The smoked salmon fillets we offer are precooked and sealed in gold foil pouches. The pouches are like a "flexible can. They are vacuum-sealed and cooked it in their own juices. This process preserves the Pacific Northwest smoked salmon naturally, so no refrigeration is required until the pouch is opened. As long as it is not opened, punctured, or leaking, it will stay good for at least four years, and even that is conservative. Your gold seal pouch will have a printed expiration date that says "Enjoy By MM/DD/YYYY" printed on the pouch. Even beyond four years, the product will likely be good to eat.