Shelf-, Fridge-, And Freezer-life of Foods

8/12/2019 Shelf-, Fridge-, And Freezer-life of Foods

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General comments on the shelf-, fridge-, and freezer-life of foods

The shelf-life is the amount of time a food can be stored before it is consideredunsuitable for use. It may be unsuitable due to quality degradation (no longer tasty)

or food safety (risk of food poisoning). [1]

s far as food safety goes! food stored fro"en at #$% (-1&$') or belo is remains

safe foreer* only quality degrades oer time. [+]. Thus the free"er-storage times

belo are entirely about quality.

If your freezer is set at a temperature higher than -18C (three-star setting),

these times may not apply. specially the safe storage time in one-star freezers(-!C) is much reduced.

The times all assume proper storage. %ree"ers #$% or belo! refrigerators ,#$%

(,$') or belo. [] 'ans should be stored in a cool! dry place! belo &$% (#$')

[,].

The tables gien here assume proper storage. "ood #hich re$uires refrigeration

is considered unsafe if left for o%er t#o hours at temperatures &et#een '1

1*" (**+C)[].

he a&les

/egardless of the table belo! if a food shos signs of spoilage (including mold!

ith some e0ceptions described belo)! its past its shelf-life. ote that thelackof

spoilage does notimply safety.

ncooed /roteins

Item Fridge FreezerSources

---- ------ -------

-------

Ground (meat, 12 days 34 months

[K!

"ou#try$
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelf_lifehttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asphttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asphttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Shelf_Stable_Food_Safety/index.asphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_zone_(food_safety)http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asphttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asphttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/Shelf_Stable_Food_Safety/index.asphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_zone_(food_safety)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelf_life


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%on-ground 3& days stea's )12 months

[K!

meat cho"s 4) months

roasts 412 months

*ou#try 12 days +ho#e 12 months[K!

"ieces months

ggs in she## 3& +ee's in she## not

recommended [K!

se"arated 24 days +hites 12 months

yo#'s not recommended

.acon 1 +ee' 1 month

[FG!

to/u 1 +ee' & months[FG!

/ish 12 days #ean 40 months

[FG!

/atty 23 months

Cooed proteins

Item Fridge Freezer

Sources

---- ------ --------------

#uncheon meat o"ened 1 +ee' 12 months [K!

uno"ened 2 +ee's

coo'ed meat and 34 days 2) months [K!

"ou#try

coo'ed /ish 34 days 12 months [FG!

hard oi#ed eggs 1 +ee' not recommended [K!

hard sausage 23 +ee's 12 months [FG!

0airyItem Fridge Freezer

Sources

---- ------ -------

-------

utter 13 months ) months


3/9

[FG!

hard cheeses o"ened 34 +ee's ) months

[FG!

uno"ened ) months

so/t cheeses 1 +ee' ) months[FG!

cream cheese 2 +ee's not recommended

[FG!

auces

Item Fridge Freezer

Sources

---- ------ -------

-------mayo commercia# 2 months not recommended

[FG!

home-made see e#o+

gray, roth 34 days 23 months

[FG!

%or home-made mayo! there don2t seem to be official shelf-life estimates. 3easoned

dice has a question on this! 4aking 5long(er)-life5 homemade mayonnaise.

2egeta&les%ree"er times are gien for cooked or blanched! then fro"en. 6enerally! this is

required! otherise en"ymatic degradation ill occur. 3ee 57here can I go for

details on a specific food85 for here to find specific steps for each egetable.

/efrigerator and shelf times are for storage ra.

If a column is -! it means that storage type is not recommended. 5/ipe5 means5until ripe5.

Item She#/ Fridge Freezer

Sources

---- ----- ------ -------

-------

s"aragus - 34 days 0 months

FK
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/2746/making-longer-life-homemade-mayonnaisehttp://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/2746/making-longer-life-homemade-mayonnaise


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Green eans - 34 days 0 months

FK

.eets 1 day 15 days )0 months

FK

aage - 12 +ee's 1512 monthsFK

arrots - 3 +ee's 1512 months

FK

e#ery - 12 +ee's 1512 months

FK

Gar#ic 1 month 12 +ee's 1 month

FK

6ers (/resh$ - 15 days 12 months

FK7ettuce (iceerg$ - 12 +ee's -

FK

7ettuce (#ea/$ - 3 days -

FK

8ushrooms - 23 days 1512 months

FK

9nions, non-s+eet 23 months 23 months 1512 months

S:

9nions, s+eet 12 months 12 months 1512 monthsS:

*e""ers - 4& days )0 months

FK

*otatoes 12 months 12 +ee's mashed 1512

months FK

S;uash, summer - 4& days 1512 months

FK

S;uash, +inter 1 +ee' 2 +ee's 1512 months

FK:omatoes ri"e 23 days 2 months

FK

"ruits

4any fruits must be at least partially cooked (blanched) before free"ing in order to

deactiate en"ymes that ould otherise degrade quality hile in storage. 3ome


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Item >no"ened 9"ened, in

/ridge Source

---- --------

----------------- ------

ommercia##y canned, #o+-acid 2& years 34 days[FG!

(meat, "ou#try, /ish, sou"s, ste+s

egeta#es$

ommercia##y canned, high-acid 1210 months & days

[FG!

9#ies 1210 months 2 +ee's

[FK!

=am, =e##y, 1 year ) months

[FK!"reseres

shortening (risco$ 0 months 3 months

[FK!

/antry (not refrigerated e%en after opening)

Item She#/ #i/e o"ened (i/

di//erent$ source

---- ----------

--------------------- ------.a'ing "o+der 10 months

[FSG!

.a'ing soda 2 years

[FSG!

eans (dry$ 1 year

[FK!

.oui##on 1 year

[FSG!

cornstarch 10 months[FK!

e?tracts 3 years

[FK!

/#our +hite )12 months

[FK!

+heat 1 month


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hers (dry$ 12 years 1 year

[FK!

honey 1 year

[FK!

"asty (dry$ 2 years[FSG!

egg nood#es (dry$ ) months

[FSG!

rice (dry$ +hite 2 years

[FSG!

ro+n )12 months

/#aored ) months

egeta#e oi# ) months 13 months

[FSG!inegar 2 years 12 months

[FSG!

General tips for storing foods

3o# do I freeze fruits and %egeta&les4

"ruit./ipe (but not oerripe) fruit should be used. 7ash them! and sort according

to si"e. 7orking in small batches! remoe pits! seeds! and blemishes. %or fruits that

turn bron! apply ascorbic acid or sugar and citric acid. 4ost fruits benefit from

packing in dry sugar or a sugar syrup. 3mall! hole fruits (e.g.! berries) can be

spread on a tray and indiidually fro"en! then packed in a free"er bag or other

airtight container.

2egeta&les.4ost egetables need blanching. To blanch! immerse in boiling ater

oer high heat or steam oer rapidly boiling ater (steam). fter blanching!

transfer to ice bath for the same amount of time as blanched. ?rain and dry. %ree"e

either by packing in a free"er bag ith as much air as possible remoed! or by

alloing to free"e on a tray! then putting in a bag or other container.

6eneral guideline is &=1+ months for best quality.

The aboe is a ery quick summary of Ioa 3tate @niersity2s Aresere the Taste

of 3ummer< %ree"ing< %ruits and Begetables. The fie-page document includes full

details on oer forty fruits and egetables. %eel free to ask here on 3easoned
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1045.pdfhttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1045.pdfhttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1045.pdfhttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1045.pdf


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dice if that guide doesn2t anser your question.

5hat a&out mold4

3ome foods are e0pected to hae mold in them (e.g.! P. roquefortiin /oquefort

cheese). @ne0pected mold! hoeer! is something to be concerned about. 4old can

gro een on refrigerated foods! and een those high enough in salt or sugar to

deter bacteria. 3ome molds produce mycoto0ins. 4old groth can be minimi"ed

by cleaning the refrigerator eery fe months (use a mi0ture of 1 tablespoon of

baking soda per quart of ater! then rinse ith plain ater! then dry)! by keeping

dishcloths! sponges! mops! etc. clean and fresh-smelling* and keeping indoor

humidity leels under ,#C.

In general! the isible surface mold on a food is only a small part of the actual

mold groth. %or most foods! any isible une0pected mold groth means you

should discard the entire item. There are seeral e0ceptions

Shelf-, Fridge-, And Freezer-life of Foods

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