Texas Storage

7/30/2019 Texas Storage

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SafeHome

FoodStorage


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Safe Home Food StoragePeggy Van Laanen

Associate Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist

The Texas A&M University System

How importa nt is proper food st orage? It ca nhelp you:x Preserve food quality, including nutrients,

f lavor a nd texture;

x Make the most of your food dollar by pre-

venting spoilage; an d

x P revent food-borne illness caused by ha rm-

ful bacteria .

To stor e food properly, you need t o know not

only how to store foods, but a lso how long t hey

w ill be safe and of high qua lity.

The qua lity of fresh meat or produce when it

is acquired great ly affects how long it can be

stored without spoilage or loss of quality. The

storage t imes in this publicat ion assume that

foods are fresh an d desirable when a cquired. Re-

member tha t st ored foods are never fresher tha n

when first put into storage.

When grocery shopping, choose perishableitems last, go stra ight home and store them prop-

erly in t he refrigera tor or freezer.

A good policy to follow is first in, first out,

meaning that you rotate items so that you use

the older items first. Also, buy foods in reas on-

able amounts so that you can use them while

they are still of good quality. Excess food may

become wa ste.

Here a re some general guidelines for proper

food st orage.

PantryP a ntr y st orage conditions should be dry, cool

an d dar k. Ideally, the tempera ture in the pan-

try should be 50 to 70 F. Higher temperatures

speed up d eteriora tion. Alwa ys s tore foods in the

coolest ca binets aw a y from the range, oven, wa -

ter hea ter, dishw a sher or any h ot pipes. For ex-

am ple, the area under the sink is not a good place

to store potatoes or onions.

Although ma ny sta ples and pa ntry items ha ve

a long shelf life a nd ma y be a dvertised at special

prices, buy only what you expect to use within

the recommended st orage times.

To prevent foods from det eriora tin g in th e

pant ry, store them in meta l, glass or pla stic con-

tainers. Keep these containers, as well as com-

mercially canned foods, clean and free of dust,w hich ca n dr op into t hem w hen opened. Treat

storage a reas for pests a nd clean t he pantry pe-

riodically to remove food particles.

RefrigeratorMa inta in the refrigera tor tempera ture at 40 F

or below. Use a n a pplian ce thermometer a t va ri-

ous points in t he refrigerat or to monitor tempera-


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tures. Alwa ys st ore the most perishable items,

including meats, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy

products, in the coldest sections of the refrig-

erator.

Do not overload the refrigerator, which can

reduce the temperat ure inside. Air must be able

to circulate freely to cool foods adequately.

Clean the refrigerator to remove spills and

spoiled foods. These provide a medium for bac-

teria to grow in a nd possibly conta minat e other

foods. Refrigerat or temperat ures only slow ba c-

terial growt h; they do not prevent it .

To maint a in the qu a lity of refrigera ted foods,

store them in airt ight w ra ps or conta iners. This

prevents foods from dry ing out, a nd odors or fla -

vors from tra nsferring fr om one food to a nother.

Avoid using plas tic bags or conta iners not ma de

for storage. Do not reuse plastic bags t ha t origi-na lly contained ra w meats, poultry or f ish.

Store raw meats, poultry a nd fish so that juices

do not drip onto and contaminate other foods.

Wrap them securely. Therefore, its also a good

idea t o set t hem on a plat e or other conta iner.

FreezerMainta in a freezer tempera ture of 0 F or be-

low. Food qua lity deteriora tes a t tempera tures

above 0 F. Monitor the temperature with an

a ppliance th ermomet er. A good rule of th umb isth a t if t he freezer can t keep ice cream brick-solid,

the t emperat ure is not cold enough.

Remember: Freezer t empera tur es stop or pre-

vent ba cteria from growing, but d o not kill them.

Thus, as foods thaw, they can become unsafe

because bacteria that cause food-borne illness

ma y be a ble to grow. Therefore, it s best to th a w

foods in the r efrigerat or.

P ackage items for the freezer in moisture- a nd

vapor-proof wraps or con t a iners . Use on ly

freezer-grade foil, plastic wrap or bags, or use

freezer pa per or freezer conta iners. If necessar y,

use freezer ta pe to ma ke sure the package is air-

tight . If t he packaging is t orn or develops holes,

freezer burn ma y result .

Label all freezer foods with the date, type of

food a nd w eight or number of servings.

P a rt ia lly thaw ed food ma y be refrozen a s long

as it still has ice crystals. Refreezing, however,

ma y lower the qu a lity. Do not refreeze combina-

tion dishes such a s stew s, soups a nd casseroles.

Food freshness check

the labelConsumers can judge the freshness of foodwhen the manufacturer uses open dat ing on

food packages. Open dat ing means that the

ma nufa cturer uses a calenda r da te (for example,

Mar 12) to help store managers determine the

length of time a food should be offered for sale.

These dates are usually found on perishable

foods.

With open dating, there are four types of

dat es tha t ma y be found on a food package:

x Sell byor Pull date This da te t ellsthe store how long to display th e food for

sale. Foods eaten after this date are usu-

ally safe to eat as long as they are stored

for no longer th a n recommended tim e, and

ha ndled an d prepared sa fely. See the Food

St orage Timeta ble for r ecommendat ions.

x Best if used by (before) date Thisdat e means tha t t he food will be of i ts high-

est qu a lity or flavor if consumed before the

date on the package. Foods may be safely

consumed after the date indicated on thepackage, if they a re stored for no longer th a n

recommended, are handled and prepared

properly a nd show no signs of spoilage.

x Expiration date This is th e last da ythe food should be eat en. E xcept for eggs,

disca rd foods not consumed by t his da te.

EG G S: The expirat ion dat e is the last da te

a store can sell the eggs and still refer to

them as fresh. Buy eggs before the expi-

rat ion date and use them within 30 days.

After 30 days, discar d th e eggs. Do not buy

eggs if the expiration date on the package

has passed.

x Pack date This is the date the foodw a s packaged or processed. Consumers ma y

be able to determine th e age of the product

by looking at this date.


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What about leftovers?The charts in this publicat ion give storage

times for ma ny leftover foods. P lan ning a nd us-

ing leftovers carefully ca n sa ve money a nd time.

To prevent food-borne illness, it is import a nt to

prepare a nd ha ndle foods properly:

x Wa sh your ha nds before ha ndling foods, a nduse clean ut ensils and surfa ces.

x Refrigerat e or freeze foods in covered, sha l-

low (less than 3 inches deep) containers

with in 2 hours a f ter cooking. Leave a ir

space around the conta iners or packages to

allow cold air to circulate and to help en-

sure rapid, even cooling.

x La bel food stora ge conta iners wit h the dat e

so that the foods can be used w ithin a safe

time. Avoid ta sting old leftovers. P lan to use

a ny cooked foods with in sa fe refrigera tor or

freezer stora ge times.

x Before serving, cover and reheat leftovers

t o 165 F. Reheat soups, sa uces, gra vies and

other w et foods t o a rolling boil.

x If in doubt, th row it out. To prevent out-

dated, obviously spoiled or possibly unsafe

leftovers from being ea ten by people or a ni-

ma ls, discar d them in the ga rbage disposal

or in t ightly w ra pped packages.

A new generation of foodsconvenient, prepared andpackaged

New food-packaging t echniques a re ma king it

possible for processors to offer prepared foods

that have extended refrigeration times. These

lo n g e r s t o r a g e t im e s a r e m a d e p o ss ib le b y

va cuum packaging or modified a tm osphere pack-

a ging, wh ich replaces oxygen in the package w ith

ga ses such a s car bon dioxide or n itrogen. These

packaging techniques slow spoilage, discolora-

t ion and bacterial growt h.

The packaging is being used for many prod-

ucts, including fully cooked roast chicken, tuna

spread and ravioli. Although it offers many ad-

v a n t a g e s t o c o n su m e r s , t h e f o o d s m u s t b e

ha ndled properly beca use:

x Foods ma y be processed 4 to 6 weeks before

the sell by or use by date. These dates

assume tha t the product is refr igera ted

properly t hroughout it s shelf life.

x Some bacteria tha t caus e food-borne illness,

such as L is te r iaa nd Yersinia, can grow

slowly under refrigeration.

x Man y of these foods require little or no a d-ditional cooking or heat ing before they a re

ea ten . Therefore, any bac ter ia tha t may

have been in t roduced during packaging

w ould not be destr oyed.

Ta ke these preca utions w hen using refriger-

a ted, prepared foods:

x Make sure the food is cold before you buy

it .

x Check the sell by or use by dat e on th e

package.

x Read t he label an d carefully follow the st or-

a ge, cooking an d heat ing instructions.

x Use these foods within the recommended

length of time.

x When fr eezing th ese products, d o so as soon

a s possible a fter purchase.

The recommendat ions in this publica tion are for maint aining t he ma ximum safety

an d qua lity of foods th at ar e stored w hen of high qua lity. Quality or sa fety will not

be improved by stora ge.


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Food St orage Tim et ableFood Ref r igerat or Pant r y Freezer Specia l handl ing

Breads/Cereals/Grains: In general, keep cool and dry. For m axim um storage t ime o nce op ened, store in a ir tight conta iners. Refr igera-t ion m ay increase shelf li fe for som e items.

Bread, rolls (commercial) 3 -5 d a ys 2-3 m o n th s H om em a d e b rea d s m a y ha ve sh orter

shelf life du e to lack of preser vatives.

Biscuit, muffin mixes 9 m o n th s

CerealsReady-to-eat

(un op ened ) 6 -12 m o nth s

(op en ed ) 2 -3 m on ths

Ready-to-cooko a tm ea l, e tc. 12 m o nth s

Cornmeal 6 -12 m o nth s Keep tig h tly clo sed . Refrig era tio n m a yprolong shelf l ife .

Flour

Wh ite 6 -8 m on thsWh o le w h ea t 6 -8 m on ths

Yeast (dry) Exp ira tion d a te Keep d ry a n d coo l.o n p a c k a g e

Grits 12 m onths

Pancake mixes 6 -9 m o n th s

Pasta 1-2 yea rs

RiceWh ite 2 yea rsBro w n 1 yea r

M ixes 6 m o nth s

Refrigerated biscuit roll, Expiration datepastry and cookie dough on labe l

Tortillas Storage t im es m ay va ry depend ing onCo rn 2 w eeks 1-2 w eeks in g red ien ts. Best if re frig era ted o nce

Flo ur 2 w eeks 1-2 w eeks o p en ed . M a y b e fro zen .

Dairy Products:Store in colde st part of refrigera tor (40 F), never o n d oor.

Butter 2 -3 w eeks 6-9 m o n th s Wra p o r cover tig h tly. Ho ld on ly 2 -d a ysupp ly in keeper.

Buttermilk 10 -14 d a ys Cover tig h tly. Fla vor n o t a ffected if

buttermilk separates.

Cheese Keep a l l cheese t ight ly pa ckaged inCo tta g e 10-15 d a ys m o istu re -p roo f w ra p . If ou tsid e o f ha rd

Crea m , N eu fch a te l 4 w eeks cheese g ets m o ld y, trim o ff m o ld a n dHa rd a nd w a x coa ted 1/ 2 inch b elow m o ld . Do no t ea t m o ld y

Ched d a r, Ed a m , Go u d a , co tta g e o r rico tta ch eese . H a rd

Sw iss, b rick, e tc. cheese m a y b e fro zen b u t b eco m es(u no p en ed ) 3 -6 m on ths 6 m o n th s crum b ly. Better if g ra ted . Co tta g e

(o p ened ) 2 m on ths cheese b ecom es m ushy.

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Food Ref r igerat or Pant r y Freezer Specia l handl ing

Parm esan , Rom ano

(un op en ed ) 10 m o nth s Refrig era te a fter o p en ing fo r p ro lon g ed(op en ed ) 2 -4 m on ths sto ra g e. If ch eese p icks up m o istu re ,

m o ld may deve lop .Rico tta 5 d a ys

Pro cess cheese p rod u cts 3 -4 w eeks 4 m on ths Refrig era te a fter o p en in g . Clo se o r

w rap t ight ly.

Cream Cover tightly. Dont return leftover creamHa lf a n d ha lf, lig h t to o rig in a l con ta in er. Th is m a y sp rea d

a n d hea vy 7-10 d a ys 2 m o nth s b a cte ria to rem a in in g crea m . Fro zen

(u ltra p a steu rized , crea m m a y n o t w h ip . Use fo r coo kin g .u n op en ed ) 2 1-30 d a ys

So u r 2 w eeks

Dip s (co m m ercia l) 2 w eeks

Ice cream, ice milk, sherbet 1-2 m onths

Milk Keep tightly covered. Dont returnFresh p a steurized lefto ver m ilk to o rig ina l con ta in er.

a n d reco nstitu ted no n fa t Th is m a y sp rea d b a cteria to rem a in ing

d ry m ilk 1 w eek 1 m o nth m ilk. Frozen m ilk m a y un d erg o som e(or a few d a ys a fte r q u a lity ch a ng e .

sel l-by d ate)Evapora ted or condensed

(un op ened ) 12 m o nth s In vert ca n every 2 m on ths.(op ened ) 1 w eek Cover tig h tly.

Nonfat dry, not reconstituted(un op ened ) 12 m o nth s Refrig era tio n m a y p ro lo ng q u a lity.

(op en) 6 m on ths

Whipped toppingIn a ero so l ca n 3 m on ths

From p rep a red m ix 3 d a ys

Yogurt 10-14 d a ys Keep co vered .

Frozen 2 m on ths

Note:Thaw al l f rozen da iry prod ucts in refr igerator. Som e prod ucts may lose em uls ion and sep arate, but are st il l adequ ate for cooking.

Eggs

Fresh Store egg s in or ig inal carton in co ldestIn sh ell 3 -4 w eeks No p a rt o f refrig e ra to r. U ncoo ked w h itesWh ites 3 d a ys 12 m o nth s ca n b e fro zen a s th ey a re . To freeze

Yo lks (un b roken a n d 2 d a ys 12 m o nth s uncooked yo lks or whole eggs, add 1/ 8

covered w ith w a ter) tea sp oo n sa lt o r 1 1/ 2 tea sp o on s co rnsyrup per 1/ 4 cup (4 yolks or 2 w hole

egg s). Thaw in refr igerator.

Hard-cooked 1 w eek

Deviled 2-3 daysLeftover egg dishes 3-4 days

Fish and Shellfish: Refr igerator s torage t imes are for opt imum temperature of 32 to 38 F. Higher temp eratures m ay decrease safestorage t im es.

Fish For refr igera tor, keep w rapp ed inFa tty fish 1-2 d a ys 2-3 m o nth s o rig ina l w ra p . Sto re in co ld est p a rt o f

m a ckere l, tro u t, re frig e ra to r (3 2 to 38 F). Package forsa lm o n , etc. freezer in m o istu re- a nd va p o r-p roo f

w r a p .

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Lea n fish 1-2 d a ys 6 m o n th s Keep so lid ly fro zen a t 0 F. Thaw in

cod , flou nd er, e tc. re frig era to r o r un d er co ld ru nn in gwate r .

Brea d ed , frozen 3 m o n th s

Shellfish Refr igerate l ive c lam s, scal lops andCla m s o ysters in co n ta ine r co vered w ith clea n ,

shu cked 1 d a y 3 m on ths d a m p clo th no t a irtig h t. Sh ells w illin she ll 2 d a ys g a p e na tu ra lly, b u t clo se w hen ta p p ed

if alive. If not a live, discard.Crab

in she ll 2 d a ysm ea t (coo ked ) 3 -5 d a ys 10 m on ths

Cra w fish Coo k o n ly live cra w fish . Do no t keep

in she ll 6 m on ths a irtig h t. To p ro lon g freezer sto ra g e ,ta il m ea t (co o ked ) 3 -5 d a ys 6 m on ths rem ove fa t to p reven t ra n cid ity.

Lo b ster Coo k lob ster on ly if still a live .in she ll (live) 2 d a ys

ta il m ea t (co o ked ) 4 -5 d a ys 6 m on ths

Oysters (shu cked ) 1 d a y 4 m on ths To freeze a ny u ncoo ked sh ellfish , p a ckSca llop s 3 m on ths in m o istu re - a nd va p or-p ro o f con ta ine r.

Freeze shucked p roduct in i ts ow nl iquo r (l iqu id) to w hich wa ter has

been add ed to cover mea t .

Shrim p (u ncoo ked ) 1-2 d a ys 12 m o nth s Rem ove hea d s a nd freeze sh rim p ta ilsin shel l . Freeze in w ater in an a ir t ight

conta iner of app ropriate s ize for onem e a l .

Cooked fish or shellfish 2 -3 d a ys 3 m on ths

Canned fish or shellfish(un op en ed ) 12 m o nth s(op en ed ) 1 d a y

Surimi seafood 2 w eeks 9 m on ths

Fruits

Fresh Do not wa sh fru it before stor ing m ois-Ap p les 1 m on th tu re encou ra g es sp o ila g e b u t w a shAp rico ts, a vo ca d os, m elon s, b e fo re ea tin g . Sto re in crisp er o r in

n ecta rines, p ea ches, p ea rs 5 d a ys m o istu re- resista n t b a g s o r w ra p s.Ba n a na s 2 -3 d a ys Wra p cu t fru its to p reven t vita m in lo ss.

(until ripened,

then refr igerate)Berries, ch erries 3 d a ys

Citrus fru it 2 w eeksGra p es, p lum s 5 d a ys

Pinea p p le 2 d a ys

Canned (all kinds and juices) Keep tigh tly covered . Tran sfer canne d(u n op en ed ) 12 m o nth s fru it to g la ss o r p la stic co n ta ine r.

(o p en ed ) 1 w eek

Juices Keep t ight ly covered once o pen toFresh 6 d a ys p reven t vita m in loss. Tra n sfe r ca nn edCa n ned (a fter op en ing ) 6 d a ys ju ice to g la ss o r p la stic con ta in er.

Frozen(co ncen tra ted ) 12 m on ths

(recon stitu ted ) 6 d a ys

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Frozen Freeze in moisture- and vap or-proof(H om e frozen o r 12 m on ths co n ta in er.

purchased frozen)

Dried 6 m on ths Keep co o l in a irtig h t co n ta ine r. If foo d sga in m o is tu re , they ma y become

unsafe and a l low ba cteria l growth. Best

i f re fr igerated a fter open ing.

Meats: Beef, po rk , lamb , vea l and gam e

*Fresh, uncooked Store in colde r pa rt of refrigera tor (36Ch op s 2 -4 d a ys 6-12 m on ths to 40 F). Freeze im m ed iately if not

Gro un d 1-2 d a ys 2-3 m o n th s p la nn in g to u se in a d a y o r tw o . Wra pRo a st 2 -4 d a ys 6-12 m on ths in m o istu re- a n d va p or-p ro o f w ra p

Sa u sa g e 1-2 d a ys 1-2 m o nth s fo r freezin g . La b el w ith d a te a nd

Stea ks 2 -4 d a ys 6-9 m o nth s freeze ra p id ly a t 0 F. Freezer storag eStew m ea t 1-2 d a ys 2-3 m o n ths tim es fo r vea l m a y b e less. Pork is

Va riety m ea ts 1 d a y 1-2 m o nth s b est if u sed w ith in 6 m o n th s a fterfreezing. Actual s torag e t im e of mea t

depends on the freshness o f mea twhen purchased .

*Vacuum -packed f resh m eats have a

recomm ended s to rage time o f 2 weeksin the refrigerator.

Casseroles, meat pies,TV dinners, stews 2 -3 m o n ths

Cooked meats(including leftovers)

Co oked m ea t a n d 1-2 d a ys 2-3 m o n th s

m eat d ishesGra vy, b ro ths 1-2 d a ys 1-2 m o nth s

Cured and smoked meats Keep w rapp ed. Store in co ldest pa rt o f

(including lunch meats) refr igerator o r in m eat keepe r. Freez-Ba con 5 -7 d a ys 1 m o nth ing cu red o r sm oked m ea ts is g en er-Fra nkfu rters a lly no t reco m m end ed b eca use sa lty

(un op ened ) 2 w eeks** 1-2 m o n th s m ea ts w ill ra p id ly tu rn ra n cid a nd lun ch

(op ened ) 1 w eek m ea ts a n d fra n kfu rters w ill w eep .Ha m (fu lly coo ked ) H ow ever, it is p o ssib le, so lim ited

Wh o le 5 -7 d a ys 1-2 m o nth s freezer sto ra g e tim es a re g iven . If

Slices 3 -4 d a ys m ea ts a re va cuu m p a cka g ed , ch eckmanufacturer s date.

Ca n n ed (u no p en ed ) 6 -9 m on ths Do no t freeze ca n n ed ha m s.

Ca n n ed (she lf sta b le, 2 yea rs Refrig e ra te a fter op en ing .u n o p e n e d )

Cou n try style (u nsliced ) 1 yea r Refrig era te o nce sliced . M a xim um re -

(co o ked , sliced ) 7 d a ys 1 m o nth frig era to r sto ra g e tim e is 2 to 3 m o n th s.Lunch m eats

(u n op en ed ) 2 w eeks** 1-2 m o nth s

(o p en ed ) 3 -5 d a ysSausage

sm oked links 7 d a ys 1 m on th Freezin g a lters sa u sa g e fla vo r. Lea ved ry a n d sem id ry 2 -3 w eeks fro zen n o m o re th a n 1 m o n th .

(like salami)

* *Unopened lunch meats and f rank-furters should not be kept m ore than 1

w eek after se ll by date.

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Game birds 2 d a ys 6-12 m on ths

Venison 3 -5 d a ys 6-12 m on ths

Poultry

Chicken or turkey Store in colde st part of refrigera tor. Do

Fresh n o t le t ra w ju ices d rip on to o the r foo d s.w h o le 2 -3 d a ys 12 m on th s For freezing , use m o istu re - a nd va p o r-p ieces 2 -3 d a ys 6-9 m o n ths p ro o f w ra p o r con ta in er.

g ib lets 1-2 d a ys 3-4 m o n th sCooked

lefto ver p ieces 1-2 d a ys 4-6 m o n th s

covered w ith b ro th , g ra vy 1-2 d a ys 6 m o nth sCanned

(u no p en ed ) 12 m o nth s(o p ened ) 1 d a y

Ca ssero les, TV d inn ers 3 m o n th s

Duck, goose 2 d a ys 6 m on ths

Staples

Baking powder, soda 8 -12 m o nth s Keep d ry a n d covered .

Bouillon cubes, granules 1 yea r Keep d ry a n d covered .

Catsup, chili sauce, Refr igerate a fter ope ning for long erbarbecue sauce storage t im e. Wil l keep for severa l

(u n op en ed ) 12 m o nth s m on ths.

ChocolatePrem elted 12 m o nth s Keep co o l.Sem i-sw eet 2 yea rs

Un sw eeten ed 18 m o nth s

Chocolate syrup

(u n op en ed ) 2 yea rs(o p en ed ) 6 m o nth s

Cocoa mixes 8 m o n th s

Coffee Coffee m ay rem ain fresher i f re fr iger-Ca n s a ted a fter o p en in g . M a y a lso b e frozen .

(un op ened ) 2 yea rs(op ened ) 4 -6 w eeks

Instant(un op ened ) 1-2 yea rs

(op ened ) 2 w eeks

Coffee creamers, nondairy Keep t ight ly c losed to keep ou t(u n op en ed ) 9 m o nth s m o istu re.

(o p en ed ) 6 m o nth s

Cornstarch 18 m onths

Gelatin 18 m onths

Honey 12 m o nth s Cover tig h tly. If it crysta llizes, w a rm theja r in p a n o f h o t w a te r o r h ea t o n lo w inmic rowave .

Jams, jellies 12 m o nth s Cover tig h tly; re frig era te a fter o p en in gto pro long storage.

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Margarine 4 -6 m on ths Use a irtig h t con ta in er.

Marshmallows 2 -3 m o n th sCrem e 2 -3 m on ths Refrig e ra te a fter op en ing .

Mayonnaise Refr igerate after open ing.(u n op en ed ) 3 -4 m o nth s

(o p en ed ) 3 m o nth s

Molasses Refrigerate to extend storage life.(u n op en ed ) 12 m o nth s(o p en ed ) 6 m o nth s

Mustard, prepared yellow Refrigerate for best storage.(u n op en ed ) 2 yea rs(o p en ed ) 6 -8 m o nth s

Oils Store in cool p lace aw ay from hea t(u n op en ed ) 18 m o nth s sou rce to p reven t d ete rio ra tio n .

(o p en ed ) 6 -8 m o nth s

Pectin Look for exp irat ion da te.

Liq u id 18 m o nth s Reca p a n d re frig era te .Dry 3 yea rs

Peanut butter Refr igerat ion p ro longs storage t ime(u n op en ed ) 6 -9 m on ths a n d he lp s p reven t ra n cid ity.(o p en ed ) 2 -3 m o nth s

Salad dressingBo ttled (u no p en ed ) 10-12 m o nth s

Bo ttled (o p en ed ) 3 m on thsM a d e fro m m ix 2 w eeks

Shortening 1 yea r Sto re a w a y fro m h ea t sou rce to p reven trancidity.

Spices and herbs Store in airtight containers in dry placeWh o le sp ices 1 yea r a w a y fro m h ea t o r lig h t. Rep la ce ifGro un d sp ices 6 m on ths a ro m a fa d es. M a y b e refrig e ra ted o r

Herb s 6 m on ths fro zen fo r lo ng er sto ra g e.

Sugar For b est s torag e, keep in a ir t ightBro w n 4 m o nth s co n ta in er.Co n fection ers 18 m o nth s

Gra nu la ted 2 yea rs

Sweetener, artificial 2 years

Syrup 12 m o nth s Keep tig h tly clo sed . Refrig era te toextend l i fe .

Tea Keep in a ir tight conta iners.Ba g s 18 m o nth sIn sta n t 3 yea rs

Lo o se 2 yea rs

Vanilla Keep tigh tly closed; volatile oils escap e.(u n op en ed ) 2 yea rs(o p en ed ) 12 m o nth s

Oth er extra cts (op ened ) 12 m o nth s

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Vinegar Keep tightly closed. Distilled vinegar(u n op en ed ) 2 yea rs la sts lon g er th a n cid e r vineg a r. Vin eg a r(o p en ed ) 12 m o nth s in g la ss co n ta in ers ha s a lon g er sto r-

ag e t ime . If m other develops (refersto app earan ce of cloudy m ass) in

open ed v inegar, do not use.

Vegetables: In genera l, keep in crisper or m oisture-proo f w rapp ing.

FreshArtich okes 2 -3 d a ys Refrig e ra te in p la stic. Wra p b a se o f

s ta lks w i th da m p c lo th o r pa per towe l .

Asp a ra g u s 2 -3 d a ys Refrig era te in p la stic. Wra p b a se o f

s ta lks w i th da m p c lo th o r pa per towe l .Bea ns Do no t w a sh g reen b ea ns un til ju st

g reen o r w a xed 1-2 d a ys b e fo re u se .lim a (un sh elled ) 3 -5 d a ys 8 m on ths

Beets 1-2 w eeks

Bro cco li 5 d a ysBru ssel sp rou ts 5 d a ys

Ca b b a g e 1 w eekCa rro ts 5 d a ys

Ce le ry 1 w eek Celery m a y keep lon g er if w ra p p edw i th m o ist towe l .

Co rn (in hu sks) 1-2 d a ys

Cu cu m b ers 1 w eekEg g p la n t 2 -3 d a ys

Ga rlic 5 -8 m on ths Keep in co o l, d ry, ven tila ted a rea .

Greens, sp ina ch , lea fy 3 -4 d a ys Rinse a nd d ra in g reen s b e fo re re frig -g reens, etc. e ra tin g . Do no t a llo w to freeze.

Le ttuce, iceb erg 5 -7 d a ysva cuu m p a cked 2 -3 w eeks

(i f unopened )

M u sh roo m s 1-2 d a ys Do no t w a sh m ushro om s b efo re

re f r ige ra t ing . Do no t s to re in a i r t igh tconta iner.

On io ns Sto re a t ro om tem p era tu re in co o l,d ry 2 -4 w eeks ven tila ted a rea . Keep d ry.

g reen 5 d a ys Keep refrig e ra ted in p la stic b a g .

Pa rsley 2 -4 w eeks Sto re w ith stem s in w a ter a n d coveredw i th p las t ic w rap .

Pea s (u n sh elled ) 3 -5 d a ys 1 w eekPeppers

ch ile 7-10 d a ys Keep ch ile p ep p ers refrig era ted in

p a p e r b a g .

b ell 3 -4 d a ys 6 m o nth s Freeze fo r extend ed u se .

Po ta toes Keep fresh p o ta to es d ry a nd a w a y fromw h ite , fresh 1 w eek su n . Fo r lon g er sto ra g e keep a t 50sw eet, fresh 2 -3 w eeks to 60 F. Warm er temp eratures

w h ite, insta n t (un op en ed ) 6 -12 m o nths enco ura g e sp rou tin g . Dont refrigeratefresh potatoes.

Ra d ish es 1-2 w eeks

Rh ub a rb 2 w eeksRu ta b a g a s 2 w eeks 1 w eek

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Squash

sum m er va rie ties 2 -4 d a ys Su m m er va rieties o f sq u a sh in clud ew in te r va rie ties 6 m on ths zucch in i a n d yello w croo kn eck. Win te r

o r ha rd -she l led squash inc lude pum p-kin, acorn, spa ghett i and b utternut

squash .

To m a to es, rip e 2 -3 d a ysTu rn ip s 2 w eeks Do no t refrig e ra te un til rip e.

CannedAll kin d s 1 yea r

Dried Keep cool a nd d ry in a ir t ight conta iner.A ll kin d s 6 -12 m o nth s If p ossib le, re frig era te. If m o istu re is

p resen t, foods ma y become unsa fe

because moisture a l lows bacter ia lg ro w th .

FrozenCo m m ercia lly fro zen 8 m on ths

Ho m e fro zen 1 yea r

Miscellaneous:Snacks, condim ents, mixes, prepared foods, etc.

Baby food, canned(u n op en ed ) 1 yea r

(o p en ed ) 2 -3 d a ys

Cakes, purchased 1-2 d a ys If ca ke co n ta ins b u tte r, crea m , w h ip p edAn g el foo d 2 m on ths crea m , crea m or custa rd fro stin g o r

Ch iffo n sp o n g e 2 m on ths filling , refrig e ra te.Ch eese 2-3 m on ths

Ch oco la te 4 m on thsFru it ca ke 12 m on ths

Ye llow p o un d 6 m o nth s

Frosted 8-12 m on ths

Ho m e fro zen 3 m o n th s

Cake, cookie mixes 1 yea r

Canned goods(m iscella n eo us, un op ened ) 1 yea r

Cookies(com m ercia l, u no p en ed ) 4 m on th s

(ho m em a d e) 2 -3 w eeks

Crackers 3 m o n th s

Metered caloric products 6 m o n th s

NutsIn sh ell (un o p ened ) 4 m o nth s

Nu t m ea ts, p a cka g ed (u no p en ed ) 6 m on th s 3 m o n th s

Pa rty n u ts 2 w eeks(sa lted ) 6 -8 m o nth s

(un sa lted ) 9 -12 m on ths

Pickles, olives Refr igerate on ce open ed for 2 to 3(ca nn ed , u no p en ed ) 1-3 m on ths m on ths.

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Pies and pastries 2 -3 d a ys Tho se w ith w h ip p ed crea m , custa rd o rFru it ch iffon fillin g s sh ou ld b e re frig era ted .

b a ked 1-2 m o n ths

u nb a ked 8 m on ths

Popcorn (un p op p ed ) 2 yea rs

Prepared, packaged shelfstable foods (un op ened ) 1 yea r

Pudding mixes 1 yea r

Sauces, condiments, etc.(commercial)

Ho t sa uce, Worceste rsh ire , etc. 2 yea rsSa lsa Fresh ho m em a d e sa lsa ha s a sho rter

(un op ened ) 12-18 m o n th s re frig e ra to r sto ra g e tim e d ep end ing(op ened ) 1-2 m on ths u p on in g red ien ts (4 to 7 d a ys). Ho m e-

m ade can ned p roducts have a shelf li feof up to 1 year, unopened , i f

adequate ly processed.

Liquor

Hard liquors Indefinitely

Cream liqueurs(u n op en ed ) 6 -8 m o nth s

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ReferencesFocus on F ood La beling,1993. FDA Consumer Ma gazin e,

Food an d Drug Administra tion, Rockville, Mar yla nd.

Focus on: Food Product Dating, 1995. Food Safety and

Inspect ion Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Wash ington, D .C.

H ome Food St ora ge, B -1345, 1981. Texa s Agricult ura l

Ext ension S ervice, The Texas A&M Un iversit y S yst em,

College St a tion, Texas.

Lessons on Meat, 1991. National Livestock and Meat

B oard, Chicago, Illinois.

Mainta ining Food Quality in Storage. Cooperat ive Ex-

tension Service, The University of Georgia , Athens,

Georgia .

Sa fe Food H an dling for Occasional Quant ity C ooks, 1993.

Cooperat ive Extension Service, University of Illinois at

Urba na-Champaign, Urbana , I l linois .

Sa fe Storage of Meat a nd P oultry: The Science B ehind I t ,

1997. Food Sa fety a nd In spection Service, U.S . Depart -

ment of Agriculture, Wash ington, D .C.

Seafood Source, Spring 1990. National Fisheries Insti-

tut e, Arlington, Virginia.

The Food Keeper. Food Market ing Inst itut e, Wa shing ton,

D.C .

Information also provided by:American Egg B oard

1460 Renaissan ce Drive

P ar k Ridge, Illinois 66068

American Seafood Institute

Sea food H otline (1-800-EAT FI SH )

406-A Main S tr eet

Wak efield, Rhode Isla nd 02879

H.J . Heinz Company

P.O. B ox 57

P it tsburg, Pennsylvania 15230

Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils

1750 New York Ave., N .W.

Washington, D.C. 20006

Un ited Fresh F ruit a nd Vegetable Associat ion

727 N. Wash ington S t.

Alexandria, Virginia 22314

U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service

Mea t a nd P oultry H otline (1-800-535-4555)

1165 South B ldg.Washington, D.C. 20250

The a uth or acknowledges t he followin g people for t heir cont ributions a nd r eview of

this publicat ion: D an iel S. Ha le, associat e professor a nd E xtension m eat specialist ;Ronald L. Richter, professor, anima l science; a nd J enna Anding, assista nt professor

an d E xtension nut rit ion specialist .


15/15

Ed ucati onal pr ogram s of the Texas Agr icul tu ra l E xtension Servi ce ar e open to all p eople wi th out regard t o race, color, sex, disabil it y, reli -

gion, age or nati onal origi n.

Issued in furthera nce of Cooperat ive Extension Work in Agriculture a nd H ome Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, a s a mended,

an d J une 30, 1914, in cooperat ion with t he Un ited St at es Depart ment of Agriculture. Chester P. F ehlis, Deputy D irector, Texas Agricul-

tur al Extension S ervice, The Texas A&M U niversity Syst em.

10,000 copies, Revised F&N 3

Produced by Agricultural Communications, The Texas A&M University System

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