How Long Foods Stay Fresh In Fridge
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ShopSmart Magazine's Lisa Lee Freeman Gives Fridge Shelf-Lives Of
Many Common Items
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NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2007. (CBS) It's easy to put something in the
refrigerator and forget about it.
But foods don't stay fresh in the fridge forever, and the day
will come when you take something out and wonder if it's still
good to eat or has gone bad.
On The Early Show Monday, ShopSmart magazine Editor in Chief Lisa
Lee Freeman had the lowdown on how long foods last in the fridge.
ShopSmart consulted a panel of experts to determine which foods
could be spoiling by just sitting in the fridge.
Freeman says it's not always the best idea to rely on labels.
Some foods don't have them, and the ones on others can be confusing.
Also, most people don't realize that once they open certain
popular items found in containers or cans, a new freshness clock
starts ticking.
So, it's important to know which foods have a shorter lifespan
once placed in the fridge.
If items that have been sitting in the fridge too long are eaten,
they can lead to food poisoning and, in some cases, serious
health problems.
BABY FOOD: LASTS 1 - 3 DAYS IN FRIDGE ONCE OPENED
An open jar of strained fruits and veggies lasts two-to-three
days in the fridge. Opened cooked meat and vegetable combos need
to go after a day or two. Meat and veggie combos should go after
two days, tops. The bottom line: Don't leave open jars of baby
food in the fridge longer than three days. A hidden danger with
baby food is that parents may feed babies right out of the jar,
so saliva transferred to the jar can promote bacterial growth
when placed back in the fridge. If you're using a jar more than
once, make sure you portion out what you're going to use, so the
dirty spoon doesn't go back into the jar.
PASTA SAUCE: LASTS 5 DAYS ONCE OPENED
Once opened, tomato-based sauces are only good for five days to a
week. Don't wait for the mold to form. In many cases, you won't
see the mold in the sauce after five days, but it actually could
be there. Some mold produce toxins that can be harmful, so why
take the risk? Mold grows in very wet environments. What promotes
the mold is the high moisture content. No amount of cooking will
kill the toxins. So, to be safe, you need to throw it away.
MAYONAISE: LASTS 2 MONTHS ONCE OPENED
Mayo has a high fat content, which means it's not as susceptible
to mold and bacteria growth. But the oils in mayo break down over
time, so its flavor changes, and it will no longer taste good.
There may be a subtle "off" smell, but you may or may not be able
to smell it, so be on the safe side and dispose of it after two
months, no matter what type of container it comes in. For other
condiments, such as ketchup, oil, and salad dressing, refer to
the expiration dates, which are normally accurate for these products.
Because it's not always easy to keep track of how long your food
has been living in the fridge, Freeman suggests taking tape and a
marker and writing down the date you open any glass jars or metal
cans. Use the dates as your reference point. Once you've gone
past the date, it is time to trash it!
CHEESE: LASTS 1 - 4 WEEKS
Softer cheeses generally have a shorter shelf-life than hard
chesses. Hard cheeses ( e.g. cheddar or Swiss) last three to four
weeks in the fridge after they're opened; soft cheeses (e.g.
Brie) last one week. With cheeses, you can follow the "use/sell
by" dates as your guide, but it's best to examine the cheese:
Look for mold and smell the cheese to see if it has an odor of
ammonia.
It's possible to prolong cheese's shelf life before you store it
in the fridge: Remove the plastic that firm cheeses often come
in, and wrap the cheese in wax paper. Finish it off with a light
layer of plastic wrap.
It's also still possible to eat cheese that has mold on it, but
you must be careful: Cut off an inch beyond the mold on all
sides, keeping the knife clean between cuts, so you won't spread
it. Re-cover it with some fresh wrap.
EGGS: LASTS 3 - 5 WEEKS
Eggs should last three to five weeks after you put them in the
fridge. Keep in mind that it's very important that you don't put
eggs in the front of the fridge — even if there are compartments
for them there. They'll spoil earlier if they're in the front.
Stick eggs along with milk, and raw food (fish, meat, and
poultry) in the back of the fridge, because it's cooler there.
Bacteria grow at a slower rate in colder temperatures. The back
of the fridge is typically the coldest part of your fridge, so
store items there that need to be kept freshest. Butter is good
to keep in the front of the fridge, to keep it warmer so it's
easy to cut. Butter, bottled water, and other unopened drinks are
items that are less susceptible to temperature problems.
LEFTOVERS: LAST 3 - 4 DAYS
Kung Pao chicken, pepperoni pizza, or tuna salad must go in the
fridge within two hours of serving to reduce your risk of
food-borne illnesses, because bacteria grow more quickly at room
temperature. Don't leave leftovers hanging out in the kitchen.
Put them in the fridge as soon as you're done with them. Cold
temperatures slow the rate of bacteria growth. For larger items,
such as macaroni salad or large quantities of Chinese food,
refrigerate in several shallow containers rather than large
clumps. That way, the food will cool evenly and more quickly. You
don't want a big clump: That risks the chance of something
growing in the center because it didn't cool properly.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/06/earlyshow/health/main3136152.shtml
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