Family and Consumer Sciences

HYG-5403-94-R10

Refrigerator Storage
Lesley Fisher, Student Research Assistant, Department of Human Nutrition Lydia Medeiros, Extension Specialist and Professor, Department of Human Nutrition

toring certain foods in the refrigerator is a sensible way to extend the quality, safety, and nutritional value of your groceries. Remember safety first with refrigerator storage. Microorganisms cause over 76 million cases of foodborne illness each year in the United States. The three microorganisms responsible for most cases are Norovirus, Campylobacter, and Salmonella. Improper food storage can cause these normally minor bacteria to multiply and cause foodborne illness. Most bacterial growth will happen when food is kept in the Danger Zone. The Danger Zone refers to food at a temperature between 41 degrees Fahrenheit and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Perishable food kept at these temperatures for 2 or more hours has a higher chance for microorganism to multiply to a level that can cause foodborne illness. To keep food safe, be sure to keep your refrigerator below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not over-pack your refrigerator or air will not be able to circulate properly, making it difficult to cool down the food. The warmest area of your refrigerator is the shelf space in the door and the coldest area is in the back. How long should you keep food in the refrigerator? The length of time you can safely store food in the refrigerator depends on whether or not the food is fresh, unpackaged food, or packaged food. It also matters if the package has been opened, or if the food has been cooked. The chart in this fact sheet provides information to help you decide how long to keep foods, whether fresh, cooked, packaged, or if the package has been opened. With some exceptions,

fresh foods, opened foods, and cooked foods should not be kept in the refrigerator longer than 4 to 7 days. If you think you will keep these foods longer, the recommendation is to freeze the food for later use. Refer to the Ohio State University Extension fact sheet, Freezer Storage (HYG-5402-94-R10) for information on how to freeze food. A common question when it comes to refrigerator storage is what does the date mean? The date does not refer to the safety of the food. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) there are four types of dates that will appear on refrigerated foods: Sell-By, Best-if-Used-By (or Before), Use-By, and closed or coded dates. A Sell-By date tells the store how long the product should be on display. Be sure to buy a product before this date. A Best-if-Used-By (or, Before) date is recommended for the best quality of the food. That means that the flavor, color, or texture of the food may have some deterioration after that date. A Use-By date is the last date that the manufacturer recommends that the product is at its peak quality. A closed or coded date includes packing numbers, not a calendar date, for use by manufacturers. The only perishable foods that by federal law require a date are baby formula and some baby foods. State regulations, however, may require dates on certain foods such as eggs. Packages of eggs that have the USDA grade shield on them means that they must have the stamped pack date. This is a three-digit code that correlates to the Julian Date, or consecutive day of the year (for example, January 1 is 001).

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When choosing foods, purchase items before the Sell-By date has passed and select packages with the longest time until the Best-if-Used-By date has passed. At home, store food below 41 degrees Fahrenheit, or freeze. Once properly stored, refer to the storage chart to determine how long food can be stored for safety, regardless of the date on the package.

Tips for Storing Food in the Refrigerator

While there are many products that claim to extend the life of vegetables and greens in the refrigerator, few are actually able to stop the decay caused by the natural release of gasses from the vegetables. The original bags that spinach and produce come in from the grocery are specially designed to release the gasses. It is therefore better to store leftovers in the original packaging and tape the bag shut to ensure freshness. Dont cut fruit or vegetables until you are ready to prepare for a meal. Just before preparation, thoroughly rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under cool running water before eating. Do not use soap, dish detergent, bleach, or commercial vegetable and fruit washes. Prepare only the amount of produce you can eat in one meal. Dont store wet fruit and vegetableswash just before preparation or dry thoroughly before placing in the refrigerator. If you have too much to eat in one meal, store the vegetable or fruit that you dont prepare in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat this food,

make a fresh cut where the vegetable or fruit is bruised, cut, or damaged and throw that part away. Avoid eating raw sprouts. Dont wrap mushrooms in a paper bag because they will turn spongy and wrinkly. Dont cover them with a wet paper towel as this will only speed up the decaying process. Do store loose mushrooms in a zipper-lock bag partially opened to allow for proper air circulation. Whenever possible, store mushrooms in their original container. Even after opening the package and using some, store the reminder back in the container covering with plastic wrap. Fish stored at 32 degrees Fahrenheit will keep twice as long as fish stored at 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to achieve this desired atmosphere, place fish in a zipper-lock bag on ice and store at the back of the refrigerator (the coldest part). Remember, chill fish immediately upon returning home. Keep eggs in their original container and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not the door. Since eggs can be sold up to 2 months after packaging, store in the refrigerator for only 3 to 5 weeks, depending on when you purchased them. Butter can pick up odors in the refrigerator and become rancid after only a month. If you do not use butter often, store it in a zipper-lock bag in the freezer and thaw as needed. Butter will stay safe in the freezer for up to 4 months. Once maple syrup is opened, store in the refrigerator for 6 months to a year to reduce the chance of yeast, bacteria, and mold growth.

Refrigerator Storage Chart

Here is a chart with information on the appropriate length of storage in the refrigerator for various foods.
Food
Dairy Products Butter Margarine Buttermilk 1 to 2 weeks 4 to 5 months 3 to 5 days Wrap or cover tightly. Hold only two-day butter supply or two-week margarine supply in butter keeper. Cover tightly. Flavor not affected if buttermilk separates; remix before serving.

Recommended Storage Time for Safety at 3341F

Handling Hints

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Food
Cottage or ricotta cheese Neufchatel, cream cheese Unopened packages of hard or wax coated (such as Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Swiss, brick) cheese Opened packages of hard and wax coated (such as Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Swiss, brick) cheese Sliced or grated hard cheese Soft cream cheese Parmesan, Romanograted (opened) Processed cheese, food products (loaf, slices) Commercial dips, such as sour cream Homemade dips Creamlight, heavy, half and half Coffee lightener (liquid) Creamwhipped, ultra pasteurized (unopened) Creamwhipped, sweetened Whipped cream in aerosol can Whipped topping prepared from mix Whipped topping bought frozen (once thawed) Milk evaporated (opened) Milk Milk sweetened, condensed (opened) Mayonnaise Pudding Yogurt Eggs Eggs in-shell Egg whites Egg yolks Hard cooked eggs Egg-containing products: custards, custardfilled pastries, cream pies

Recommended Storage Time for Safety at 3341F

5 days 1 to 2 weeks 4 to 6 months

Handling Hints
Keep all cheese tightly packaged in moistureresistant wrap. If outside of hard cheese gets moldy, remove 1 inch of cheese under and around the mold before eating.

3 to 4 weeks 2 weeks 5 to 6 days after opening 2 months 3 to 4 weeks 2 weeks 2 days 3 days 3 weeks 1 month 1 day 3 months 3 days 2 weeks 4 to 5 days 5 days 4 to 5 days 2 months 2 days after opening 7 to 10 days

Hard cheese may be frozen for longer storage.

Refrigerate after opening. Refrigerate slices of process cheese and cheese food. Refrigerate loaves and jars after opened. Most squeeze packages and aerosol cans dont need refrigeration (check label). Keep tightly covered. Keep tightly covered. Cover tightly. To prevent bacteria spreading into leftover cream, do not return unused cream to original container. Do not return unused portion to original container.

Keep covered. Keep covered. Keep covered. Keep container tightly closed. Dont return unused milk to original container. Transfer to non-metal container. Keep covered. Refrigerate after opening. Keep covered. Keep covered. Store covered. Keep small end down to center yolks. Store in covered container. Cover yolks with water; store in covered container.

3 to 4 weeks 3 days 3 days 1 week 1 to 2 days

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Food
Liquid or pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes opened Liquid or pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes unopened Fruits and Vegetables Bananas Apples Berries, cherries, peaches, pears, pineapple, etc. Citrus fruit Juicescanned, bottled or reconstituted Juices in cartons, fruit drinks, punch opened Juices in cartons, fruit drinks, punch unopened Pre-mixed, full strength fruit juice Bottled lemon or lime juice Cranberry juice cocktail Melons

Recommended Storage Time for Safety at 3341F

3 days 10 days

Handling Hints

See handling hints to the right. 1 to 3 weeks 1 to 2 days

Refrigerate only when fully ripe.

Discard bruised or decayed fruit. Do not wash before storingmoisture encourages spoilage. Store in crisper or moisture-resistant bag or wrap. Wrap cut surfaces of citrus fruit to prevent Vitamin C loss. Keep fruit juice tightly covered. Transfer canned juice to glass or plastic container if not used up in one day. Thaw frozen juice in the refrigerator. Keep refrigerated. Do not use after the use by date on the carton.

3 weeks 6 days 7 to 19 days 3 weeks See handling hints to the right. 12 months 5 to 6 days 1 week

Wrap uncut cantaloupe and honeydew to prevent odor spreading to other foods. Wrap cut surfaces melon to prevent Vitamin C loss. Before serving leftovers, slice off inch of the surface and discard. Bacteria accumulate in the cut surface.

Other fruit Asparagus Corn in husks Beans, green or wax Beets, carrots, radishes Cabbage, celery Lettuce head Mushrooms Shredded cabbage, leaf and bibb lettuce, salad greens Tomatoes, ripe Unshelled peas, limas, spinach

3 to 5 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 weeks 1 to 2 weeks 5 to 7 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 3 to 5 days

Keep in crisper or moisture-resistant wrap or bag. Remove leafy tops; keep in crisper. Keep in crisper or moisture-resistant wrap or bag. Store away from other vegetables and fruits to prevent russet spotting. Do not wash before storing. Keep in moisture-resistant wrap or bag. Ripen tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight; then refrigerate. Refrigerate all cut tomatoes. Keep in crisper or moisture-resistant wrap or bag.

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Food
Meat, Fish, and Poultry Ground beef, lamb Ground veal Beef, lamb, veal, and pork roasts Beef, lamb, veal, and pork steaks Beef, lamb, veal, and pork chops Variety meats Pre-stuffed, uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or chicken breast stuffed with dressing Poultry, including chicken, duck, or turkey Chicken livers Fish and shellfish, fresh cleaned fish, including steaks and fillets Seafood including shucked clams, oysters, scallops, shrimp Clams, crab, lobster in shell Cured or Smoked Meats Bacon Bologna loaves, liverwurst Corned beef Dried beef Dry and semi-dry sausages Frankfurters opened Frankfurters unopened Ground pork, ham, and picnic cured Canned ham opened Canned ham unopened Liver sausage Fully cooked, vacuum sealed ham Fully cooked, whole ham Fully cooked, half ham Sliced fully cooked ham Luncheon meat opened Luncheon meat unopened Sausage, fresh or smoked Sausage, dry and semi-dry Smoked breakfast links, patties Summer sausagelabeled Keep refrigerated, opened Summer sausagelabeled Keep refrigerated, unopened

Recommended Storage Time for Safety at 3341F

1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 2 to 4 days 2 to 3 days 2 to 3 days 1 day 1 day 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 1 day 1 day 2 days 7 days 4 to 6 days 5 to 7 days 10 to 12 days 4 to 5 days 4 to 5 days 2 weeks 1 to 2 days 3 to 5 days 6 months 4 to 5 days 2 weeks 1 week 3 to 5 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 5 days 2 weeks 2 to 3 days 4 to 5 days 7 days 3 weeks 3 months

Handling Hints

Store in coldest part of refrigerator. Cook only live shellfish.

Keep wrapped. Store in coldest part of the refrigerator. Times are for opened packages.

Store in refrigerator unless label indicates refrigeration is not needed.

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Food
Other Foods Canned fruits, opened Canned vegetables, opened Unbaked rolls and bread Fruit pie, unbaked Baked fruit pies Pumpkin or chiffon pies Refrigerated biscuits, rolls, pastries, cookie dough Meat, fish, poultry pies and casseroles Gravy and meat broth leftovers Cooked poultry with broth, gravy or nuggets/ patties Pizza Cooked stuffing Soups or stews

Recommended Storage Time for Safety at 3341F

1 week 2 to 3 days 2 to 3 weeks 1 to 2 days 2 to 3 days 2 to 3 days Use by date on label 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days Keep covered.

Handling Hints

Transfer to glass or plastic container to avoid metallic taste. Cover and refrigerate.

References
FDA/CFSAN. Food safety A to Z referencerefrigerator and freezer storage chart. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http:// vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fttstore.html Food safety education: Chill. Cold storage chart. (2004). Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/ f01chart.html FSIS, USDA. Food product dating. (2007). Retrieved May 28, 2010, from http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/food_ product_dating/index.asp Garden-Robinson, J. (2007). Food storage guide: Answers the question. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.ag.ndsu. edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn579-1.htm Kimball, C. (20042010). Cooks Illustrated, volumes 66103. K-State Research and Extension. Cupboard storage chart. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ dp_fnut/hrap/storage/cupstor.htm K-State Research and Extension. Freezer storage chart. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_fnut/ storage/freezsto.htm K-State Research and Extension. Refrigerator storage chart. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ dp_fnut/hrap/storage/frigstor.htm National Restaurant Association. (2001). Cold storage chart. Educational Foundations International Food Safety Council. Mead, P. S., L. Slutsker, V. Dietz, L. F. McCaig, J. S. Bresee, C. Shapiro, P. M. Griffin, and R. V. Tauxe. (1999). Food-related illness and death in the United States. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 5:607625.

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