refers to the period in which you can expect your sauce to show its optimal quality.

However, you should also remember that this is by no means a fixed date. It is a starting point that can serve as an excellent point of reference.

For example, if the bottle remains unopened, you can expect the soy sauce to retain its best quality for about 3 years.

However, once the bottle is opened, the quality of the sauce will gradually begin to decline, but it will still be usable for a wide range of recipes and dishes.

As a general rule of thumb, aim to finish your bottle of soy sauce within 1-2 years of opening. If you go too far, you’ll probably notice a change in quality and flavor.

Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated?

Now that we’ve covered the production process and how it affects the shelf life of your soy sauce in detail, it’s time to dive into another equally important aspect for its longevity: storage conditions. Does it need to be refrigerated?

To answer this question, we must first consider the following:

• Open or Sealed - As we’ve already said, opening your bottle of soy sauce acts as a catalyst for the gradual decline in its potency and quality. On the contrary, if you keep it sealed, it will undoubtedly last longer. But don’t worry, as long as you change the plug correctly each time, it should last up to 2 years.
• Keep Contaminants Away - In addition to maintaining optimum freshness, the bottle’s hermetic closure also effectively prevents any contaminants from getting into the bottle.
• Store in a cool, dry place - The pantry is one of the best storage options you have. This way, it will always be accessible, in case you need to use it for your next dish. The fridge is also a good cool, dark place to store soy sauce.
• Time frame - Knowing when and how often you are going to use your soy sauce will affect where you should store it. If you are not going to use it in the next few months, the pantry may not necessarily be the best option.

All this is essential to know whether or not you should keep the soy sauce in the refrigerator. For example, if you are going to use it regularly and time is not an issue, then you can skip the refrigeration altogether.

However, if you are not going to use the soy sauce for months, we strongly recommend that you store it in the fridge.

At the same time, if you’ve opened the jar beforehand and want to ensure it lasts as long as possible, then refrigeration is certainly the way to go.

Remember that this is the exact purpose of your fridge: to ensure that the quality of your ingredients is preserved for as long as possible.

How can you tell if the soy sauce has gone bad?

Let’s say you haven’t followed the best storage practices for your soy sauce.

The next thing to know are the telltale signs of possible deterioration. Again, as we’ve said before, while soy sauce is unlikely to go bad, it can go bad if you don’t store it properly.

Here are a couple of things to look out for:

• Floaters and impurities - We cannot overstate the importance of keeping the cap on your soy sauce bottle when not in use. This is because it prevents any impurities from getting inside and mixing with the sauce. With that being said, a quick peek inside the bottle should do the trick. If you find something floating that shouldn’t be there, throw it away.
• Mold growth - This is usually the result of contaminants making their way into the bottle. After all, mold doesn’t appear randomly, especially not in a bottle of soy sauce. It goes without saying that mold growth poses a serious danger to your health.
• Odors - Soy sauce has a characteristic odor. If you notice any bad odor, discard the soy sauce.
• Flavor - Although a drop in the intense flavors of the sauce does not necessarily mean it has gone bad, it is a sign that it is past its expiration date.

There you have it: everything there is to know about the shelf life of soy sauce.

Being one of the most consumed ingredients, it is logical that you know how to properly store this sauce in your fridge. So make sure you remember these tips.