mikeh40+
03-09-2009, 08:58 AM
FDA/CFSAN - Food Safety A to Z Reference - Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
Food Safety For YOU!
2007 Edition
Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart
Since product dates aren’t a guide for safe use of a product, consult this chart
and follow these tips. These short but safe time limits will help keep
refrigerated food 40° F (4° C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.
Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
Follow handling recommendations on product.
Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months,
overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or
freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag.
Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following
recommended storage times are for quality only.
Product Refrigerator/Freezer
Eggs
Fresh, in shell4 to 5 weeks Don't freeze
Raw yolks, whites 2 to 4 days to 1 year frozen
Hardcooked1 week Doesn't freeze well
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened 3 days Don't
freeze
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, unopened 10 days
1 year frozen
Mayonnaise, commercial
Refrigerate after opening 2 months Don’t freeze
Product Refrigerator/Freezer
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles
Keep frozen until ready to heat 3 to 4 months
Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products Refrigerator/Freezer
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni
salads3 to 5 days Don’t freeze well
Pre-stuffed pork & lamb chops, chicken breasts stuffed w/dressing 1
day Don’t freeze well
Store-cooked convenience meals 3 to 4 days Don’t freeze well
Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners with USDA seal, unopened
2 weeks Don’t freeze well
Raw Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat Refrigerator/Freezer
Hamburger & stew meats 1 to 2 days or 3 to 4 months frozen
Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb 1 to 2 days or 3 to 4 months frozen
Ham, Corned Beef Refrigerator or Freezer
Corned beef in pouch with pickling juices 5 to 7 days Drained, 1
month frozen
Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” unopened 6 to 9 months
Don’t freeze
Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened 3 to 5 days
1 to 2 frozen
months
Ham, fully cooked, whole 7 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Ham, fully cooked, half 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Ham, fully cooked, slices 3 to 4 days1 to 2 months frozen
Hot Dogs & Lunch Meats Refrigerator/Freezer
(in freezer wrap)
Hot dogs, opened package 1 week 1 to 2 months frozen
Hot dogs, unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months frozen
Lunch meats, opened package 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Lunch meats, unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months frozen
Soups & Stews Refrigerator/Freezer
Vegetable or meat-added & mixtures of them 3 to 4 days2
to 3 months frozen
Bacon & Sausage Refrigerator/Freezer
Bacon 7 days 1 month frozen
Sausage, raw from pork, beef, chicken or turkey 1 to 2 days
months frozen
Smoked breakfast links, patties 7 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Summer sausage labeled Refrigerated,” unopened 3 months
1 to 2 months frozen
Summer sausage labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened 3 weeks
1 to 2 months frozen
Fresh Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb, & Pork) Refrigerator/Freezer
Steaks3 to 5 days or 6 to 12 months frozen
Chops 3 to 5 days to 4 to 6 months frozen
Roasts 3 to 5 days to 4 to 12 months frozen
Variety meats (tongue, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings)1 to 2
days to 3 to 4 months frozen
Meat Leftovers Refrigerator/Freezer
Cooked meat & meat dishes 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months frozen
Gravy & meat broth 1 to 2 days to 2 to 3 months frozen
Fresh Poultry Refrigerator/Freezer
Chicken or turkey, whole 1 to 2 days or 1 year frozen
Chicken or turkey, parts 1 to 2 days or 9 months frozen
Giblets 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months frozen
Cooked Poultry, Leftover Refrigerator/Freezer
Fried chicken 3 to 4 days or 4 months frozen
Cooked poultry dishes 3 to 4 days or 4 to 6 months frozen
Pieces, plain 3 to 4 days or 4 months frozen
Pieces covered with broth, gravy 1 to 2 days or 6 months frozen
Chicken nuggets, patties 1 to 2 days or 1 to 3 months frozen
Fish & Shellfish Refrigerator/Freezer
Lean fish1 to 2 days or 6 months frozen
Fatty fish 1 to 2 days2 to 3 months frozen
Cooked fish 3 to 4 days or 4 to 6 months frozen
Smoked fish 14 days or 2 months frozen
Fresh shrimp, scallops, crawfish, squid 1 to 2 days or 3 to 6 months
frozen
Canned seafood
Pantry, 5 years after opening
3 to 4 days out of can
2 months
ok guys and gals, hope this helps out on some one wondering just how long you can keep your foods after cooking and leaving in the refrigerator or just storing in the freezer
Food Safety For YOU!
2007 Edition
Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart
Since product dates aren’t a guide for safe use of a product, consult this chart
and follow these tips. These short but safe time limits will help keep
refrigerated food 40° F (4° C) from spoiling or becoming dangerous.
Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.
Follow handling recommendations on product.
Keep meat and poultry in its package until just before using.
If freezing meat and poultry in its original package longer than 2 months,
overwrap these packages with airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap, or
freezer paper, or place the package inside a plastic bag.
Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following
recommended storage times are for quality only.
Product Refrigerator/Freezer
Eggs
Fresh, in shell4 to 5 weeks Don't freeze
Raw yolks, whites 2 to 4 days to 1 year frozen
Hardcooked1 week Doesn't freeze well
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, opened 3 days Don't
freeze
Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes, unopened 10 days
1 year frozen
Mayonnaise, commercial
Refrigerate after opening 2 months Don’t freeze
Product Refrigerator/Freezer
TV Dinners, Frozen Casseroles
Keep frozen until ready to heat 3 to 4 months
Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products Refrigerator/Freezer
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni
salads3 to 5 days Don’t freeze well
Pre-stuffed pork & lamb chops, chicken breasts stuffed w/dressing 1
day Don’t freeze well
Store-cooked convenience meals 3 to 4 days Don’t freeze well
Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners with USDA seal, unopened
2 weeks Don’t freeze well
Raw Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat Refrigerator/Freezer
Hamburger & stew meats 1 to 2 days or 3 to 4 months frozen
Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb 1 to 2 days or 3 to 4 months frozen
Ham, Corned Beef Refrigerator or Freezer
Corned beef in pouch with pickling juices 5 to 7 days Drained, 1
month frozen
Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” unopened 6 to 9 months
Don’t freeze
Ham, canned, labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened 3 to 5 days
1 to 2 frozen
months
Ham, fully cooked, whole 7 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Ham, fully cooked, half 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Ham, fully cooked, slices 3 to 4 days1 to 2 months frozen
Hot Dogs & Lunch Meats Refrigerator/Freezer
(in freezer wrap)
Hot dogs, opened package 1 week 1 to 2 months frozen
Hot dogs, unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months frozen
Lunch meats, opened package 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Lunch meats, unopened package 2 weeks 1 to 2 months frozen
Soups & Stews Refrigerator/Freezer
Vegetable or meat-added & mixtures of them 3 to 4 days2
to 3 months frozen
Bacon & Sausage Refrigerator/Freezer
Bacon 7 days 1 month frozen
Sausage, raw from pork, beef, chicken or turkey 1 to 2 days
months frozen
Smoked breakfast links, patties 7 days 1 to 2 months frozen
Summer sausage labeled Refrigerated,” unopened 3 months
1 to 2 months frozen
Summer sausage labeled “Keep Refrigerated,” opened 3 weeks
1 to 2 months frozen
Fresh Meat (Beef, Veal, Lamb, & Pork) Refrigerator/Freezer
Steaks3 to 5 days or 6 to 12 months frozen
Chops 3 to 5 days to 4 to 6 months frozen
Roasts 3 to 5 days to 4 to 12 months frozen
Variety meats (tongue, kidneys, liver, heart, chitterlings)1 to 2
days to 3 to 4 months frozen
Meat Leftovers Refrigerator/Freezer
Cooked meat & meat dishes 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months frozen
Gravy & meat broth 1 to 2 days to 2 to 3 months frozen
Fresh Poultry Refrigerator/Freezer
Chicken or turkey, whole 1 to 2 days or 1 year frozen
Chicken or turkey, parts 1 to 2 days or 9 months frozen
Giblets 1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months frozen
Cooked Poultry, Leftover Refrigerator/Freezer
Fried chicken 3 to 4 days or 4 months frozen
Cooked poultry dishes 3 to 4 days or 4 to 6 months frozen
Pieces, plain 3 to 4 days or 4 months frozen
Pieces covered with broth, gravy 1 to 2 days or 6 months frozen
Chicken nuggets, patties 1 to 2 days or 1 to 3 months frozen
Fish & Shellfish Refrigerator/Freezer
Lean fish1 to 2 days or 6 months frozen
Fatty fish 1 to 2 days2 to 3 months frozen
Cooked fish 3 to 4 days or 4 to 6 months frozen
Smoked fish 14 days or 2 months frozen
Fresh shrimp, scallops, crawfish, squid 1 to 2 days or 3 to 6 months
frozen
Canned seafood
Pantry, 5 years after opening
3 to 4 days out of can
2 months
ok guys and gals, hope this helps out on some one wondering just how long you can keep your foods after cooking and leaving in the refrigerator or just storing in the freezer