Does Salami Go Bad? How Long It Lasts in the Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer

By the site editors. Fact-checked against USDA FSIS, FDA and university extension sources. Last updated October 27, 2026.

The short answer

Yes, salami can go bad, but whole dry salami is one of the longest-keeping meats in your kitchen. For commercial hard or dry sausage, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) gives these storage times: whole, 6 weeks in the pantry or indefinitely in the refrigerator; 3 weeks in the refrigerator after opening; 1 to 2 months in the freezer (FSIS: Sausages and Food Safety, archived Feb 16, 2024). FSIS notes that "all sausage — except dry sausage — is perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated" (FSIS, archived).

Two big caveats. Cooked salami (cotto) is a different product that "must be refrigerated" (FSIS, archived). And homemade salami doesn't get the same pantry pass. More on both below.

Think of a whole salame hanging in an Italian salumeria: dry, firm, and built to last. Once you cut into it, the clock starts ticking faster.

First, which salami do you have?

Storage depends on the type, so check the label.

• Dry salami (Genoa, soppressata, hard salami). FSIS lists "Sopressata (a name of a salami)" and Genoa salami as dry sausages (FSIS, archived). FSIS says "some dry sausages are shelf stable (in other words, they do not need to be refrigerated or frozen to be stored safely)" (FSIS, archived).
• Cooked salami. It's "made from fresh meats which are cured, stuffed into casings and cooked in a smokehouse at high temperature," has a softer texture, and "must be refrigerated" (FSIS, archived).
• Not sure? If the label says "Keep Refrigerated," keep it refrigerated. FSIS says "if a sausage is perishable, the label must say 'Keep Refrigerated'" (FSIS, archived). For more on how dry salami is made and what's raw about it, see Is salami raw?

Whole vs. sliced

A whole, uncut dry salami is the long-haul champ. The casing is intact and the inside hasn't been exposed. That's the product the FSIS pantry time applies to: "Whole, 6 weeks in pantry; indefinitely in refrigerator" (FSIS, archived).

Sliced salami is a different story. No federal chart lists deli-sliced salami. The FSIS chart gives 3 weeks for opened hard or dry sausage, and 3 to 5 days for opened luncheon meat (FSIS, archived). FoodSafety.gov gives 3 to 5 days for "opened package or deli sliced" luncheon meat (FoodSafety.gov: Cold Food Storage Chart). We recommend the shorter time for salami sliced at the deli counter, because slicing adds handling and exposed surface. That's our choice, not a time any source gives for salami.

There's a safety reason to keep it short, too. FDA says Listeria "can grow in cold temperatures, including inside refrigerators" (FDA: Listeria, Food Safety for Moms-to-Be). FDA also advises using ready-to-eat foods such as meat "as soon as possible," because "the longer they're stored in the refrigerator, the higher the chance that L. monocytogenes can grow" (FDA).

Unopened vs. opened

Unopened, whole dry salami: 6 weeks in the pantry, indefinitely in the fridge (FSIS, archived).

Opened dry salami: 3 weeks in the refrigerator (FSIS, archived). Clemson Extension's storage chart, which is based on the FSIS factsheet, gives the same times (Clemson HGIC 3513).

Summer sausage (semi-dry), for comparison: 3 months unopened and 3 weeks after opening in the refrigerator (FSIS, archived).

About dates on the package. If the salami has a "use-by" date, follow it. FSIS says it "is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality" and is set by the manufacturer. If there's a "sell-by" date or no date, use the chart times (FSIS, archived). FSIS also notes that a "Best if Used By" date "is not a purchase or safety date" (FSIS, archived).

FSIS calls these times "a guideline for safe storage" and says they "should be followed for maximum quality" (FSIS, archived). Your eyes and nose can catch spoilage, but they can't catch pathogens (see below).

Fridge, pantry, and freezer

Pantry. Only whole, shelf-stable dry salami belongs here, for up to 6 weeks (FSIS, archived). A cool, dry cupboard is a good spot (that's our kitchen tip). Once it's cut, move it to the fridge.

Shelf stable doesn't always mean ready to eat. FSIS notes that "some federally inspected shelf-stable sausages are not ready to eat. If so, they will be labeled as above but will not have 'Keep Refrigerated' on the label" (FSIS, archived). Read the label before you slice and serve.

Fridge. Keep your refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder (FDA). Whole dry salami keeps indefinitely in the fridge, and opened dry salami keeps 3 weeks (FSIS, archived). Kitchen tip: wrap the cut end so it doesn't dry out or pick up fridge odors.

Freezer. FSIS gives 1 to 2 months for hard/dry sausage in the freezer (FSIS, archived). That's for quality. FSIS says "foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely" (FSIS, archived), and FoodSafety.gov says its freezer times "are for quality only" (FoodSafety.gov). Keep the freezer at 0°F (−18°C) (FDA).

One thing freezing won't do: clean up a contaminated salami. FDA says Listeria "can grow at refrigeration temperatures and freezing will not eliminate or reduce the pathogen" (FDA: Listeria (Listeriosis)).

At the party. Salami on a charcuterie board is great. Sliced salami isn't a pantry item, though. FSIS advises, "Don't leave any perishables out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived). Clemson says the same for hot dogs, or 1 hour when it's 90°F or hotter (Clemson HGIC 3513).

How to tell if salami has gone bad

Toss it if you notice:

• Fuzzy mold that isn't thin and white, such as green, black, or other colors (see the next section) (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived).
• An off odor, an odd color, or a sticky or slimy surface. FSIS says that with spoilage bacteria, food "may develop an uncharacteristic odor, color and/or become sticky or slimy" (FSIS: How Temperatures Affect Food, archived). Spoilage bacteria also create "an off taste or bad odor" (FSIS: Food Product Dating, archived). FSIS doesn't name salami here; these are general signs for any food.
• It's past the storage times above, or it sat out too long.
• The package is torn or the seal is broken. Kitchen tip: treat it as opened and use the opened times.

A big caveat: you can't smell Listeria. FSIS says pathogenic bacteria "do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of a food. In other words, one cannot tell that a pathogen is present" (FSIS: Refrigeration, archived). FSIS also says that bacteria capable of causing foodborne illness "either don't grow or grow very slowly at refrigerator temperatures" (FSIS: How Temperatures Affect Food, archived), but Listeria is an exception: FDA says it "can grow in cold temperatures, including inside refrigerators" (FDA). That's why the storage times matter even when the salami seems fine. And if you aren't sure, follow the house rule: when in doubt, throw it out.

Also, don't sniff anything that's visibly moldy. FSIS warns, "Don't sniff the moldy item. This can cause respiratory trouble" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived).

White mold vs. bad mold

That powdery white coat on a good Italian salame is often there on purpose. FSIS says: "Some salamis — San Francisco, Italian, and Eastern European types — have a characteristic thin, white mold coating which is safe to consume; however, they shouldn't show any other mold" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived).

For commercial hard salami with surface mold, FSIS's advice is: "Use. Scrub mold off surface," because "it is normal for these shelf-stable products to have surface mold" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived).

Sliced salami is different. FSIS tells consumers to discard moldy luncheon meats, because "foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface" and "moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived). FSIS also says to discard sliced cheese with mold, since it "can be contaminated by the cutting instrument" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived). FSIS has no row for sliced salami, so this is our rule, applying the same caution: if sliced salami has mold, toss it.

Keep in mind that mold grows in the fridge too. FSIS says molds "can grow on cured, salty meats — ham, bacon, salami, and bologna" even at refrigerator temperatures (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived).

Homemade salami

Everything above is for commercial salami. Those storage times assume a validated commercial product, and a home batch isn't validated. FSIS says "fermentation and drying alone do not generally achieve" its target pathogen reductions (FSIS-GD-2023-0002, archived), and Washington State University Extension says "home production of dry sausages is not recommended" (WSU Extension EB1661).

So for homemade salami:

• Keep it refrigerated. This is our rule, not a USDA time; no source gives storage times for homemade salami. Don't rely on the 6-week pantry time.
• For home batches, mold is stricter. Guidance from the BC Centre for Disease Control, written for Canadian food businesses, says mold is only acceptable if it came from an added culture or rubs off easily with vinegar during drying (BCCDC Fermented Foods Guidance 3.13). We apply that to home batches: otherwise, discard it.
• Log your batch. Use our drying tracker to record weight and dates so you know how old each link is.
• If it never dried properly in the center, don't eat it.

Ready to try it yourself, safely? Start with our full guide, How to make salami at home. If you need cure math, use the cure calculator.

Pregnancy and higher-risk people

FSIS says that because dry sausages are not cooked, people "at risk" (older adults, very young children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems) "might want to avoid eating them" (FSIS, archived).

The CDC's higher-risk groups for Listeria are pregnant women, newborns, people 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. It tells them to avoid "unheated deli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausages" and to choose them "reheated to 165°F or until steaming hot" instead (CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection). The UK's NHS says cold cured meats such as salami "should be cooked until steaming hot before eating" (NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy). FDA warns that listeriosis in pregnancy can lead to "miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, and death" (FDA).

Storage time doesn't change this. Fresh-opened or a week old, cold salami carries the same advice for higher-risk people. If you cook it on a pizza or into a hot pasta, the salami itself needs to reach 165°F or be steaming hot (CDC).

For perspective, the CDC calls Listeria infection rare, at an estimated 1,600 people in the US each year (CDC).

FAQ

Can you eat salami past the date on the package? It depends on the date. FSIS says a "use-by" date is the manufacturer's last recommended date for peak quality, and you should follow it. With a "sell-by" date or no date, use the storage chart (FSIS, archived).

Does salami need to be refrigerated? Whole, shelf-stable dry salami doesn't need to be until it's opened (6 weeks in the pantry). Opened dry salami, cooked salami, and anything labeled "Keep Refrigerated" do (FSIS, archived).

How long does opened salami last in the fridge? FSIS gives 3 weeks for opened hard/dry sausage (FSIS, archived). For salami sliced at the deli counter, we recommend the shorter 3 to 5 days that FSIS and FoodSafety.gov give for opened or deli-sliced luncheon meat (see "Whole vs. sliced").

Can you freeze salami? Yes. Use it within 1 to 2 months for best quality (FSIS, archived). Freezing won't kill Listeria (FDA).

Is the white stuff on salami mold? Often, yes, and FSIS says the "characteristic thin, white mold coating" on some salamis "is safe to consume" (FSIS: Molds on Food, archived). Any other mold is a warning sign.

Is it the same for pepperoni? Close. FSIS lists pepperoni as a dry sausage, "not cooked, air dried" (FSIS, archived). See salami vs. pepperoni.

Sources

1. USDA FSIS. Sausages and Food Safety (archived Feb 16, 2024). http://web.archive.org/web/20240216213407/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/sausages-and-food-safety
2. USDA FSIS. Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? (archived Oct 4, 2026). http://web.archive.org/web/20261004024430/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/molds-food-are-they-dangerous
3. USDA FSIS. FSIS-GD-2023-0002: RTE Fermented, Salt-Cured, and Dried Products Guideline (May 5, 2023). https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/FSIS-GD-2023-0002.pdf (archived: https://web.archive.org/web/2025id_/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/FSIS-GD-2023-0002.pdf)
4. FoodSafety.gov. Cold Food Storage Chart (last reviewed Sept 19, 2023). https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts
5. Clemson Cooperative Extension. Safe Handling of Sausages & Hot Dogs (HGIC 3513, revised Jul 23, 2021). https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/safe-handling-of-sausages-hot-dogs/
6. FDA. Listeria: Food Safety for Moms-to-Be. https://www.fda.gov/food/health-educators/listeria-food-safety-moms-be
7. FDA. Listeria (Listeriosis). https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis
8. CDC. Preventing Listeria Infection (Jan 31, 2025). https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention/index.html
9. NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
10. WSU Extension. Homemade Meat, Poultry, and Game Sausages (EB1661). https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/extension/uploads/sites/68/2021/06/Homemade-Meat-Poultry-and-Game-Sausages-EB1661.pdf
11. BC Centre for Disease Control. Fermented Foods Guidance 3.13: Sausage. https://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Educational%20Materials/EH/FPS/Food/Fermented/Fermented_Foods_Guidance-3.13_Sausage.pdf
12. USDA FSIS. Refrigeration and Food Safety (archived Oct 4, 2026). http://web.archive.org/web/20261004024429/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/refrigeration
13. USDA FSIS. How Temperatures Affect Food (archived Oct 4, 2026). http://web.archive.org/web/20261004024432/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/how-temperatures-affect-food
14. USDA FSIS. Food Product Dating (archived Oct 4, 2026). http://web.archive.org/web/20261004024429/https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-product-dating