Food Storage for Safety and Quality

Agriculture at Colorado State University Cooperative Extensioin

no. 9.310

Food Storage for Safety and Quality

by P. Kendall and N. Dimond ¹

Quick Facts...

Foods vary in the temperature and moisture they need to retain quality in storage.
Stock only the kind and amount of food you can store properly to retain high quality and nutritive value.
Use a thermometer to check that the refrigerator is at 35 to 40 degrees F and the freezer at 0 degrees or below.

Use fresh, perishable foods soon after harvest or purchase. If they are stored, maintain the proper temperature and humidity. Even under proper storage conditions, foods lose freshness and nutritive value if they are stored too long.

Signs of spoilage that make food unpalatable but not a bacterial hazard are the rancid odor and flavor of fats caused by oxidation, slime on the surface of meat, and the fermentation of fruit juices due to yeast growth. Off-odors in foods and a sour taste in bland foods can indicate dangerous bacterial spoilage. However, food can be high in bacteria count even without such signals.

Food Selection

Buy food from reputable dealers, with a known record for safe handling. Select dated products only if the "sell by" or "use by" date has not expired. While these dates are helpful, they are reliable only if the food has been kept at the proper temperature during storage and handling. Although many products bear "sell by" or "use by" dates, product dating is not a federal requirement.

Select products labeled "keep refrigerated" only if they are stored in a refrigerated case and are cold to the touch. Frozen products should be solidly frozen. Packages of precooked foods should not be torn or damaged.

Avoid cross-contamination when purchasing foods. Place raw meat and poultry in individual plastic bags to prevent meat from contaminating foods that will be eaten without further cooking. Put packages of raw meat and poultry in your shopping cart where juices cannot drip on other foods.

Shop for perishables last. Keep refrigerated and frozen items together so they will remain cold. Place perishables in the coolest part of your car during the trip home. If the time from store to home refrigerator is more than one hour, pack them in an insulated container with ice or an ice pack.

Food Storage

To retain quality and nutritive value, stock only the kinds and amounts of food you can store properly. Proper storage means maintaining a clean refrigerator and freezer. Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator. Arrange items so cold air can circulate freely. To reduce dehydration and quality loss, use freezer wrap, freezer-quality plastic bags, or aluminum foil over commercial wrap on meat and poultry that will be stored in the freezer for more than two months.

Table 1 gives short but safe time limits that will help keep refrigerated food from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The time limits for frozen foods are to maintain flavor and texture. It is still safe to eat frozen foods that have been stored longer. This table is adapted from Refrigerator/Freezer - Approximate Storage Times, Karen Penner, Kansas State University Extension Service, 1990, and USDA publications.

Product	Refrigerator (35-40 degrees F)	Freezer (0 degrees F)	Comments
Table 1: Safe food storage guidelines.
BREADS, PASTRIES AND CAKES
Breads, baked (no preservatives)	2-3 weeks	2-3 months	Store in refrigerator to inhibit mold growth.
Baked muffins	*	2-3 months
Baked quick breads	*	2-3 months
Partially baked cinnamon rolls	1-2 weeks	2-3 months
Unbaked rolls and bread	3-4 days	1 month	Longer storage inactivates yeast, weakens gluten.
Cakes: frosted baked unfrosted baked	* *	2-4 months 2-4 months
Cookies, baked dough	2-3 weeks 3-4 days	6-12 months 3 months
Flour, white or whole wheat	6-8 months	12 months	Keep in airtight container.
Pies: fruit, baked fruit, unbaked pumpkin or chiffon	2-3 days 1-2 days 2-3 days	2-4 months 2-4 months 1-2 months
Waffles	1-2 days	1 month
*Not necessary to refrigerate unless product cannot be used within 4-5 days or time recommended on package.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Butter	2-3 months	12 months	Freeze in original carton, overwrap in plastic freezer bag.
Buttermilk	1-2 weeks	NR	Check date on carton. Will keep several days after date.
Cheese: cottage, ricotta cream cheese	5-7 days 2 weeks	1 month 1 month	Freezing changes texture of soft cheeses. Becomes crumbly when frozen; can be used in cooking when creaminess is not important.
Natural, aged cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, brick, gouda, mozzarella, etc.): large pieces, packaged or wax coated slices or opened packages Parmesan, Romano, (grated) Pasteurized process cheese	2-3 months 2-3 weeks 12 months 3-4 weeks	6-8 months 6-8 months 6-8 months	Natural and processed cheeses can be frozen. Defrost in refrigerator; cheese will be less likely to crumble. Use soon after thawing.
Coffee whitener (liquid)	3 weeks	See package
Cream, light or half and half (UHT processed-opened) (UHT processed-unopened) whipping or heavy	1 week 1 week 4 weeks 1 week	3-4 weeks NR	Whipping cream will not whip after thawing. Whipped cream may be frozen and stored for 1-2 weeks.
Dip, sour cream, commercial homemade	2 weeks 3-4 days	NR NR
Margarine	3 months	12 months	Overwrap in plastic freezer bag for frozen storage.
Milk, evaporated, opened fluid whole or low-fat reconstituted nonfat dry sweetened, condensed, opened	3-5 days 1 week 1 week 3-5 days	1-3 months 1-3 months 1-3 months 1-3 months	Freezing affects milk's flavor, appearance; use for cooking.
Sour cream	2-3 weeks	NR	Sour cream will separate if frozen.
Whipped topping: frozen carton (thawed) in aerosol can prepared from mix	2 weeks 3 weeks 3 days	NR NR NR
Yogurt	1 month	NR	Yogurt will separate if frozen.
EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS
Eggs, fresh yolks or whites	4 days	12 months	To freeze, break eggs out of shell; stir until yolk is well blended with white or other yolks. Add small amount of salt, sugar or corn syrup to improve keeping quality.
Eggs, in shell, fresh	3 weeks	NR
Eggs, in shell, hard-cooked	1 week	NR	Decorated Easter eggs: If you intend to eat them, keep refrigerated. If eggs are at room temperature for more than 2 hours, do not eat them.
Eggs, liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened	4-5 days	1 year
Egg-containing products: canned puddings, opened Custards, custard sauces, puddings, custard-filled pastries and cakes	1-2 days 1-2 days	NR NR
FRUITS
Apples	1-3 weeks	8-12 months*
Apricots, cranberries	1 week	8-12 months*
Avocados	3-5 days	4-6 months*
Bananas	1-2 days, unpeeled	4-6 months	Peel, dip in lemon juice, tray freeze; store in freezer bag.
Berries, cherries	1-2 days	8-12 months*
Grapes, peaches, pears, plums, and rhubarb	3-5 days	8-12 months*
Canned fruits, opened	3-5 days	1-2 months	Texture will be softer after freezing. Refrigerate in glass or plastic to avoid metallic taste.
Citrus fruits	3 weeks	4-6 months*	Wrap cut surfaces to prevent loss of Vitamin C.
Dried fruit, cooked uncooked	3-5 days 6 months	4-6 months 12 months
Juices: canned, bottled, frozen concentrate	1 week	12 months	Transfer canned juice to glass or plastic container after opening.
Melons	1 week	8-12 months*	Wrap cut surfaces to prevent Vitamin C loss, control odors.
Freeze all fruits in moisture- and vaporproof containers. Follow recommended procedures in fact sheet 9.331, Freezing Fruits*.
MEATS
Fresh
Bratwurst, fresh precooked	1-2 days 5-7 days	2-3 months 2-3 months	Meats may be left in the supermarket packaging for refrigerator storage or for very brief freezer storage. For frozen storage beyond two weeks, rewrap in moisture- and vaporproof wrap or freezer bags.
Chops, lamb pork, veal	2-4 days 2-4 days	6-9 months 4-6 months
Ground beef, stew meat, ground pork, turkey, veal, lamb	1-2 days	3-4 months
Roasts, beef lamb veal or pork	2-4 days 2-4 days 2-4 days	6-12 months 6-9 months 4-8 months
Sausage: pork, beef, turkey	1-2 days	1-2 months
Steaks, beef	2-4 days	6-12 months
Variety meats (tongue, liver, brains, heart, kidneys)	1-2 days	3-4 months
Cooked
Canned meat, opened	2-3 days	NR
Cooked meat and meat dishes	3-4 days	2-3 months	Quickly refrigerate all cooked meats and leftovers. Use as soon as possible. Cut large roasts into halves to cool in refrigerator. Fats tend to separate in homemade gravies, stews and sauces but usually recombine when heated.
Gravy and meat broth	1-2 days	2-3 months	Cool leftover gravy and broth quickly, in shallow containers, in the refrigerator.
Processed and Cured
Bacon	5-7 days	1 month	Keep packaged meats in original package. For best quality, use within one week of "sell by" date.
Corned beef: drained and wrapped in pouch with pickling juice	5-7 days 5-7 days	1 month NR
Frankfurters (hotdogs)	3-5 days*	1-2 months	Frozen, cured meats lose quality rapidly; use as soon as possible.
Ham, canned, unopened half whole	8-12 months 3-5 days 7 days	NR 1-2 months 1-2 months	Small pieces of canned ham (opened) may be frozen for 4-6 weeks.
Luncheon meats	3-5 days*	1-2 months
Sausage, smoked dry and semidry sausage	7 days 2-3 weeks	1-2 months 1-2 months
*Storage time after vacuum-sealed package is opened. Unopened package may be kept two weeks or according to date on package.
MISCELLANEOUS PERISHABLE ITEMS
Baby food	2-3 days	See comment	Store covered. Do not feed baby from jar. Reheat only enough for 1 feeding. Freeze homemade baby food in ice cube trays, covered. Use in 2-4 weeks.
Candies	6 months	6 months	Chocolates may discolor.
Casseroles	1-2 days	1 month
Ground spices	6 months*	6-12 months	Can be stored in cupboard.
Salads (store prepared or homemade) - egg, chicken, ham, tuna and macaroni salads	3-5	NR
Salad dressings, opened	6 months	NR
Sandwiches	2-3 days	1 month
Soups, stews	2-3 days	4-6 months
Soy milk	1 week after opening	1-3 months	Unopened, aseptically packaged soy milk can be stored at room temperature for several months.
Tofu	1 week	5 months	Change storage water every day or two after opening.
*Refrigeration is not necessary, but will help keep flavor fresher.
POULTRY
Fresh
Chicken and turkey, whole	1-2 days	12 months
Chicken, pieces	1-2 days	9 months
Duck and goose, whole	1-2 days	6 months
Giblets	1-2 days	3-4 months
Turkey, pieces	1-2 days	6 months
Cooked
Canned poultry, opened	1-2 days	NR	Quick-cool meat and broth separately in shallow containers. Add ice cubes to concentrated broth to speed cooling and to aid fat removal.
Cooked poultry dishes	3-4 days	4-6 months
Fried chicken	3-4 days	4 months
Pieces, covered with broth not in broth	1-2 days 3-4 days	6 months 1 month
VEGETABLES
Asparagus	2-3 days	8-12 months*
Beans, green or wax; celery	1 week	8-12 months*
Beets, cabbage, carrots, turnips	1-2 weeks	8-12 months*
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts	1 week	8-12 months*
Cauliflower	1 week	8-12 months*
Corn, in husks without husks	1-2 days 1-2 days	8-12 months* NR
Cucumbers	1 week
Lettuce, other salad greens	1 week	NR	Store in bag or lettuce keeper.
Mushrooms	1-2 days	8-12 months*	Do not wash before refrigerator storage.
Okra	3-5 days	8-12 months*
Onions, green mature	3-5 days 1-2 weeks	NR 3-6 months*
Peas, lima beans, unshelled	3-5 days	8-12 months*	Store unshelled in refrigerator until used.
Peppers	1 week	8-12 months*
Radishes	2 weeks	NR
Tomatoes, canned, open fresh, ripe	1-4 days 5-6 days	8-12 months*	See 9.341, Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products.
Blanch fresh vegetables and freeze in moisture- and vaporproof materials. See 9.330, Freezing Vegetables*.
WILD GAME AND SEAFOOD
Wild Game
Rabbit, squirrel	1-2 days	6-12 months
Venison	2-4 days	6-12 months
Wild duck, pheasant, goose, whole	1-2 days	6 months
Seafood
Canned fish, seafood, opened	3-4 days	NR
Clams, oysters (shucked) and scallops	1-2 days	3-4 months	Store in coldest part of refrigerator. Do not use if liquid is frothy.
Cooked fish	3-4 days	4-6 months
Crab	1-2 days	2 months
Lobster, shelled or not	1-2 days	6-12 months
Fillets, fatty: mullet, ocean perch, sea perch, sea trout, striped bass	1-2 days	2-3 months
Fillets, lean: cod, flounder, haddock	1-2 days	4-6 months
Fresh water fish, cleaned	1-2 days	6-9 months
Salmon steaks	1-2 days	2 months
Shrimp	1-2 days	6-12 months
Smoked fish	14 days or date on vacuum package	2 months in vacuum package
NR: Not recommended.

¹P. Kendall, Colorado State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor, and N. Diamond, M.S., R.D.; food science and human nutrition. 3/00. Revised 2/07.

Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Colorado counties cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.

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