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Storage of Meats Poultry and Seafood
Questions about food storage, specifically proteins such as meats, poultry, and seafood.
2,359 Questions
How can you tell if your fish has been frozen?
If you press your finger on the flesh and water pools in the indentation, it was frozen.
Can you eat boiled lentils if they are left out overnight?
They may be unsafe to eat if left out overnight and should be thrown out.
Refrigerate chicken right after cooking before it cools?
Yes, you can refrigerate hot chicken right after cooking. Just make sure it is divided into smaller portions to facilitate cooling. See Related Links.
Yes, but let it cool as long as possible, because it will raise the temp in your fridge and use up more energy...
Can fully cooked breakfast sausage be stored in the refrigerator after being purchased frozen?
Yes, for just a couple of days. Use it up before then.
What caused internal pressure in the can to develop during heat processing?
When a closed container is heated, internal pressure is generated due to the expansion of food contents. Not only that, the air/gas in the headspace is expanding too.
What is shelf life a fresh egg white?
Properly stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, it might last up to a week. Use your sense of smell to determine that it is still good. Egg whites can be frozen.
You can freeze ham salad but the quality will suffer. The mayo will separate and you'll lose a fair amount of water from the ham and whatever veggies you put into the salad. What you can do is make the ham salad into ham croquettes which will freeze nicely. To a pound of ham salad add 1 egg and enough bread crumbs to tighten it up so you can form patties. Form into patties, dredge in flour and pan fry over medium heat until nicely browned on both sides. These you can freeze and defrost.
Is grilled chicken still good after sitting out at a picnic?
That depends how long the chicken was sitting out and what the temperature was during that time.
The food should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or no more than 1 hours if the temperature is above 90°F. If the food exceeds those parameters, the recommendation is to discard it.
Can deli meat that has sat out at room temperature for 2-3 hours be reserved?
You are pushing the envelope with 3 hours. Potentially hazardous food should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. If it is very warm - as at a summer picnic - then 1 hour is the maximum. At that point, it should be refrigerated or re-heated.
How long will a fresh non frozen turkey last before cooking if only refridgerated before cooking?
Just like any fresh poultry, it should be cooked within a couple days. Or go by the recommendations on the package.
If your meat is in the fridge for 2 days is it spolied?
Several factors can affect spoilage, but meat should not be spoiled after 2 days in the refrigerator if
# the meat was handled properly prior to sale # the meat was fresh and kept cold before placing in the refrigerator # the refrigerator maintains good temperatures below 40°F
You left a spiral sliced ham out all night is it still good?
No. It is not safe to eat meat that was left out all night. Unless it was 40°F where the meat was left.
Potentially hazardous food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Less time is better.
People constantly ask for some type of verification that the food they eat will not make them ill. That is nearly impossible to do without bacteriological and chemical tests, so all we can do is provide guidelines, like:
- Handle food in a sanitary manner (wash hands, clean & sanitize food-contact surfaces, protect from cross-contamination, package & store properly)
- Keep potentially hazardous food either hot or cold and cook and reheat thoroughly, and
- Use it within a reasonable time.
In the end, you are responsible for what you feed yourself and your family. This adage has truth to it: When in doubt, throw it out.
How long will sausage and chicken liver loaf safely last in the freezer?
about 3 or 2 months and it will rotten to were you'll need to throw it away.
Can you refreeze a defrosted uncooked turkey breast?
You cannot refreeze an uncooked turkey breast once it is defrosted. You can freeze the turkey once it is cooked for 2-6 months.
How long can lamb be kept at room temperature before going bad?
Bacteria can form on food left out of the refrigerator after an hour.
