Admit it- sometimes, when you're hungry, in a rush, or just not paying attention, you'll grab that unopened yogurt in the back of the fridge and eat it, past its expiration date. Most of us will do the "sniff test" before discarding those restaurant leftovers that look so appetizing. If it doesn't smell bad, it can't be spoiled, right?
Well, maybe. Sometimes it is obvious that some of the food we find in our refrigerator is suitable only for composting. Smells bad, has mold growing on it, or has changed color. Other times, it might look fine, but could be harboring bacteria ready to cause food poisoning. And then there is that expiration date--just how accurate is that?
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have a ton of information on this topic, beyond those recalls for E. coli and Salmonella contamination that are truly scary.
Let's talk about expiration dates first. Dating is not required by federal law except for infant formula and some baby food.
- Open dating, often marked as "sell-by," is the date stamped on a product's packaging to guide a store into knowing how long to display a product for sale, and is not a safety date. It is the date by which to purchase a product at its best quality. After this date passes, this should still be safe to eat as long it has been stored properly (see below).
- "Best if Used By (or Before)" date- for best taste or quality, but also does not comment on safety. Follow the storage guidelines below.
- Use-by dating is exactly that. The manufacturer of the product determines this date and this is the one date you should follow strictly.
- Closed or coded dates are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.
If there is no date, or no use-by date, follow these general storage guidelines:
Sorting out the good from the bad in your refrigerator.
Fresh/uncooked foods
- Eggs- should be used within 3-5 weeks after purchase, regardless of "sell-by date." They should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door. Hardboiled eggs can be left for one week.
- Poultry- 1-2 days
- Beef, veal, pork and lamb- 3 to 5 days
- Ground meat and poultry- 1-2 days
- Cured ham- 5 to 7 days
- Uncooked sausage 1-2 days
- Yogurt- 1-2 weeks
- Soft cheeses- 1 week
Processed (packaged and sealed) foods
- Cooked poultry- 3-4 days unopened, 3 to 4 days after opening
- Cooked sausage- 3-4 days unopened, 3-4 days after opening
- Uncooked corned beef- 5-7 days unopened, 3-4 days after opening
- Bacon- 2 weeks unopened, 7 days after opening
- Hot dogs- 2 weeks after opening, 1 week after opening
- Luncheon meat- 2 weeks unopened, 3 to 5 days after opening
- Hard cheeses- 6 months unopened, 3-4 weeks after opening
- Milk- 7 days
- Buttermilk- 2 weeks
Leftovers and home cooked foods- refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour in temperatures above 90 F), then use within 3-4 days
Fun fact! Food frozen constantly at 0 degrees will always be safe, though not necessarily tasty, expiration date. Once thawed, frozen foods should be treated like any perishable food.
Don't just look at the expiration date, look for spoilage- if it smells funny or has something growing on it, toss it (and compost if possible)! Proper storage is necessary to prevent growth of foodborne bacteria, regardless of the date stamped on it. This means refrigerating perishables ASAP after purchase. You should keep your refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees F or below and your freezer at 0 degrees F or below.
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Kim Gamble
kmbearden
Spectrum Voice
Susie Lindau
Lauren B. Davis
racheld
Salon.com
Comments
I always freeze meats when I bring them home from the store, and then thaw and use them, but maybe I will leave some in the fridge instead, since I usually cook them within the week. Like bacon, I always freeze it until I use it, but then when I am in the mood to cook it I have to thaw it out and it's a pain. If I just leave it in the fridge and use it within 2 weeks it should be fine, right?