Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education

Chill - when shopping, defrosing and storing left overs
Freezing and thawing
Where and how to store foods safely
Foods left out of the fridge and freezer
Cook - to proper temperature, prepare quickly & serve immediately
Cooking, serving and reheating
Foods left out during food preperation, cooking and serving
Separate - keep raw meat, poultry, seafood & eggs separate from ready to eat foods
Cross-contamination
Reusing marinades
Clean - wash hands and surface often
Washing fruits & vegetables
A specific food group
Eggs
Poultry
Dairy
Fruits & Vegetables
Meat
Fish
Processed Products

Storing food safely

Fast cooling tips include:

do not put deep, large pots of hot food in the fridge to cool - it won't cool quickly;
store food in shallow containers (3 inches (8 cm) or less);
stir hot foods occasionally to speed-up cooling;
for faster cooling - place hot foods on ice or in cold water while stirring;
do not stuff the fridge - allow cool air to circulate around food.

Frequently asked questions about where and how to store foods safely:

Dates: best before/ sell by/ packaged on/ use by...

I took a pizza out of my freezer I've had it in there since I bought it but it says on the packet that it's out of date. Is it still safe to eat? Thanks :)
Can we thaw food in the microwave to marinate them for few hours before cooking it? In other words, is it necessary to cook food immediately once thawed in the microwaves.

If I cook meat, can I put it straight into the refrigerator while it's still hot?

It depends. The meat has to be completely cooked; you can not partially cook meat, refrigerate it and finish cooking at a later date. If the cooked meat is a roast or whole chicken we recommend that the meat be sliced (or removed from the carcass) and placed in a shallow dish or plate to facilitate quick cooling. Do not place the whole roast or chicken in the refrigerator

I cooked a pot of chicken. After it was finished cooking, I only let it cool for 10 minutes before putting the pot and contents in the fridge. At 5:30 the pot was still warm in the fridge. Can I reheat this dish and serve tonight?

No, I am afraid that your chicken stew should be discarded. During the four hours the stew was in the refrigerator it did not reach a safe storage temperature below 40ºF /4ºC. Since the contents was still warm indicates that it was held in the danger zone (40ºF /4ºC to 140ºF/60ºC). At this temperature and length of time microorganisms responsible for food spoilage and food borne illness could have multiplied which may result in illness. Therefore “if in doubt, throw it out.”

To cool the contents of the pot quickly divide into smaller portion sizes and refrigerate as soon as possible. Alternatively you may want to place the pot in ice cold water and stir.

How long can I keep butter (salted/unsalted) in its original foil wrapping in the fridge?

Please refer to Mrs. Cookwell’s Handy Storage Chart for quick reference. For more information on dairy products visit: Dairy Farmers of Canada.

How long can food stay in the freezer?

Look at Mrs. Cookwell’s handy refrigerator and freezer storage chart.

What causes brown spots or stripes of brown inside a ground beef package when the outside is still bright red and it was fresh ground that day ? Is it safe to eat?

Your beef is safe to eat.The meat in the interior of a package of ground beef may be grayish-brown because of a lack of oxygen. This colour difference does not mean the meat is spoiled.

How long can cooked pasta be kept in the fridge?

Cooked pasta may be kept in the fridge for three days or frozen for 3 months

Is it safe to eat food after the ‘best before’ date?

‘Best before’ dates and ‘packaged on’ dates are important labels to read when food shopping. The ‘best before’ date indicates how long the unopened product will retain its freshness and high quality – it’s more a quality indicator than a safety indicator. Once vacuum-packed packages are opened, the ‘best before’ date no longer applies. The product’s storage life is now the same as if it were a fresh product. The ‘packaged on’ date tells you the day the fresh food was packaged in the store. This date is usually the starting point for how long you can expect the food to stay safe to eat.

My family consumed extremely expired clamato juice bought from a small corner store. Will we get sick?

The date is the manufacture's recommended date for optimum quality, texture, flavour and nutrition. It is not likely to be harmful. See your doctor if you begin to feel sick.

How long can smoked turkey meat stay out of the refrigerator before it goes bad? Doesn't "smoking" preserve the meat?

Smoking is a flavour enhancer. Depending on the method, some products may be cooked and smoked simultaneously, smoked and dried without cooking, or cooked without smoking. Smoke may be produced by burning wood chips or using an approved liquid smoke preparation. Like all perishable food, smoked turkey should be left at room temperature no longer than 2 hours. Even though smoked, it must still be refrigerated.

I am going on a camping trip. I was wondering if I vacuum packaged clean green beans and carrots would they last longer than non-vacuumed? I have no means of refrigeration

No, vacuum packed unrefrigerated fresh vegeatbles will not last longer. Vacuum packaging is not a food preservation method like canning. Fresh foods, like vegetables, still need to be refrigerated when vacuum packed. But they'll last longer in the fridge. Once vacuum-packed packages are opened, the product's storage life is now the same as if it were a fresh product. Canadian Food Inspection Agency has an excellent brochure on picknicing, hiking and camping – food safety tips: 'Picknicing, Hiking, and Camping - Food Safety"

how long can butter be kept at room temperature safely

It is best to keep butter refrigerated in its original wrapper. According to the Dairy industry, the foil laminated paper helps prevent spoilage from exposure to light and air, and also protects butter from picking up the flavour of other foods. If you wrap it well, once opened, both salted and unsalted butter will keep in the fridge for three weeks.
To have a handy supply of easy-to-spread butter, remove a small amount from the fridge and leave it on the counter in a covered container. For this, salted butter is best because the salt acts as a preservative. However, the butter will spoil more quickly at room temperature.

I left uncooked frozen hamburger in its original package out all night in its original package , it was still a little cool when I touched it. My question is if I cook it to well done is it safe to eat?

No, the meat was exposed to long to the danger zone when it comes to temperature. Meat as any other foods should be thawed in the refrigerator, under cold water or in the microwave. In the latter case, it has to be cooked immediately. Meat should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour in the summer time). In your case, it was overnight. That meat should be thrown out!

How long should left overs be kept? Specifically a steak?

Leftovers such as cooked meats keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and 2 to 3 months in the freezer. For mor information, please consult my handy charts for cooking and storage of foods.

How long is a cooked pizza good for outside of the fridge?

A cooked pizza should not stay at room temperature any longer than 2 hours, one hour in summer time where ambient temperature is warmer.

I cooked some ground turkey on Thursday night and I was considering finishing it up tonight (Tuesday) is it still safe?

Once refrigerated, cooked ground turkey should be consumed within the next 3 to 4 days. Tuesday would be the 5th day and that would be stretching the limit. To keep it longer, I would recommend to freeze the ground turkey meat.

Hello, I am wondering what is the standard date notation on packaged goods for the expiry date. Is it dd/mm/yy or mm/dd/yy Because we wanted to use a product that was dated 05/09/06 and wasn't sure if it was May 9, 2006 or September 5, 2006. Thanks, Bo.

Durable life information or best before dates appears on the label as an abbreviated form of the month and the date, and is accompanied by the words “best before” and “meilleur avant”. If necessary, the year will appear before the month and date. For example, a best before date of June 30, 2000 will appear as “00 JN 30.”
So, your product had a best before date of September 5, 2005. Products that are perishable within 90 days must have a best before date. However,if the product you have has a longer shelf life, it may have been dated by the manufacturer and those dates will not necessarily be in a standard format. You would have to contact the company directly to determine what is their code. The date on you product may be denoting a manufactured on date and not a best before date.

My husband leaves the fridge door open for longer than I think it is safe to do so. Is there anything I can do to persuade him not to do this.

You might suggest to your husband that everytime he leaves the refrigerator door open, it warms the temperature in the fridge. This is not good for the food stored there, especially the most perishable products. In addition, the fridge will have to work harder to regain the proper temperature therefore using more energy and shortening the life of the fridge.

What are the best wraps and the best containers to freeze foods?

Check the label for wraps, baggies and plastic containers to ensure that they are meant to be used as freezer wrap. Most plastic wraps are meant to be used for food stored in the refrigerator, not the freezer. Other containers that can be used in the freezer are those with tight fitting lids. Tin foil can also be used to wrap foods for the freezer.

What temp should food items be inside the fridge? Can you send me a list of items?

All food items in the fridge should be at 4 degrees C / 40 degrees F or less. At that temperature, you can extend their shelf life for one or two days or more depending of the food. It could be longer if foods are frozen at -18 degrees C / 0 degree F or less. Consult my storage chart as part of my handy charts on the website.

Does yoghurt keep better in the fridge? is it still alright to eat it if its been sitting out on the bench for a week or so?

Yogurt is a perishable product and should be stored refrigerated. Do not eat yogurt that has been sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

How long can I keep cook chicken in the refrigerator? How long can I keep cook beef in the refrigerator? How long can I keep cook pork in the refrigerator?

Once meat has been cooked, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freeze the meat for longer storage time, up to 3 months. If it is sliced deli meat, pork and beef can be stored for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Sliced chicken meat, 1 to 2 days. Check out the storage charts on the Mrs. Cookwell website for storage time for foods.

I have a special refrigerator that I use for defrosting meat. the temperature cycles from 28 F to 50 F. It is never above 40 for more than an hour. Can I use this refrigerator to store fresh chicken also? It is a large size.

I would not store the fresh chicken in this refrigerator. I would also be concerned about defrosting food as well. You do not want food to be in the danger zone temperature, above 40 F for more than two hours. And that is cumulative time. Your refrigerator should be keeping a temperature of 40 F or slightly below.

I have smoked salmon that was smoked on Thursday June 29th. How long will it last in the refrigerator?

Your salmon can be refrigerated for five to eight days unless it is cold smoked. That type can be refrigerated only one to two days.

How long does a can of tuna last unopened?

Unopened tuna can be stored in the pantry for as long as a year without loss of quality.

Following a thaw with presence of mold in the freezer and in the refrigerator, mould grew on the foam laying between the two compartments. What can we do with this unwanted mould? Is it harmful?

Yes, the mould is harmful because its spores will drift onto other foods causing them to become mouldy. Some moulds produce poisonous mycotoxins which are not destroyed by cooking. Others are thought to be carcinogenic. If the foam cannot be washed with soapy hot water and sanitized with a mixture of 5 mL/1 tsp bleach mixed with 3 cups/750 mL water,it should be replaced.

I made a home made fish pie on Wednesday and put it in the fridge is it ok to eat tonight.

Your homemade fish pie can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Once opened, what is the length of time canned fruits can be kept?

Once opened, canned fruit should be transferred out of the can and can be refrigerated for 5 to 7 days.

Is it safe to freeze fresh salsa for later use. I make fresh salsa, and every year I pressure cook at least 100 jars. It is very time consuming. So, I was wondering if maybe I could vacuum pack my salsa, or even put it in a freezer bag and freeze it. Still not sure if I am going to loose the fresh taste.

Cooked salsa can certainly be frozen safely for later use. But depending on the ingredients used, there will be changes in flavour and texture.

How long does smoked tuna last in the refrigerator bought in one piece from the fish market?

Smoked tuna can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 to 8 days.

How long will jam/jelly last in the refrigerator once opened?

Once opened, jam and jelly can be stored in the refrigerator for 6 months.

I am going camping and I am wondering if I can freeze my spaghetti sauce in doubled "Zip-Lock" for freezer and before leaving, wrap the whole thing in newspapers to keep it frozen as long as possible

Even wrapped in newspapers, your spaghetti sauce is going to thaw quite quickly and at an unsafe temperature. Once it starts to thaw, it should be placed in a pot of cold water and the water replaced with more cold water every 45 minutes.

How long will cooked fresh corn last in the refrigerator?

You can store the cooked corn in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

How long does salmon last in the fridge after it has been cooked? If I bought it and cooked it on Thursday, is it safe to eat on Saturday?

Cooked fish can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 4 to 6 months.

How long can I keep canned salmon in the fridge. I put the salmon in a different container.

Once the canned salmon is open, I recommend that you consume it within 3 to 4 days.

Should I freeze or refrigerate a fish soup that I have just prepared and that will be served this friday? Thanks (Question wrote on the Wednesday before serving)

The fish soup could be stored 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Ensure that the soup has cooled quickly. If it was cooked in a large pot, the soup should be divided among several smaller, shallow containers so that it cools quickly.

How long can you keep chicken soup after you have cooked it, in the refrigerator before it goes bad

Cooked soup can be refrigerated for two to three days.

When I make soup it has boiled for hours to make stock and then boiled again after the soup itself is made. I have always allowed it to cool and stored it on the stove top (room temperature and covered) for at least a day. I make sure to reheat it to boiling every day and have had no problems but a friend suggests I should refrigerate immediately after it is made. Am I doing OK since no one has ever gotten sick or are we just lucky?

You are indeed lucky. What you are doing is considered a risky practice. Once your soup is made, it should be cooled as quickly as possible, setting the pot in a sink of cold water, if necessary. Then refrigerate within two hours.

Is it harmful to put heated food in fridge too quickly or should I let it cool on the counter first?

When hot food is refrigerated, it warms up the fridge and surrounding foods above the safe temperature. Cool your hot food first by dividing it into shallow containers or cooling in a sink of cold water. Refrigerate within two hours.

We bought a package of bratwurst that has a sell by date 5 days ago, can we still eat it?

Eating it is questionable. Check these dates before you purchase meat and poultry. After that date, there will be gradual loss of quality so it may not taste very good and there can be food safety issues as well.

How can I read the date of manufacture of tinned tuna?

That date is a code date to inform the food producer when it was made. The only way to find out when it was is to call the food producer listed on the can. Once you buy it, canned tuna can be stored for 12 months.

How long will tuna that has some mayonnaise in it keep in the fridge? It was canned, I put it into a different container.

Tuna mixed with mayonnaise should be used within two days.

If you are using canned soups of the same brand and they come out different in consistency, is one bad.

Guess you mean the same kind of soup as well as the same brand. A different consistency does not indicate that one is bad or unsafe to eat. But it may indicate changes in quality due to length of storage time.

How long does deli meat last in the refrigerator? For instance ham or turkey

Deli meats can be stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days.

How long is UNrefrigerated, vacuum packed smoked salmon good for (commercial gift boxed)? I could not find a "use by" date ANYWHERE on the packages.

As this can be a very risky product, contact the producer or distributor whose name is listed on the package for an answer to this question.

What would be an appropriate storage duration (best before) for olives once they are stuffed with cheese, garlic, or red peppers and are not maintained in any juice or brine solution?

The stuffed olives should be stored in an airtight container and eaten with 2 to 3 days.

How should we keep eggs (in the refrigerator or in a cool dry place) and for how long? How long can we keep some homemade preserves such as sterilized tomato purée?

Eggs are a perishable product and should be stored in the refrigerator. Ideally you should consume the eggs by the best before date on the carton.
Homemade preserves, if properly processed can be stored for 12 months.

Do fresh green beans have to be blanched before they are vacuum packed and then put in the freezer?

Yes, they do need to be blanched 3 minutes in boiling water and cooled promptly before packaging and freezing.

I will give birth in few months and someone strongly recommended to me to prepare some dishes well in advance and to freeze them so I would have a supply for the first days with the baby. I consulted the freezing charts but since they talk about dishes with several ingredients, I do not have any ideas how long should I freeze my foods. I plan to prepare salmon pâtés (with canned salmon and potatoes), soups, tofu stews and vegetarian lasagna. How long can they be kept in the freezer?

The recommended storage time for most prepared foods such as casserole and dishes of mixed ingredients is 3 months in the freezer.

I make a lot of pasta sauces including some with meat (ground steak) I refuse to eat ground beef. Question is when the sauces are done, I break them into smaller batches and vacuum seal them in food saver containers. How long can I keep an individual container (meat sauce) sealed in the fridge, and does micro-waving kill bacteria as well as boiling? Many Thanks

Your batches of sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thorough cooking of any method will kill the bacteria. To ensure your sauce is cooked thoroughly is to use a food thermometer. The sauce should reach a temperature of 165ºF (74ºC)

How long can I keep chicken soup in the fridge?

The chicken soup will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

How long can i keep frozen chicken broth?

You can store the chicken broth in the fridge for 3 to 4 days (whether it is homemade or commercial broth one container is opened). You can freeze the broth for up to 3 months.

How long can we keep an opened can of tuna?

Once opened, use the canned tuna within 2 to 3 days. Do not store the leftover tuna in the can, transfer to an airtight container for storage in the refrigerator.

How long can you keep cooked zucchini in the fridge?

Leftover cooked foods can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

how long can you keep fried chicken in the fridge

Leftover, cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

I know regular jam can be opened for up to 6 months in the fridge. Is that the same amount of time for HOMEMADE jam that has NO PRESERVATIVES?

Yes, if properly processed, you would be able to store your homemade jam for up to 6 months in the fridge. It has a high sugar content and should store well.

IS IS SAFE TO EAT SALSA FROM A RESTAURANT IF LEFT OUT OVER NIGHT AT ROOM TEMP. THANKS!

I would not risk eating the salsa. It should be refrigerated.

how long can I keep homemade FRESH salsa in the refrigerator? Is there an ingredient that i can add to keep it longer? thank you

Homemade salsa can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Salsas are generally made from fresh vegetable or fruit and are meant to be eaten right away. There are also recipes that can be prepared that are cooked and then home canned. If you choose to prepare home canned salsa, make sure that you use a tested recipe, designed for home canning.

How many times can a cooked meal be reheated? Also, how long should defrosted food be kept before cooking? Thanks

The more times that you change the temperature of a food by reheating it, you increase the opportunity for bacteria to grow. Also, the quality of the food goes down! A better strategy is to store leftover in smaller containers in the amount that you will serve at one meal. Freeze any that you will not use within 3 to 4 days.
As for the length of time to keep food once it has defrosted, this varies with the type of food. Check out the storage charts on my web site for specific foods.

I left some leftover chicken with mushroom sauce, wrapped in foil, inside my desk over night, is it safe to eat it?

Absolutely not! Discard the food as it has been left at room temperature for more than two hours.

How long can one safely keep smoked salmon (lox) in the refrigerator and how long for smoked whitefish salad?

Recommended storage time for smoked salmon (lox) is 1 to 2 days. It would be the same for the smoked whitefish salad.

CANNING: How long after the expiry date marked, can can we consume canned fruits in its syrup? Thanks!

Canned goods do not normally have a best before date. The dates on a can usually tell when the product was prepared and canned. High acid canned foods such as fruit can be stored 12 to 18 months.

How long does salmon stay good after cooked and placed in the refrigerator?

Recommended storage time for cooked, leftover food is 3 to 4 days.

How long can you keep cooked chicken caserole in fridge before too old?

A cooked chicken casserole can be stored for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Check out the storate charts on my website for information on storage time for a wide variety of foods.

I ordered chinese food (chicken) last night and finished what I could at about 11 pm.I left it out till about 12 the next morning,then put it in the fridge.Is it ok to eat?

No, discard the food as it was left out for more than two hours. Always refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible after a meal.

Chicken legs cooked in a slow cooker. Can I leave them overnight if we do not open the slow cooker and do not let the vapour out? How long can I keep cooked curry potatoes at room temperature?

It usually takes 6 to 8 hours to cook meats and other dishes in a slow cooker. While you can leave the food in the slow cooker, while it is still on, longer, the food will become overcooked. Once cooked, take the food out of the slow cooker and serve. Or, if you plan to eat it later, store in smaller containers and refrigerate, right away. Under no circumstance should you turn off the slow cooker and leave the food in it overnight.

Prepared foods like your curry potatoes should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate as soon as possible.

How long can I store fresh salsa in the refrigerator? ingreds: black beans, mango's, papaya, tomatoes, corn, peppers etc.

Recommended storage time for a fresh salsa would be 3 to 4 days.

I see and hear the 2-hr rule about chicken being out. I cooked 2 large bags of frozen chicken tenders in the oven, left them in the (cold) oven overnight. I had put them all in a brown bag in the fridge to throw away come garbage day. My adult son had eaten a piece or two before I knew it. My question is since he didn't get sick could I assume it is safe? Could one piece be okay and others in the same bag still be contaminated. I ate a couple bites this morning of one and feel alright. Could there still be danger or something that hasn't shown up yet? I have put the rest in the freezer. Thanks

This is always a tough question to answer for a number of reasons. First, foodborne illness usually occurs within 24 to 48 hours of consuming a food but can happen as quickly as within a few hours or take as long as 7 days. Also, the symptoms can range from mild to very serious. Next, you may have been lucky that no bacteria that could cause foodborne illness was present. However, because you cannot see or smell this kind of bacteria and the chicken fingers have been left in the danger zone temperature for more than two hours, I still recommend that they be discarded.

How long can we keep cooked chicken liver in the refrigerator?

As with most leftover, cooked foods it is recommended that they be consumed within 3 to 4 days - stored in the refrigerator, of course.

May I defrost pork loin in the fridge on Saturday to marinate it on Sunday for 24 Hours to be cooked Monday on the B>B>Q?

Yes, the pork loin can be safely refrigerated for several days once it has thawed.

how do you know when salmon is mouldy?

One of the good things about mould is that you can usually see it because it causes the surface of the food to become soft and fuzzy. If you are concerned about the safety of the salmon, consider how long it has been stored in the fridge and how it was handled before you received it, etc. Often the best advice is, when in doubt, throw it out.

I made a tomato based beef soup and have kept it refrigerated in the pot I made it in since I made it, how many days after making it would you say its still safe to heat up and eat?

Leftover foods like your soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can freeze it for longer storage - 3 months. It is best to put the soup in smaller containers and get into the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. If you leave a large amount of soup in a large pot, it may take too long to cool down in the fridge.

I froze a stew a few months ago. I took it out today and heated the entire container of stew. Can it be heated again for another meal?

As long as the stew was refrigerated and cooled right away, you can reheat it within 3 to 4 days for another meat. Make sure the stew has not sat at room temperature for more than two hours. In the future, you can divide the stew into smaller containers, the size for one meal and you won't have to worry about leftovers!

How long is it safe to keep home-made salsa in the refrigerator?

If it is an uncooked salsa, the recommended storage time in the fridge would be 3 to 5 days.

I am going on vacations on the country side and there is no refrigerator. I am not sure that I will be able to buy food there. What kind of foods can I bring along?

I suggest that you read through the information on this website under the topics of Cook, Clean, Separate and Chill and apply the principles to the location of your holiday. It is hard to give you specific advice as I don't know if you are staying at a cabin with cooking facilities, a campsite or backpacking in a wilderness area.
If you are driving to the location of your holiday, you could take a cooler. Use blocks of ice to keep the food cool. You can also freeze food ahead and store in the cooler.
Also consider taking along dry soup mixes, canned foods and other convenience foods that don't require refrigeration. Fresh whole fruit and vegetables can be left at room temperature for short periods as well.

I just made homemade turkey soup last night. It was finished cooking at 6:20pm, but was too hot to refrigerate. We went out and intended to call home to get it put into the fridge, but we forgot. We came home and put it in the fridge about 12:30am. Is it still safe to eat? Thanks.

No, do not consumer the soup. It was left in the danger zone temperature for more than two hours. You do not need to cool hot food before you put it into the fridge. but very hot food can be left out for 30 minutes before refrigerating. Stirring the soup occasionally during this time speeds up cooling. Or, to cool more quickly, store the soup in smaller shallow containers and refrigerate right away.

I purchased a chicken on Oct. 11 with a sell by date of 10/14. I marinated the raw chicken on Fri.,10/13, and it has been marinating in the refrigerator since then (it's now 10/17). Is it safe to cook? How long can a marinated chicken stay in the refrigerator?

The chicken has been in the refrigerator for too long. I recommend that you discard it. The recommended storage time for raw chicken is 2 days. Marinating does not extend the storage time.

Can I freeze salmon pies? Thanks!

Yes, once the pie is baked, you could freeze it. Recommended storage time would be 3 months.

How long can legume remain in the freezer.

I am assuming that the legumes are cooked. If so, I always suggest that cooked foods can stored for up to 3 month in the freezer

how long can I keep an open jar of tomato sauce in the fridge?

I recommend that you use the tomato sauce within 5 days. You could also freeze the sauce, for up to 3 months.

Are packaged baby carrots still good after the best befopre date has expired

Ideally, the carrots should be consumed before the best before date. However, that date is a guideline and as long as the carrots have been refrigerated and they are still firm and crunchy, not showing signs of decay (slimey, off-odour), they should be safe to eat.

Hello, my question has to do with refrigerating hot foods/drinks. My sister-in-law prepares baby formula for her daughter (using boiled water with powder) and refrigerates the hot mixture immediately as to cool off to feed her (crying) daughter. Is it safe to refrigerate hot milk? or would it be better to cool the formula with the baby bottle in a cup of cold water for several minutes? Thank you in advance.

The key is ensure the hot milk is not left in the danger zone temperature (4ºC to 60ºC) for more than 2 hours. For an infant, the sooner it can be cooled to store, the better. As long as the hot milk is in individual bottles and not one large container, putting it in the fridge is the best strategy. If she is cooling it to feed the baby right away, putting in a bowl of cold water, shaking or stirring the ingredients, will help cool it as well. Refrigerating the hot milk is a safe thing to do.

I forgot to put Havarti cheese slices in the fridge after I came back from the grocery store. I put it in the fridge 3 hours later. The cheese was a bit soft and oily. Is it still safe to eat it?

You have left the cheese, a perishable food, in the danger zone temperature for more than 2 hours. I recommend that you discard it.

I made Frito Pie last night for dinner and I had to leave the house suddenly. My husband forgot to put it in the fridge and it was out for 3 hours. Is is safe to eat?

Because the pie has been left a room temperature (the danger zone) for more than two hours, it may not be safe to eat. I am very strict about that 2 hour rule. Don't take any chances.

Hi! I am wondering of we can freeze mushrooms? If so, how can we freeze them? Thanks!

Here are the directions for freezing mushrooms from the Canadian Produce Marketing Association. Check out their website for more information.

http://www.cpma.ca/Nutrition/en/freezingv.asp

Slice the mushrooms. Saute 500 mL (2 cups) in 30 mL (2 Tbsp) butter or margarine for 4 minutes. Package in freezer container. Once thawed, reheat for 15 minutes.

I bought some hamburger on 10-24-06 and it is now 10-29-06. It has been in the refrigeratorall this time. Is it ok for me to go ahead and still us it?

Ground meat should be cooked within 1 to days of purchase. I would be concerned about your ground beef that has been in the fridge for 5 days.

Can we freeze raw carrots? Thanks!

Check out the website of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association for information on freezing carrots.

_http://www.cpma.ca/Nutrition/en/freezingv.asp

I froze a cooked cherry pie. will it be soggy when unthawed, or should I put it in the oven awhile to thaw?

Take the cherry pie from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then heat in a 350ºF oven until the pie is warm, about 30 minutes. Or you can thaw the pie in the refrigerator.

Lately, my freezer has been acting up. It works fine and then sometimes, when I open the freezor door, it is fairly warm. It will always kick in and return to normal, but I am wondering how dangerous this might be. I have a thernometer in my fridge and freezor, and normally the temp in the freezor is between -10C to -20C. During these odd times, I have noticed that it reaches close to 10 degrees C and might stay like this for a short while, until it kicks in and brings it back down in the normal temp range. I have witnessed it cut out like this for almost an hour (the whole time the temp in the freezor) slowly rising, until it will kick in again. Am I at risk?? Is this ok (until I can get the money for a new freezer?). Thanks!

It is great that you are monitoring your fridge and freezer temperature! That is a good start. Ideally, your freezer temperature should be at -18ºC (0ºF). The freezer compartments of refrigerators are not designed to keep food as cold as a chest freezer so, as long as the food in your freezer remains solidly frozen, it will be safe. Make sure that you have not overloaded the freezer as then your fridge will have to work harder to keep it at the right temperature. If possible, have someone check that your compressor is working properly. And, the more that you open the freezer door, the harder it is to keep the cold air in!

Is it safe to store open cans of soup, vegetables, tomato juice, etc. in the refrigerator (in the original container)?

Having the food in the refrigerator will keep it safe to eat. However, leaving the container open means the food will dry out and lose quality more quickly. Also, the inside of the can will begin to corrode and give a "tinny" taste to the contents. It is best to store food in plastic or glass containers that are airtight.

How long can plain pasta stay out on the counter before I should throw it away?

If the pasta was cooked, it cannot be left at on the counter for more than two hours. Once cooked it becomes a moist, warm environment, an excellent growth medium for bacteria. If it was uncooked, dried pasta then it can be safely stored at room temperature.

How long can we keep an opened bottle of table white wine?

An opened bottle of white wine could probably keep for some time especially if it is capped and refrigerated. The alcohol level in wine will not allow the presence of a large variety of microorganisms to grow. However, once opened and contaminated with mold spores and yeasts and once they get used to their new environment they will be able to spoil the wine. You should be able to see a physical change in the wine. To be practical, I would say that white wine kept refrigerated should be used at least within two weeks after being opened.

How long can you keep an un-opened (plastic) bottle of apple juice?

Check for any best before dates on the container. And was the container refrigerated when purchased or stored on the shelf. In general, the recommended storage time for juices purchases refrigerated, unopened is 3 weeks. Juices purchased off the shelf can be stored for 4 to 6 months.

I cooked ham and beans in the crockpot and forgot to put them in the frig can i still eat them today?

If the ham and beans have been in the danger zone temperature for more than two hours, discard the food.

How long can we keep sliced ham?

Sliced ham can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Well wrapped, it will keep in the freezer for 2 to 3 months but its quality might be different from its fresh state.

Dear Mrs Cookwell I would like to know how long homemade pickles, chutneys and jams can be stored before opening and after opening how long can they be stored in the fridge ? Thanks Sue

If they have been safely preserved and processed, homemade pickles, chutneys and jams can be stored as long as a year. If opened within the year, use jams within six months, pickles and chutneys within two months.

Is it OK to use canned pumpkin (mashed) to make a pumpkin pie if the can is past use by date by 12 months.

After the Best Before Date, there will be a gradual loss of quality and there could be some safety issues of the can has been abused, (rust, severe dents, etc.).

Why is there micro-organisms that are completely destroyed at 80°C but there are not killed at 120°C

This is an interesting question. If we talk about different micro-organisms, it is completely normal to know some that get destroyed at 80°C while others are more heat-resistant. If we are talikng about the same micro-organisms, we have to consider other environmental factors such as their initial numbers before treatment, their physical conditions during their heat treatment, the acidity of the medium, protective ingredients such as fat globules, vegetative cells versus the spores which would resist more to heat. There is also the treatment time that would have an incidence on their destruction and their capacity to recuperate.

How long can you keep covered butter unrefrigerated?

Butter should not be left unrefrigerated. It should be stored in the refrigerator and once opened should be used within three weeks.

I bought two frozen vaccum packed tuna steaks, defrosted them and then put them in the fridge. That was around 5 days ago. Are they still ok? How long will they keep?

The tuna steaks should be discarded. They should have been defrosted in the fridge and cooked within 2 to 3 days.

Hi! I have found out tonight at around 11pm that my refrigerator was not working anymore. I do not have any ideas what was the temperature inside but this morning at around 8h30, I noticed that my glass of milk was not that cold. I think the refrigerator broke down last evening or during the night. Single packages of yogurt where more on the cold side. Should I throw away the content of the refrigerator particularly the milk, the eggs, sliced cheese and yogurt? Thanks!

You will find information on handling food when your refrigerator is not working at the following website:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/tipcon/emurge.shtml

I made a artichoke dip using feta and parmesin cheeses and mayonnaise baked in oven and left it out all night. Is it ok to eat now?

It is not okay to eat now. Your dip should be discarded when left at room temperature more than two hours after baking.

My grocery store carries summer sausage, both pork and beef, but doesn't keep it refrigerated. Instead, the packages sit in a display case in the middle of an aisle. The packages do say "Refrigerate after opening." So does that mean it's OK to sit out unrefrigerated like that until I buy it and open it?

To best answer this question I would need more information. I suggest that you check the package for contact information about the manufacturer of the sausage, and contact them for information on handling the product before and after opening.

We are having a discussion at work about how long condiments can be safely left in the refrigerator after they are opened. We are wondering about ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, salsa, butter and margarine. Please help us resolve our questions!

The recommended storage times for condiments varies from item to item and depends on the ingredients. In most cases there will be a gradual loss of quality after the maximum time and, eventually, there may be food safety issues. The recommended maximum storage times refrigerated after opening are: ketchup - 6 months, mustard- 12 months, salad dressings- see the Best Before Date, cooked salsa - 1 month, salted butter - 3 weeks after opening, margarine - 1 to 3 months.

Canned foods left at the cottage during winter; exposed to frost and thaw, are they hazardous to be consumed?

Can goods that have been exposed to frost and thaw in a cottage are hazardous to consume. When the cans are frozen, the product expanded and put pressure on the lids and the side weld of the can; compromising its integrity. The can could lost its commercial sterility rendering it a risk to your health. I strongly recommend to throw them away.

I left a pot of chilli out all night. Will it still be safe?

No, it will not be safe. If chilli is left at room temperature longer than 2 hours it should be discarded because harmful bacteria may have multiplied in it.

Is it safe to freeze store bought(already prepared) chicken salad made with mayonaise and then thaw and eat it later?

Don’t freeze chicken salad, made with mayonnaise. It does not freeze successfully because the mayonnaise separates

If I made Mac & Cheese for dinner last night, (no milk added), and left it in the pot on the counter, is is still okay to eat the next day?

Cooked macaroni and cheese provide the ideal environment for the development of harmful bacteria. If left on the counter overnight, it should be discarded.

Hi! There is formation of some frost inside my packs of frozen meat. What is the cause of that? Thanks for your answer.

Frost forming inside packages of frozen meat can be indication that the meat was not packaged air-tight. Or the frost may form if the meat has been stored in the freezer for longer than the recommended period of time. In either case, there will be loss of quality.

Last night I made sausage balls and had them in a bag with some ice while I drove for 2 hours. When I got home I put other cold stuff and the ice away but forgot about the sausage balls over night. There were left in an air tight container. I was supposed to take them to a party at my work. Will they still be okay?

No, by all means do not serve those balls at your work function. There is a great risk of food poisoning since your sausage balls spent more than 2 hours in the danger zone (room temperature) allowing harmful bacteria to growth. Do not take any chance, throw them out.

I have taken a package of steak from the freezer on Thursday and put direct into the fridge and today is Monday is it still okay to eat for dinner this evening. Thank you!

Once the steak was completely defrosted, it should be cooked within two days.

Hello, I purchased a roast on 12/19 and its "sell by" date is 12/22. I'll be preparing the roast on 12/24. Do I need to freeze it because I'll be cooking it two days after the selling date or will it be ok? Thank you so much for your time and happy holidays!

There is no need to freeze your roast for cooking on the 24th. A beef roast can be refrigerated as long as four days after purchase and your roast could be sold and purchased on the 22nd.

I froze beef stew. Thawed it out on Sunday for dinner. We are having it for dinner again tonight but there will still be some left. Can I refreeze it again? I wasn't thinking and should have stored in smaller containers.

Cooked beef stew can be refrigerated for a total of 4 days or frozen. Discard any leftovers after your second meal.

How long will cooked chicken last in the refrigerator?

Cooked chicken can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 4-6 months.

How long can you keep frozen raspberries in the freezer? They were just washed and stored in a plastic container.

Frozen raspberries can be stored in the freezer for as long as 1 year

How long can we keep a sandwich bread?

It depends. If we are talking about the bread itself, it should keep until the expiry date indicated on the attachment of the bag unless it is refrigerated or frozen. If sandwiches were prepared, depending of the ingredients, they should not be kept refrigerated for more than 2 to 3 days as the bread will absorb the dampness and become soggy.

As a rule of thumb, bread itself can be stored 2-4 days at room temperature, 7-14 days in the refrigerator, 1-3 months in the freezer.

I don't know the temperature of the fridge where our chicken soup was stored, but it didn't seem as cold as it should have been. Our meat thermometer only goes down to 60 degrees, and that is where the thermometer stuck when we measured the soup. Does boiling resolve the potential problem? For all we know, the fridge was at 40 degrees... Thanks.

The temperature of a refrigerator should be measured with a thermometer designed for use in the refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator temperature should be 4 degrees C/40 degrees F. If stored at too warm a temperature, your chicken soup may be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Boiling the soup may not make it safe to eat as some bacteria produce heat resistant toxins.

We brought home a smoked turkey on the afternoon of 12/24 from a smokehouse restaurant. The uncarved turkey was put in the oven on low heat during a party for several hours. Then the oven was turned off about 11:30 p.m. and the turkey was left in the oven overnight at room temperature. At about 8:00 a.m. the next morning the turkey was discovered and refrigerated. Is it safe to eat the turkey two days later?

No, your turkey is not safe to consume at it sat whole at room temperature for more than two hours. It should be thrown out. Consuming it could make you and your family very sick.

I left a pot roast out unrefridgerated last night by accident. How long will a pot roast keep safe before cooking?

A pot roast, raw or cooked, should not be left at room temperature longer than two hours. After that time, harmful bacteria may develop

My friend received a gift basket with 2 bricks of cheese in it this year. When I went to her house I saw the lovely basket and noticed that on the cheese bricks it stated "Keep Refrigerated" these are the 200 gram cheddar cheese bricks you usually find in the grocery dairy section- they are also shrink-wrapped and air tight. This basket with cheese was sitting out overnight and has been out for 3 days already in a warmer house. I would think that the cheese needs to be refrigerated at all times, but one of my friends told me that it is ok to leave wrapped cheddar chese out for 1 day or even 2 as it is in an airtight package. I thought that there would still be harmful bacteria, but she insists its fine. Who is right in this case. I know that some cheeses can be left out until they are opened, but it would usually say on the package "refrigerate after opening" and would be processed cheese...this is just regular cheese though. Thanks again,

You are correct. Most types of cheese should be kept refrigerated and not left at room temperature longer than two hours. Some processed cheeses such as processed cheese spread can be stored at room temperature until opened and then they should be refrigerated. Air tight shrink wrapping is not a substitute for refrigeration.

I am going to ask this because I am told there are not any stupid questions, so here goes: A frozen bone-in ham, vacuumed packed, has a sell by date of May 5, 2005. Is this ham still good or not? It was bought fresh and frozen right away.

Meat kept frozen are usually good for a year. In your case, ham does not keep well frozen because of it salt content and it will loose some of it original quality. It might still be safe to eat but during thawing in the refrigerator a lot of juice may come out of it and it texture might not be as appealing.

I made some lentil soup last night with fully cooked ham but I left it on the stove all night instead of putting it in the frig. Is it still good?

Lentil soup left on the stove overnight could be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Discard.

Can we eat trumpets of death mushrooms that have been picked frozen?

I recommend that you consult an expert on mushrooms for this question.

Here is my question: Can we pre-cook a beef roast, cool it down, put it in the refrigerator and finish the cooking with a gravy in the oven? Thanks!

As long as a beef roast is completely cooked, it can be refrigerated as quickly as possible and reheated with gravy in the oven later. If the roast is large, it may be necessary to speed up the cooling by slicing it and spreading on a tray or in a shallow pan.

How long can you keep salads that are mixed with mayonnaise in the fridge? Eg. potato salad, egg salad, cabbage salad.

Store prepared or homemade salads made with mayonnaise can be refrigerated 3 to 5 days.

To prepare food preserves at home, we must sterilize everything and can it. How long can we keep canned goods?

Foods that have been preserved at home using safe guidelines can be stored for one year.

How long after their expiry date can we keep commercially processed canned foods? How about the one that do not have expiry date? We are cleaning our cupboards and we do not have any guidances for the length of time canned foods can be kept. Thank you!

After the Best Before Date there will be a gradual loss of quality in commercially canned foods and eventually there may be food safety issues. High acid foods such as fruits and foods which contain tomatoes like tomato sauce can be kept for 18 months. Low acid canned foods such as vegetables and soups can be kept for 2 to 5 years.

How long can vinegar-based items, e.g. teriyaki sauce, red wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce, be kept in refrigerator after opening?

Once opened, teriyaki sauce can be stored as long as 6 months in the refrigerator, Worcestershire sauce for 1 year in the refrigerator and red wine vinegar for 1 year in the pantry.

Can we freeze some sauce that contains mayonnaise, dijon mustard and chili sauce?

It would be safe to freeze this sauce, but there may be some separation or curdling when thawed.

i cooked a chilli and a cottage pie this afternoon, they are in the fridge now. How long can i keep them before eating?

Both the chilli and cottage pie can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

My friend was served blue cheese dressing on a salad . She felt sick and looked at the expiration date. It had expired a year ago. Should she be alarmed?

If your friend continues to feel sick, she should see a doctor. The dressing may have been rancid and that could upset the stomach.

How long can cooked salmon store in the refrigerator and still be edible?

Cooked salmon will keep safely in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

I have a can of pineapple in a tin can in the fridge; it isn't open. I just put it in there to get cold. Is it okay to now use it and put it in a different container?

There should not be any problems to use those pineaples as long as the can has not been opened and is still in good condition. Once opened thought, they should be transferred in a different container as you intend to do.

How long can I keep in the refrigerator a salmon that I just cooked? Thanks!

Once cooked, your salmon should keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

I was given a ham that had previously been frozen and was still in the original wrapped package It sat in my ice box for 3 weeks. The use by date is in two weeks. Is this ham still good to eat?

How is the ham packaged? Is it in a cryovac package or a clear plastic wrap from the retail store? This will make a difference in how long the ham can be stored. Since it has a best before date that is still two weeks away, I am assuming that it is in the cryovac package. As long as the ham has been kept refrigerated, it will be safe to use.

This is a basic question. How long can we keep cubed sugar, icing sugar, salt and balsamic vinegar? Thank you!

Recommended storage time for:
sugar - 2 years
icing sugar - 18 months
balsamic vinegar - 2 years
I have no information on the shelf life of salt. It will remain safe over a long period of time and one noticable change would be in the colour of the salt. It turns from white to a yellowish hue.

Is it safe to freeze canned tuna after it has been removed from the can and put in an airtight bag?

Yes, it is safe to freeze canned tuna after it has been removed from the can and put into an airtight bag.

I have some old cans of pacific Evaporated Milk. I cannot decode the numbers stamped on the bottom of the cans. The "Saputo" site offers no help (or reference to this product). How can I decode the stamped numbers? How long can one keep evaporated milk?

Evaporated milk can be stored on the shelf for 9-12 months. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and used within 7-10 days.The numbers stamped on the bottom of the can would be a production code. If there is a 1-800 number for the manufacturer on the can, call and ask them to decode it for you.

We eat boiled potatoes with their skin left on. We were told the un-peeled leftover should not be refrigerated but rather kept in the closet for a maximum of 2 days since they were not peeled. I have doubts about that as I want to refrigerate them. What is the best way to preserve them? Thank you!

Your doubts are correct. Once cooked with or without their skins, potatoes can become contaminated with harmful bacteria. Leftovers should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Use within three days.

What are the kinds of bacteria that will grow under the temperature of below 40 degrees farenheit and >140 degrees farenheit?

Refrigeration or temperatures lower than 4 degrees C/ 40 degrees F do not kill bacteria. It either slows down or completely stops they activities and their growth. There is about one bacteria of concern that is known to be able to growth at temperature of less then 4 degrees C / 40 degrees F and it is Listeria monocytogenes. Above 60 degrees C / 140 degrees F, there is not much growth from any harmfull bacteria. Thermophilic bacteria would only be the type of bacteria that would enjoy growing at those higher temperatures. Mind you, spore-formers will resist those extreme temperatures and wait for more favourable conditions to thrive.

How long after opening a jar of baby food can we keep it without risking to have any bacterial contamination?

Leftover unused commercial baby food can be safely kept covered in the refrigerator for as long as two to three days.But when feeding, saliva is transferred to the food from the spoon. So start out with transferring a small amount of food in a separate dish and refill as necessary with a clean spoon.

How long can cooked, homemade lasagna stay in the refrigerator and still be safe to eat?

Cooked homemade lasagna can be refrigerated as long as three days or frozen for three months.

I made some homemade soup and was wondering how long I can store it in the refrigerator. (Creamy Tomato Florentine Soup)

Leftover homemade soup can be refrigerated as long as three days or frozen for four months.

There is a white film that forms on the surface of jar containing Kalamata olives with brine kept in the refrigerator. Is this a sign that the olives are turning bad? There is no bad odor and the taste seems to be the same. Thanks!

The white film forming on the surface of the olives is due probably by their continuing process of fermentation. Once the jar of olives is opened, it should be refrigerated and consumed within two weeks.

How long will a bag of dried tomatoes stay good once opened and refridgerated?

An opened bag of sun dried tomatoes can be safely refrigerated as long as 12 months in an air tight container.

How long can stocks last in a freezer? Is 4 months the maximum time for storing stocks in a freezer?

For safety and good quality, meat broth and stocks should only be stored in the freezer for three months. Soups may be stored four months.

How long can you keep products such as mustard, italian dressing, macaroni & cheese, cake mixes, cereals past the expiration date unopened?

Manufacturers of food products determine how long each product will be of good quality and safe unopened. After the Best Before Date there will be a gradual loss of quality and food safety problems may develop. How quickly this happens varies with the type of product, how it has been processed and packaged and how it has been handled during distribution and storage in your kitchen. Consult the booklet " How to store food safely" from the Food Safety Information Society's" website at the following address:

www.foodsafetyline.org

My husband ate fresh vegetables with Roka Blue Cheese Dressing last night and is feeling sick today. I looked at the expiration date on the bottle and it said it expired January 19, 2007. Today is February 23rd. Could he have food poisoning?

Without lab tests, it cannot be determined exactly the cause of your husband's illness. But we do know that foods such as salad dressing should be kept refrigerated and not used after the Best Before Date.

Is it safe to eat yesterdays lunch????

Yesterday's lunch may or may not be safe to eat. If it is a homemade lunch and has been kept refrigerated, it would be safe to eat. But if it has been kept at temperatures above 4 degrees C/40 degrees F for longer than two hours it should be discarded. Leftover restaurant food can be safe if it is refrigerated within two hours of the time it left the restaurant kitchen. If reheating the leftover lunch, heat to piping hot 74 degrees C/165 degrees F.

Cooked spaghetti sauce (no meat) and then left it out over night on counter (about 12 hours). It is now refrigerated. Can it still be served or should I throw it away?

The spaghetti sauce should be discarded, not served. Once the sauce has been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours, there is a risk it could be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

How long can I keep mussels in the fridge before cooking them.

Fresh muscles are alive and so are extremely perishable. They should be cooked within 24 hours.

How long can you store home made beef lasagna in the fridge for?

Leftover cooked homemade beef lasagna can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 2 to 3 months.

We purchased chicken from a St-Hubert restaurant. After the meal, we forgot to put the leftovers in the refrigerator. They stayed at room temperature for almost 12 hours. Is it still good to eat? The chicken was well cooked.

Don't eat the leftover cooked chicken. If it has been more than two hours from the time it left the restaurant's kitchen until the time you notice that you forgot about it. There is a risk that the chicken could be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

I opened a package of soy hot dogs on Sunday. How long can they be kept in the fridge? May I still eat them on Wednesday?

Soy hot dogs can be refrigerated as long as 4 days.

I do have a chest freezer and I cannot find a solution to know what it contains so I would not lose any foods. Do you have any suggestions?

Keep an inventory or list of what is stored in your freezer including the date it was frozen and a use by date. Cross off items as they are used.

How long can a plastic bottle of clamato juice last? It was opened, used, resealed and put in the fridge.

Once opened, clamato juice should be refrigerated and used within 5 to 7 days.

Can we perform bacteriological tests before consuming foods if they are homemade preserves made several years ago?

These tests would have to be done by a commercial lab and are costly. Every jar would have to be tested and once tested, the contents would have to be discarded. Homemade preserves should be used within one year.

I have a freezer that doesn't have a temperature control. So I put in a thermometer inside. Can you tell me at what temperature my freezer should be maintained at? Thanks!

To store food safely, a freezer should be maintained at -18 degrees C (0 degrees F).

Three questions: If peanut butter and oil is not refrigerated...how long is shelf life once opened? AND How long is vinegar good, once opened unrefigerated> AND How long are bottled olives, good for refrigerated, once opened?

Opened peanut butter stored at room temperature should be used within three months. Most all purpose oils can be stored six months at room temperature once opened. Vinegar can be stored one year opened at room temperature.Olives, once opened, should be refrigerated and used within two weeks.

How long can canned foods not opened be kept

Unopened canned foods which are higher in acid such as fruit, sauerkraut or tomatoes or anything with tomatoes as an ingredient, should be kept no longer than 18 months. Low acid canned foods such as vegetables, poultry, fish and soups except for tomato can be kept 2 to 5 years.

Can we freeze a canned vegetable leftover?

Yes, it is safe to freeze leftover canned vegetables.

I bought fresh salad makings last night(lettuce, broccoli, red pepper, cucumber). I forgot and left them in the bag on my kitchen counter. It is about 74 degrees F (23 degrees C) in our home. I am not too worried about the pepper and cucumber, it is the bagged unwashed romaine and the broccoli I am concerned about. Are they okay?

According to a publication entitled Food Safety Facts for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommends that broccoli, romaine lettuce, peppers and cucumbers should be promptly refrigerated after returning home from purchasing them. They should always be refrigerated to avoid spoilage. Because your lettuce and broccoli will be eaten raw, it is important that they be discarded if left at room temperature longer than two hours. If the cucumbers and peppers were offered for sale unrefrigerated at the grocery store they may be left at room temperature a bit longer but eventually, they should be refrigerated for top quality and food safety.

I just realized that my fresh (raw) salmon is 2 days past the expiry date. I've put it in the freezer for now. Is it safe to cook it and eat it if it is past the expiry date? Also, can refrigerated Boursin Cheese be eaten past the expiry date if it has been unopened?

For best quality and food safety, raw salmon should be cooked or frozen on or before the Best Before Date. Boursin is a soft cheese which does not freeze well. So it should be used on or before the Best Before Date.

Hi, eggs have a best before date.....this means the eggs are safe to eat, if stored properly, before this date...so how long after this date are they safe to eat.........how will I know when they are bad...........apart from my judgment on looking at the eggs contents.........are they not guaranteed to be safe to eat after this date.

According to the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency, the best before date printed on the packaging show the time until when the eggs will maintain their Grade A status. After this date, they couls always be consumed if they were kept under excellent conditions and handled properly (not cracked). During frying or poaching, their shape might not be as good. To that effect, it would be advisable to use them in cooking recipes such as scrambled eggs or cakes, pancakes, etc.

You cannot tell when eggs
are bad because if there is bacterial contamination, it may not be seen, smelled or tasted.

I purchased pork chops on a thursday seasoned them and placed them in the refrigerator. I realized I was not going to be able to cook them and put them in the freezer packaged in glad's press and seal freezer wrap. I took them from the freezer 1 week later and placed them in the fridge to thaw for 4 days is it safe to cook and eat.?

How safe they are depends on how long they were in the fridge before they were frozen and how long they took to thaw in the fridge. They should have been frozen within four days. Once thawed, they should be cooked within two days.

I froze a casserole mixture made from canned tuna, hard-cooked eggs, rice, onions and cream soup from a can. The food was cooled off before I put it in an airtight container. It has been in the freezer since Aug 27 06, so about seven months (now March 07). Is this ok to eat?

From a quality point of view, the recommended maximum storage time for this kind of casserole would be three months.

My husband eats directly from jam jars, ice cream containers, yogourt containers etc... With almost all food products, he dips his spoon into it and puts it in his mouth... I have heard that bacteria are formed when we eat directly from a container.... I would like to know more about this subject.

There are bacteria in your mouth. The type of bacteria will depend on your health. Each time a spoon or fork is put in your mouth and then into a container of food, there is cross contamination or a transfer of bacteria to the food. These bacteria will then multiply in the leftover food and, if harmful, can make you sick.

How long can you keep cooked chicken in the refrigerator before eating it?

Cooked chicken can be refrigerated as long as four days.

I cooked chicken and saved the broth in the refrigerator for dumplings. How long can the chicken broth stay in the fridge and still be consumed?

The broth should be refrigerated no longer than two days.

I marinated chicken drumsticks and thighs in salad dressing, coated them with Italian bread crumbs, and baked them. After cooking they went into the refrigerator. It is 7 days later and I have 5-6 of them left. I pulled the meat from the bone, cut it up, and made chicken salad with mayonnaise. My husband thinks I should throw it all away. I tasted it and it was good. Is my husband right?

Cooked chicken can be safely refrigerated as long as three to four days. After that there will be loss of quality and harmful bacteria may develop that you cannot see, taste or smell.

How long does canned sauerkraut stay good once it is opened, transferred to a ziplock container, and refrigerated?

Canned foods that are high in acid like sauerkraut may be safely refrigerated 5 to 7 days.

How can you find the expiry date on Betty Crocker cake mixes?

Products like cake mixes which have a shelf life of 90 days or more do not require a Best Before Date in Canada. However, there should be a production code somewhere on the package and if you call the company with that code, they should be able to tell you when it was produced. Use a felt tipped pen to mark the purchase date on such products.

How long can I keep beef in the freezer?

Beef steaks and roasts can be frozen as long as 10 to 12 months. But ground beef should only be stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.

i bought a container of already made chicken salad. I left home one morning and left the refrigerator open and it was unrefrigerated all day even though it was unopened is it okay to eat? I did get it cold again

Even though the chicken salad was unopened, it could develop harmful bacteria when left at room temperature all day. Throw the salad away.

We often hear that if we put plastic containers in the freezer or in the microwave, that it can be carcinogenic. I would like to have your opinion on this. Can food stored in Tupperware containers become carcinogenic if those are used to microwave or to freeze? If so, in what should we put our food in the freezer when we want to freeze leftovers, etc.

Plastic containers which are designed for use in the microwave and freezer are safe to use for leftovers unless they are so badly worn that harmful bacteria can hide in the nicks and crevices. But, do not use containers designed for one use or recycled packaging such as yogourt and margarine containers in the microwave as there may be some transfer of harmful chemicals from the container into the food.

I cooked salmon in a bbq sauce in the oven on a cedar plank 3 days ago and it was then put in the fridge. Will it be okay if I put it in the freezer and save for a week or so?

Cooked salmon can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 4 to 6 months. So, yes, it would be safe to freeze.

I left out sea food jambalaya from 12 midnight to 9 AM. It was covered...but it was still left out. I refrigerated and warmed it...is it ok to eat????

No it is not okay to eat. There is a high risk that if the seafood jambalaya was contaminated with harmful bacteria, those could have grew to an undesirable level when left at room temperature longer than 2 hours (one hour in the summer).

I left salad dressing for cabbage, ketchup, mustard and relish in my fridge all winter (I own a snack). I have brought back these items to the house now and was wondering if I could eat them safely? Thanks.

As long as the refrigerator has been maintained at the proper temperature (4ºC/40ºF), the recommended storage time for ketchup is 6 months, mustard - 12 months, salad dressing - 3 months or check the best before date.

I had a loaf of bread that was nearing the expiration date on the bag. There were 2 days left, so I stuck it in the freezer. Once thawed, how long can I keep it before it needs to be thrown out?

Once thawed, the bread will be of good quality until the Best Before Date or for two days. Then there will be gradual loss of quality and mould may develop.

How long can you keep shrimp in the refrigerator before it turns bad?

Recommended storage time for raw shrimp in the refrigerator is 1 to 2 days.

What is the shelf life of fresh brewed tea, to be used for iced tea. The tea is in a covered pitcher.

Harmful bacteria will not grow in tea but there will be a gradual loss of flavour.

Could you tell me how long yogurt (kept refrigerated) is safe to eat after the best before date.

Yogourt should not be eaten after the Best Before Date.

I will thaw a beef roast that I purchased on May 16th, 2005. Can I still eat it?

A fresh beef roast can be stored in the freezer at -18 degrees C (0 degrees F)for 10 to 12 months. After that there will be a gradual loss of quality including flavour, texture and nutritional value.

I ordered some cooked salmon for lunch today and took the left overs to go, but I went to the mall and put it in my trunk for about two hours. If I put it in the oven and recook it a little will it be okay to eat still?

If fish is left unrefrigerated for longer than two hours (one hour in warmer temperatures) there is a risk it may be contaminated with harmful bacteria. In your case, start counting the time as soon as the fish came out of the restaurant's kitchen the first time to be served. If it is more than two hours, then you should throw the fish away. Recooking it may not eliminate this risk.

I cooked a beef joint on Sunday, the leftovers were refrigerated within 2 hours. I made a cottage pie with it on Monday and the leftovers from that were refrigerated within 2 hours. Can I reheat the cottage pie leftovers for tonight (Tuesday)?

Yes, it would be safe to reheat the leftover pie. But only reheat the portion you plan to eat.

How long can I keep marinated chicken packed under vaccum storage temp between -1c : +4?

If your marinated chicken has been commercially marinated and packaged, the label should have a Best Before Date. Use by that date. If the chicken was marinated and packaged at home, it should be cooked within three days of purchase.

How long can prepared (uncooked)lasagna last refrigerated before cooking

This is going to depend on the ingredients and how the lasagna was prepared. If it contains an uncooked egg, it should be refrigerated no longer than one day. If any of the ingredients were warm when it was assembled, it should be baked immediately and then freeze in small portions.

I have cooked a large ham for Easter. I have a lot of leftovers. How long can I keep them in the refrigerator?

Cooked ham can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

I made some chicken soup on Sunday 4/1. At that time we stripped the well boiled chicken off the bones and refrigerated it. I ate some tonight, Monday 4/9. Was that safe?

It may not have been safe. Cooked chicken can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days or frozen for 4 to 6 months.

Can I freeze cooked slices of ham?

Yes, cooked ham can be frozen for 2 to 3 months but there will be loss of quality when ham is frozen because of the high moisture content.

i bought a large package of ground beef, and forgot it was in the refridgerator for 2 days, will it still be good? can I still freeze it?

Ground meat should be eaten within two days of purchase or frozen for as long as two to three months. In your case, it should be fine to freeze it.

I bought a pudding but the expiry date has passed a week ago now. Can I still eat it?

Your pudding should not be eaten after the Best Before Date.

Is it okay to leave a jug of cranberry (non-organic) juice out of the fridge? The container says "refrigerate after opening", but the juice smells/ tastes/ looks fine.

If the label says "refrigerate after opening", the juice should not be left at room temperature for a total of more than one hour in the summer (two hours in the winter).

My husband bought a dozen eggs last evening and left them on the counter all evening and morning. I noticed them still in the bag this morning at about 10:00. Do I need to dispose of them?

Eggs are perishable and to preserve their safety and quality, they should not be left at room temperature longer than two hour. Discard your eggs.

How many days is homemade spaghetti good for and when should it be thrown away.

If you're asking about leftover spaghetti with pasta sauce, it can be refrigerated three days.

I made a pasta dish (pasta, mushrooms, spinach, canalini beans, tomatoes and asiago cheese) and after eating it, it sat out for 3 hours. I immediately refridgerated it when I got home. Is it safe to eat?

Once your pasta dish was left at room temperature longer than two hours (one hour in the summer) it may not be safe to eat and should be discarded.

I bought a package of fresh sauerkraut from the store. How long can you keep it in the refrigerator after opening it?

Sauerkraut can be refrigerated for 3 months in its brine.

How long can you safely keep boiled eggs in the refrigerator?

Hard cooked eggs can be refrigerated one week.

I heard that refrigerating canned/tinned foods is dangerous. Is this true?

No, it is not dangerous to refrigerate unopened canned foods. However, once they are opened, if they are high acid like fruit and tomatoes, their content should be transfered in a hermetically sealed container and refrigerated 5-7 days. For low acid like canned beans and soups, again transfer contents in a similar container and refrigerated 3 to 4 days.

How long can cooked chicken, pizza, hamburgers, and pork chops last in the refrigerator. also I have a family from Vietnam and they never refrigerate a lot of their foods. i will not eat it but they seem to never get sick, are they used to this?

Mrs. Cookwell can only provide the very best food safety information available in Canada. She cannot comment on the food habits of other countries. Cooked chicken, hamburgers and pork chops can be refrigerated as long as 4 days. Cooked pizza should be refrigerated and used within a day.

How long can baked chicken breasts be kept in refrigerator before serving?

Baked chicken breasts should be refrigerated and used within four days.

My husband left a lettuce salad sit on the counter all day. It has broccoli, carrots, and lettuce in it. Can I still serve it?

Cut and washed vegetables should be kept refrigerated. Since the salad was left out at room temperature for more than two hours, it may no longer be safe to consume, especially if it had a salad dressing combined with the vegetables.

Our fridge isn't working properly and has been about 7-10 degrees for many days - should we discard the whole contents? We don't get our new fridge till Sat and it's only Wed. S

If all perishable foods (raw or cooked) in the refrigerator were exposed at temperature above 4 degrees C for more than 2 hours (which seems to be the case here), they should be thrown out.

Recently purchased a plastic bottle of natural apple juice,was bought from the store and in the car for 4-5 hours ( outside temp around 55 degress farenhiet) and then refrigerated, some of it was used that day, but when to get a drink today, there was a round ball shape with hairy spikes, when it was poured out into a bowl, the shape then changed into a long mucus looking string, could this be a natural fermentation process ??

I am afraid that your juice has been spoiled and what you described looks like mold that grew in the product. There is no information indicating that the juice has received any heat treatment such as pasteurization. What it sold refrigerated? And if so; it should have been kept that way all the time. But from what you described; it looks like mold and the juice should be discarded.

I bought a frozen Roast Beef from M and Ms in January and put it in my Freezer. What I would like to know is if its okay to defrost in my fridge and cook it?

A frozen roast, can safely be stored in the freezer for 12 months. Defrosting in your refrigerator is the best method. Make sure that you allow enough time for the roast to thaw.

Hi! I would like to know how long can I keep refrigerated leftover pasta with comercially prepared sauce (without meat and chicken)? Thank you!

Recommended storage time for leftover like pasta and sauce in the refrigerator is 3 to 4 days. You can freeze for longer storage.

I left one slice of cheese wrap out all day and all night on my desk at work. Can I eat it the next morning?

Cheese slices should be refrigerated. If left at room temperature longer than one hour (two hours in the winter) there is a risk that if harmful bacteria are present, they will develop to a harmful level.

Your advices are very important. Thank you very much. How long can we keep a soup in the refrigerator after it has been thawed? Thank you!

After it has been thawed in the refrigerator, cooked soup should be kept no longer than 2 to 3 days.

Why do eggs need to be refrigerated? You stated in an answer to a previous question that if eggs aren't kept at 4C/40F or lower then they need to be thrown out. Fresh eggs on the farm aren't refrigerated immediately after they are laid and (as an example) in Australia eggs are sold on a regular shelf in the grocery store, not in a refrigerated section at all. Please explain.

Australian legislation and Canadian legislation are very different when it comes to egg regulations. The Canadian Start-Clean-Stay CleanTM program followed by egg producers requires producers to have coolers on-farm for the storage of eggs. This allows eggs to cool down slowly, thereby preventing the eggs from cracking as a result of a sudden change in temperature. The cooling helps to maintain both quality and food safety standards. Once eggs arrive at a grading station, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Egg Regulations take effect, which among other things covers storage temperatures of eggs pre-and post-grading.

Egg quality can decline more during one day at room temperature than during one week in the refrigerator. Refrigerator temperatures (4 degrees C / 40 degrees F or below) not only help maintain quality by slowing the loss of moisture and carbon dioxide from the eggs, but also keep bacteria that cause food-borne illness from growing. Also, the larger the number of Salmonella present in/on the egg, the more likely it is to cause illness. Keeping eggs adequately refrigerated prevents any Salmonella present in/on the eggs from growing to higher numbers, so eggs should be held refrigerated until they are needed.

How can we preserve a sauce that was vacuum-packed after opening the bag in the summer time?

If you sauce is a leftover from the vacuum pack, it could be frozen pending that the original vacuum-packed sauce was kept refrigerated at all time. Otherwise, it may not be safe to keep it longer than needed especially if it has not been refrigerated. Vacuum packaging extends the shelf life a bit but is not a replacement for packaging in canning jars and proper processing in a boiling water canner or pressure canner depending on the type of sauce.

I have some plain (no sauce) spaghetti pasta I cooked, and immediately refrigerated in a rubbermaid container. How long does it last in your refrigerator?

Cooked pasta should be kept refrigerated and used or frozen within three days.

When we put hard-boiled eggs in vinegar, can we keep them on the counter at room temperature or should we put them in the refrigerator? How long can we keep them?

Pickled eggs can be refrigerated as long as a month if they are prepared by a reliable recipe that includes pouring the simmering vinegar over the eggs. If they are commercially prepared and the jar has been openend, it is better to keep them in the refrigerator.

I would like to know how to keep a can of peanut paste that has been opened and used?

Usually, the peanut paste should keep at room temperature until it expiry and may be beyond. Check the label of your product to see if refrigeration after opening is recommended. If not, commercial peanut butter (paste) can be stored on the shelf for 2 to 3 months.

Is it safe to store real butter on the kitchen counter covered in a butter dish? I have a friend who does this to keep her butter soft. Thank you.

When butter is left for too long a period at room temperature, it will develop a rancid taste which can make some people sick.For best quality and shelf life, butter should be stored on refrigerator shelves. Bring out only as much as you will be using and return it to the refrigerator between uses.

I left packaged thuringer out of refrigerator over night. Is it safe to eat.

It is not safe to eat sausages that have been left at room temperature longer than one hour (2 hours in the winter)because there is a risk that enough harmful bacteria may have developed to cause illness.

I bought salmon and it ended up on the kitchen counter for an hour an half. Is it safe to eat?

Fish is extremely perishable and must be kept refrigerated to prevent spoilage and the possible growth of harmful bacteria. In the summer, it should be discarded if left at room temperature longer than one hour including transportation from the store to your fridge.

My son drank an unopened pasteurized carton of orange juice at 8am this morning that he put in his backpack at 8am yesterday. We did not know this until after he did it. How dangerous was the juice?

It's hard to answer this question because some details are missing. If the pasteurized juice was a tetra pack that is normally stored on the shelf, there would be no danger. If the juice was in a carton that requires refrigeration then during the 24 hours at room temperature there would be loss of quality and spoilage but there may not be any food safety issues.

I took a frozen roast out and left out all night and put it back in fridge next morning for dinner. Is this dangerous?

Yes, it can be dangerous because the outside of the roast becomes warm enough to support the growth of harmful bacteria on its surface. The safe ways to defrost a roast is in the refrigerator or sealed in a package or plastic bag in a sink of cold water, replacing with more cold water every 45 minutes.

I usually buy bottled pasta sauce. Once opened, how long can it be kept in the refrigerator?

Once opened, bottled pasta sauce can be refrigerated as long as five days.

Hi, I would like to know how long you can keep sweetened condensed milk in a can. It has not been opened, but the can has expired.

Sweetened condensed milk should be used by the "Best Before Date" or within 9 to 12 months. Once opened, sweetened condensed milk may be refrigerated 7 to 10 days.

Is it hazardous for a toddler to consume the instant cereal which has passed 1 month from the expiry date even though it is still new box -unopened package?

A toddler should not eat instant cereal or other foods which have passed their Best Before Date". Not only will there be loss of quality, but there will also be loss of nutrients which the toddler needs.

Is it hazardous to consume expired (more than 3 months from expiry date) fried snacks like prawn crackers even though it is new and unopened package?

The food manufacturer determines the date to which the food will be of good quality and this is the Best Before Date. So they may not be hazardous, but after that date foods gradually loose quality including flavour and texture even though sealed in a package.

When I make German Potato Salad,I like eating it at room temperature. So how long can I safely keep it out of the refrigerater after making it?

Leave your German Potato salad at room temperature no longer than one hour in the summer (two hours in the winter).

We love fishing. We used to keep our catches on ice until we get back home. After cleaning them, how long can we keep those fresh fish in the refrigerator? And how long in the freezer? Allow me to congratulate you for this website and all the information we can find.

Once put in the refrigerator, the fresh fish would keep for 3 to 4 days. In the freezer, if they are lean fish, 6 months but for fatty fish such as salmon, 2 months. Thank you for your comments.

I have purchased black blood pudding Saturday June 2nd. One package was wrapped the same day the other one the day before; June 1st. Is it still safe to eat it Monday June 4th?

Black blood pudding should be of good quality and safe to eat 4 to 5 days after it is purchased. There should not be a problem in your case.

Hi hardboiled eggs and then forgot to run cold water over them and they sat out for 2 hours before refrigerating them. Should I toss them?

Hard cooked eggs should be stored in the refrigerator as soon as possible after cooking. Like all perishable foods, they should be discarded if left at room temperature longer than one hour (two hours in the winter).

I have prepared some clafouti with whole flour that was expired since the end of 2005. I noticed the date only after the preparation. Can I still eat it?

You can still eat the clafouti but the topping may not taste very good. After the Best Before Date, there is gradual loss of quality including flavour. Whole wheat flour could be rancid.

My husband might have eaten a frankfurter roll that had some green mold on it. Can he get sick from this? Is there any danger long-term?

Mouldy foods should not be eaten. Some moulds contain toxins which can make you sick. Other moulds are thought to be carcinogenic.

How long can you keep fresh snap beans in the fridge before cooking?

For best quality and nutritional value, fresh snap beans may be refrigerated up to 5 days.

After a recent barbecue, my husband and I discovered that two racks of baby back ribs were left in the oven over night. Do we discard them?

Perishable cooked foods, such as leftover meats, that have been unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour if left in the sun or heat) should not be eaten. Bacteria grow very well in the temperature range of 4ºC - 60ºC.

A butcher told me that all food containing sauce such as spaghetti sauce or meatballs stew can keep up to seven days in the refrigerator. Is this true or is it like any other foods, 3 to 4 days?

Cooked foods containing sauces can be kept only as long as three to four days in the refrigerator.

How long can I leave fresh brewed ice tea with sugar And with out lemon out of the refrigerator?

Iced tea has been linked to bacterial contamination. To minimize the risks the US Tea Association recommends that finished brewed tea not be stored at room temperature for more than eight hours.

We frequently pour tinned peaches (or similar) into a plastic container and keep it in the fridge for long periods of time. Sometimes it is a couple of weeks before we get around to eating the fruit. Is this safe?

Canned, high acid foods such as fruits, that have been
stored in the refrigerator
should be eaten within 5 - 7 days.

I have prepared a large spaghetti sauce from a recipe and I let it cool down. Horror! I forgot all about it and let it sit on the counter overnight; 12 hours under air conditioned. Should I throw it out?

Your sauce should have been cooled promptly and refrigerated. After being left at room temperature for longer than two hours there is an increasing risk that harmful bacteria, if present, will multiply and cause foodborne illness. The sauce should be thrown out.

My husband made a recipe consisting of fresh, diced onions, carrots and jalepeno peppers, which he placed in a glass jar and then poured in vinegar to cover the vegetables. This he stores on the counter, loosely covered. He claims the acidity of the vinegar and peppers will prevent bacteria from growing. Is it safe to eat (other than burning my mouth) and if so, how long can it be stored at room temperature? His feelings are hurt as I have refused to try it.

To determine the safety of this recipe, the recipe would have to be standardized and the microbiological content would have to be tested. General guidelines would be that cut vegetables should be kept refrigerated so your mixture should be refrigerated and then it could be stored for 5 days.

I cooked chicken, and then left it out for 14 hours by mistake. It was prepared with balsamic vinegar though, and it completely saturated with it. I'm wondering if the acid content makes it still safe to eat... it certainly smells ok.

There is a high risk that cooked chicken prepared with balsamic vinegar and left at room temperature for 14 hours would not be safe to eat. Throw it out.

My German husband claims that no one here leaves jam or jelly in the refrigerator after it has been opened. I think it is dangerous to eat. What is correct?

Food Safety recommendations differ from country to country. It is true that jams and jelly have a sugar content very high and not much would grow in in the short term. However here in Canada, it is recommended that jams and jellies be refrigerated after opening since we would have a tendency to keep them much longer. Refrigeration would avoid the growth of spoilage microorganisms such as mold and yeast.

My husband went grocery shopping and bought a lot of meat. (beef, pork, and chicken). My son put food in the freezer but didn't close the door all the way. So the freezer door sat open for 19 hours. Some of the meat is still fridge temperature, and the meat further back is still half-frozen. Is any of it salvagable?

If the meat was cold as if it sat in the refrigeration température (4 degrees C / 40 degrees F) or less or had started to freeze with frost or ice crystals formed, it should be safe to freeze and eat later as long as it is thawed in the refrigerator and handled properly.

I have purchased a can of Heinz tomato soup in the morning and left it all morning long in the car parked under the sun at 25 degrees C. They were hot to the touch. Can I still eat it?

Because we don't know how hot it was in the car and because we do know that extreme heat can activate food spoilage bacteria (thermophilic bacteria), discard the soup.

Made a meatless lasagna at 10PM. Forgot to refrigerate it until morning. Can I cook it for dinner?

Even though it's meatless, the lasagna would be perishable and there is a risk that harmful bacteria may multiply when the lasagna is left at room temperature longer than one hour in the summer. It should be thrown out.

How long can I keep a whole frozen turkey (12-15 lbs.)in the freezer? Also, a whole frozen chicken (5 lbs.).

If properly wrapped, whole frozen turkey and chicken may be frozen as long as one year without loss of quality.

I am wondering of the re-use of food containers such as yogurt or pudding to keep other foods presents any kind of danger for the health of children?

Using plastic containers for anything other than their original purpose can cause health problems.If you reuse them for storage, let the food cool before storing, then refrigerate it immediately. Don't use plastic cabinets in the microwave unless they are labeled as microwave safe. Avoid visibly damaged, stained or unpleasant smelling plastics.

How long can you keep frozen blueberries?

For optimal freshness and quality, blueberries can be frozen for 4 - 6 months.

How long can we keep a ground pork meat tourtière in the freezer? Thanks!

For best quality and flavour, 2 - 3 months in the freezer.

I bought eggs from the grocery store and I forgot to put them in the fridge for about a good 3 hours are they still good?

Eggs are perishable and should be kept cold from the time they are selected at the grocery store until they are cooked and eaten.

1. You have a small kitchen with a refrigerator. You have a great idea suddenly. To cool the kitchen, you leave the refrigerator door open. Just how good is your idea? Why? 2. How can you slice onions without tears coming out from your eyes?

It is not a safe idea to leave your refrigerator door open to cool your kitchen because the temperature in the fridge will rise above 4 degrees C/40 degrees F which is the safe temperature for storage of perishable food. As for your second question, Mrs. Cookwell does not answer questions about cooking techniques unless they relate to food safety. Check the internet for an answer.

I came home from the grocery store in a hurry and didn't notice that meat was in the bottom of the produce bag. It sat out in a cool house for about an hour and a half. Is it safe to cook and then eat?

If meat has been left unrefrigerated for longer than one hour (two hours in the winter), including the trip home from the grocery store, there is a risk that harmful bacteria which may be present may have multiplied enough to cause illness.

I skillet cooked chicken breasts and placed them directly into a tupperware around 9 p.m. The tupperware was left on the countertop until 7 a.m. when it was placed in the fridge. Can I eat the chicken?

Cooked chicken breasts left on a counter at room temperature longer than one hour (two hours in the winter) should be discarded because there is a risk that harmful bacteria may have developed. There could be food poisoning.

How long can opened juice from the grocery isle be left in the fridge?

Once opened, juice from a can should be transferred to another fridge storage container and refrigerated. It can be refrigerated for 5 to 7 days.

Can I eat cooked shrimps that were in the refrigerator for the last four days?

Cooked shrimp can only be refrigerated for one to two days.

I have leftover scallops and shrimp scapi from dinner Friday night. Today is Monday. Are they still good to eat? They were put in the refrigerator as soon as I got home from the restaurant. Please tell me if I can eat them for lunch today? Thank you very much.

I would not recommend your leftover restaurant food be eaten. This time of year, to be safe, it should be refrigerated within an hour of leaving the kitchen which is difficult unless you eat quickly and have a short trip home.

When I buy summer sausage at the store from the deli, how long does it stay good in the refrigerator?

Sliced deli meats can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days.

I started to eat one of the chocolate bars my son had been selling for his school when I noticed that there was mold inside the chocolate bar on the caramel part. I did not comsume more than one bite. The real problem is, is that it was not expired, and I had put them into my sons birthday gift bags for him and his friends four days ago. All the kids have eaten them. The mold was at the end part of two of the chocolate bars I had left. Will the kids get ill from the mold if there was any present in their chocolate bars?

The kids may get ill because some moulds produce toxins which can make you sick. Other types of moulds are thought to be carcinogenic. Any remaining chocolate bars should be returned to the supplier so he can remove that batch from the market.

What would spoil more quickly ground beef or steak?

All kinds of ground meat can only be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. Steaks will keep a little bit longer; 2 to 4 days.

I was wondering how long apple butter will last in the refrigerator once it is opened. The "best by" date is January 2009. Does that mean if it is opened or unopened? I have had it opened since December 2006? There don't appear to be any preservative (ie: citric acid) on the ingredient list.

Once opened, the Best Before Date on apple butter would not apply. So once opened, it should be refrigerated and used within six months.

Hi! I purchased spare ribs at the grocey store on Sunday and I put them in the refrigérator. We are Wednesday; is it to late to cook them?

Pork meat such as those ribs can be refrigerated 2 to 4 days so today would still be good to cook them but it is the last day.

I would like to know how long can we keep chicken livers in the refrigerator?

Chicken livers may be refrigerated for two days or frozen for three to four months.

I have boiled some salmon. How long can I keep it refrigerated before preparing a salmon pâté?

Cooked fish can be refrigerated three to four days.

How often can I re-use an emptied plastic bottle water when I refill it myself with water coming from the refrigerator? This is a big family debate.

The bottles that commercially bottled water is packaged in are single use containers and should be recyled after a single use.

Can I boil food that was left at room temperature for 9 hours and kill the bacteria for it to be safe to eat?

Some bacteria produce heat resistant toxins not destroyed by boiling and can cause food poisoning. Throw the food away.

i have thawed halibut that has been in refrigerator for 6 days. is it safe to cook?

Uncooked lean fish, such as halibut, may be refrigerated for up to 3 - 4 days. In your case, if the fish took 24 hours to thaw in the refrigerator, it will be at its limits of refrigeration and would need to be cooked right away.

I left ribs out over night, from 8:00pm- 9:00am the next day...would this be ok to eat still or should I discard it?

Discard the ribs. Once they were left at room temperature longer than one hour there is a risk they could be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

I had a covered jar of Heinz chicken gravy in the refrigerator that was used once a couple of weeks ago. I ate a tablespoon of it after microwaving 30 seconds. I didn't know the label said use in 5 days. I'm pregnant! What's the worse case? It didn't look, smell or taste bad.

Always follow the storage time listed on food labels. If there are harmful bacteria present, they can not be seen, smelled or tasted. So if in doubt about the safety of a food, do not taste it. Pregnant women are more at risk for foodborne illness so if symptoms develop, see your doctor immediately.

I cooked frozen green beans 3 days ago. I put them in the refrigerator in a plastic container. Can I still eat them tonight? Generally, how long foods keep in the refrigerator after being thawed? The fact that they are cooked, does it change anything?

Cooked vegetables can be refrigerated three to four days. Raw foods should be cooked within 48 hours of being thawed. The refrigerator storage time for cooked foods varies. That information can be found on my chart Refrigerator and Food Storage.

Hi I left a cooked casserole out overnight in a kitchen that was no hotter than 21 degrees. It's now in the fridge. I would like to make a pie with it later & will heat until piping. Us this ok or does it have to be thrown away. Many thanks.

That casserole should be thrown out because it sat at room temperature much longer than one hour (two hours in the winter time) allowing any bacteria to growth into the product. And even if you use the casserole in a pie that you intend to heat it until piping; that heat will not destroy any toxins those bacteria could have produced and those toxins can make you sick.

How long can leftover chicken fingers be kept.

Only cook the amount of frozen commercially made chicken fingers that you will eat at one sitting. Each time they should be cooked from the frozen state.

I hard-boil 15 eggs on Sunday for the Mon-Fri...I eat 3 hardboild eggs every morn for breakfast...I don't crack the shells until the night before work...How long can the shelled eggs be refrigerated for?

Hard cooked eggs, with shell or without, should be refrigerated and used within a week.

I am making a pineapple cake that calls for a cream cheese frosting. It will be used for lunches packed with a partially frozen bottle of water to help it stay cool. I am using a lemon glaze in place of the frosting. Will the glaze be safer than the frosting?

Pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting should be kept at refrigerator temperatures until eaten. If topped with a lemon glaze, the cake may not be as perishable probably because the product is more acid and there is no dairy products in it.

How long can pizza be unrefrigerated and still be consumed with risk of food poisioning

Pizza should be refrigerated within one hour of preparation or cooking in the summer (two hours in the winter) or there is a risk of harmful bacteria developing and causing food poisoning..

More of a statement. I've left half of a pizza (in the box) out overnight and finished it the following day MANY times with no problems. This would seem to disprove your "2 hour" rule by a good 22 hours, at least for pizza. Maybe pizza is simply a higher food, closer in divine perfection, but either way, what are your thoughts?

You have been very fortunate not to have had food borne illness. You have to be in an excellent health. Not every perishable food, like pizza, is contaminated with harmful bacteria. But there is a higher than normal risk there is a food borne illness that can lead to life threatening conditions. It will only take one episode, only once for you to remember it for the rest of your life. In any cases, if you do get food borne illness even once, you would not knowingly again accept the risk of eating food that had not been handled safely. Always observe the into the refrigerator in two hours rule (one hour in the summer). It is the time needed for the bacteria to recover from any adverse conditions they might have been exposed and start to multiply rapidly.

How long after vacuum packing fish should it be frozen or refrigerated

Vacuum packaged foods tend to retain their quality longer because air has been removed from the package. However vacuum packaged perishable foods must still be kept refrigerated or frozen. Refrigerated fish should be frozen within four days.

How long does balsamic vinegar stay good after opening bottle?

After opening, the shelf life of balsamic vinegar is one year.

How long can cooked squash stay in refridgerator before using in casserole.

Cooked squash should be used or frozen within 3 to 4 days.

I have processed some tomatoes in a blender to prepare a sauce that I cooked after for 45 minutes. After cooling it down, I put it in jars. Can I put those jars directly in the freezer?

To prevent breakage of the jars, chill your jars of tomato sauce before freezing.

Frozen muffins, doughnuts and breads are taken out shortly after 12:00 am for an inn breakfast and what is left is put back in the freezer around 10:00am (approx. 10hrs). How many times can the same items be frozen and unthawed to be safe?

Each time muffins, doughnuts and breads are frozen and defrosted, there is loss of quality including texture and flavour. I would suggest you check with your local public health inspectors for an evaluation of this practice and for recommendation.

I accidentally left a parmesan block of cheese out of the fridge for 10 hours. Can I still use it? If it were cheddar, I would say no, but I see restaurants have large blocks of what seems to be parmesan cheese sitting out all the time as part of the decoration of their restaurants--table size wheels that do not appear to be wrapped.

All cheese should be kept refrigerated. Hopefully cheeses on display in restaurants are not going to be used. When properly handled and wrapped, Parmesan can be kept refrigerated as long as 10 months.

I bought a vacumm packed lasagna over a week ago and it has been refrigerated and has a date of 8-8-07 to use or freeze by date. Today is 8-4-07. When I took the outer cover off I noticed there was air in the product because the wrapping was real tight and raised. What does that mean? My husband thinks it means its spoiled and its letting off gasses. My adult son says don't throw it out, its fine. I'm afraid of it myself. What do you think?

When in doubt about the safety of a product, throw it out. However, sometimes the atmosphere in the package of a product like refrigerated lasagna has been altered to extend the shelf life to the Best Before Date.

I took a pack of sealed ground beef out of the freezer 24 hours ago and immediately put it in the fridge. I heard that it's ok to still eat it anywhere from 24-48 hours after taking it out of the freezer if it's been in the fridge. Is that true? Can I still eat it?

Ground beef can be refrigerated as long as 48 hours after it has been thawed in the refrigerator.

My roommates and I always get these the big bottles of cranberry and grapefruit juice. We leave it out after its open. Is this ok?

Juice should be kept refrigerated after it is opened.

Hi! I cooked a previously thawed steak saturday night. I did not eat it all so I put the leftover in the refrigerator right away. We are Monday at noon. Can I still eat it? Thanks!

Once cooked, your left over steak can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. So in your case, you should eat the steak by Wednesday at the latest.

We are having a disagreement in the office I work in. We received a fruit tray (cut up fresh fruit) on a plastic tray with a fluffy type of dip in the middle. The tray was left out overnight in the office. I refused to eat the fruit left out overnight, stating that it could cause food poisoning as it was not refrigerated overnight, they laughed at me, and said that they had left the air conditioner on and placed the tray close to the a/c unit, and that the food was fine, as it was keep cold. I told them no, it was held in a warm humid office with air conditioning, and that was just the proper temperature for bacteria to grow. It has now sat in the office another full day, and they still refuse to discard it. It is placed so people can help themselves, and they are getting mad at me for warning people about this welcoming fruit tray. Do you think I am being too fussy

No, you are not being too fussy. Once left unrefrigerated for longer than one hour both the cut fruit and the dip could become contaminated with harmful bacteria that would multiply rapidly. People reaching for fruits and using the dip would increase the risk of contamination and food poisoning. The tray should be discarded.

I have a very large stew that I froze about a month ago. I now want to put it into smaller containers and wonder if I should thaw it completely and bring to a boil, then package or partially thaw and package without cooking. Is it safe to do this as I am giving it away to family and friends?

There would be less loss of quality by partially thawing and repackaging in smaller containers. Next time, divide food into single use containers before freezing.

How long can fried chicken nuggets be at room temp before there is a danger. My 3 year old Grand Daughter ate 4 McDonald chicken nuggets that were in the car for 8 hours.

Cooked fried chicken nuggets, like any perishable food, should not be left at room temperature longer than one hour in the summer (two hours in the winter). After that time there is a risk that harmful bacteria may develop and cause foodborne illness. And children are more at risks of contracting such an illness.

How long can cooked salmon be kept in the fridge

Cooked salmon can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

I made homemade pizza sauce and have stored it in the refrigerator. Some mold has developed on the container. Would the sauce be safe to eat if I reheated it to boiling?

If the mould is on the inside of the container which holds the sauce, the sauce may not be safe to consume even if reheated to boiling. The visible part of the mould is like a flower. What we don't see is the stem and root system growing into the sauce. Some moulds produce heat resistant toxins. Others are thought to be carcinogenic.

How long can prepared uncooked meat lasanga be stored in refrigerator before cooking

If the lasagna is commercially made, it should have a Best Before Date on the label. Cook and eat before that date. If prepared at home, it is at greater risk for developing harmful bacteria and should be cooked as soon as possible or. if all the ingredients were at room temperature before assembling, it can be refrigerated overnight before cooking.

I have some food leftover from my daughter's wedding. Mac and cheese,green beans, and potato salad. how long will they be safe to eat?

Leftover macaroni and cheese can be refrigerated as long as 3 days. Cooked green beans may be refrigerated 3 to 4 days. Potato salad may be refrigerated as long as 3 to 5 days.

Is it safe to refreeze fish that has previously been frozen? I bought a large steelhead trout fillet yesterday evening (Aug. 14) but wasn't able to cook it today and now realize I can't cook it tomorrow (Aug. 16) either. I see now that label says the fish was packaged on Aug. 11 and that it was previously frozen. Please let me know whether it will be safe to freeze again.

Once defrosted, fish can be refrozen right away if it has been defrosted in the refrigerator and if there are still ice crystals present in the fish. As it has been at least four to five days since the fish was defrosted there may be food safety problems if it is refrozen or cooked .

We recently lost all our power for about 48 hours. Some of the meat in my freezer felt soft but some were still frozen. Should I discard all? Also, I had some Lean Cuisine frozen dinners in there and frozen packaged vegetables. Can anything be saved?

In general. a freezer should be able to keep food frozen for the first 24 hours following the power failure if the door has not been opened. If the food still have ice crystals into them or feel refrigerator cold; 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) or less, it will be safe to refreeze. I would recommend to throw away the frozen dinners. As for the frozen package vegetables, it would depend of their condition. There might be some loss of quality if there were soft and are refrozen again.

We opened a jar of pizza sauce two weeks ago and put it in fridge. Is it safe to eat it?

Refrigerated pizza sauces and tomato sauces should be used within 5 days of opening.

How long does homemade salsa last in the refrigerator? Is it possible to freeze it? Do you have a canning recipe I can use?

There are two types of salsa. If it is the cooked type and not processed, it can be refrigerated for one month. It does not freeze well because the vegetables would turn to mush and lose their flavor. Uncooked salsa, like a salad should be refrigerated and used within three to five days. For canning recipes, you will have to use one that has been proven safe and effective to avoid harmful bacteria growth. Most likely, you would find them on the internet.

I juiced tomatoes so I could can it. I haven't been able to get to it right away & it has been in the refrigerator for 6 days-do you think it is still good to can?

This job should have been done right away. If there were no lemon juice added to the juice right away to increase the acidity, there is a risk that after 6 days or more, there may be loss of quality and a combination of spoilage and harmful bacteria may have started to growth in the product making it harder to can and eventually shortening its shelf-life.

Can you still eat vacuumed sealed packaged bacon if it was not put in the refrigerator?

Because vacuum packaging removes air from a container, vacuum packaged foods may retain their quality longer. But vacuum packaged perishable foods like bacon must be kept refrigerated or there is a risk that harmful and/or spoilage bacteria develop in the product..

Hi! I would like to know if it is safe to reuse plastic bottles that contained juice (such as Sunny Delight) to carry other beverages such as milk or other juices in the lunch box. I made sure that I washed the bottles with soapy hot water, rinse them well and let them dry before filling them up again, If this practice is safe, how many times can I refill them?

The reuse of plastic juice bottles is not recommended. These are what we call single use containers and they should be returned for recycling rather than used to hold other liquids.

How long will leftover mashed potatoes keep in refrigerator? Thanks for your time, I enjoy this website for the safety of my family!

Leftover mashed potatoes can be refrigerated for three days. Thank you for enjoying this site.

i made beef lasagna w/pasta sauce today (beef mixture is cooked) & will cook it all on this friday (2 days away). can i keep it in the refrigerator without freezing it until friday? thank you.

The recommended storage time for your assembled lasagne (assuming all ingredients are cooked) is 3 - 4 days. This storage time includes the day the lasagna is assembled as well as after it is cooked. In your case, there would not be any problem to refrigerate it for those two days.

i left warm spagetti sauce out on the counter over night, is it okay to freeze and eat again?

Freezing will not destroy the bacteria which may have multiplied in your spaghetti sauce once it was left at room temperature longer than two hours. Discard the sauce.

How long does it take for symptoms of food poisoning to show up?

The length of time it takes for symptoms of foodborn illness to appear can take from two hours to six weeks depending on the type of harmful bacteria.

What is the perfect temperature to have the fridge set at and the freezer too.

The fridge should be set at 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) and the freezer should be set at
-18 degrees C (0 degrees F).

To keep garlic as long as possible should we keep it in the refrigerator or on the counter?

Garlic is best stored in an open container in a cool dark place but not in the refrigerator.

I forgot a salmon pâté, a sugar pie and a strawberry pie in my car. They have been in there from 11:00 pm to 11h00am. Temperature varied between 11 degrees and 20 degrees this morning. They were still cold to the touch in the trunk when I took them. They were put in the refrigerator when I left. Can I still eat them?

The salmon pate and sugar pie should be discarded if left unrefrigerated for longer than one hour in the summer.The strawberry pie, because of its acid content, can be left unrefrigerated for 1 to 2 days.

My fridge stopped working 5 days ago.I know that my milk and eggs are to be discarded as are my moldy cheeses and yoghurt but what about jarred items like mayo, ketchup, mustard, horseradish mustard , worschestershire sauce, pickles with garlic , indian biryani sauce, thai curry paste...Im afraid to eat any of it but its all so expensive to replace. I want to charge my landlord for lost foods but dont know which are salvagable.

Opened mayonnaise, horseradish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, curry paste and biryani sauce should be discarded. Ketchup, mustard and pickles should be safe.

I received some peppers. What would be the best way to keep them the longest time possible; in olive oil or in balsamic vinegar?

Peppers stored in olive oil may be unsafe because botulism spores can grow in the absence of oxygen. Peppers can be pickled in vinegar following a reliable recipe but they would require processing in a boiling water canner for long term storage. But, perhaps the best way to keep them, would be to chop, blanch them for 3 minutes and
freeze them.

I puchased a 2 lbs piece of parmesan cheese 2 weeks ago. It is vacuum packed and I am keeping it in the fridge, unopened. How long can I conserve this vacum packed parmasan cheese? Thank you for your advice. Katherine Pourcelet

A hard cheese such as Parmesan may be kept refrigerated up to 10 months. Once cheese is opened, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper and keep refrigerated.

I forgot a large container of olive oil outside all day. Temperature was at 30 degrees C today. I am wondering if the olive oil is still good to use? It has been in its original container.

Yes, the olive oil is safe to use. But by leaving it in a warm place, the shelf life my have been shortened.

I left chili with beans and ground turkey in a plastic container on the counter after supper to cool down a bit before refrigerating. 3 hours later U found it still on counter and it was still warm to the touch. I refrigerated it then. Can we eat it? My house was air conditioned.

If hot perishable food like your chili are not refrigerated and cold within two hours it should be discarded because there is a risk that enough harmful bacteria will have developed to make you sick.

My fridge door was left ajar from about 8:00pm until 11:00am the next morning. Is the food safe? I don't know what temperture it was at when I noticed it was ajar. The food felt only slighltly cool to the touch. What should I throw out and what is okay?

As you mentioned that the food in the fridge felt "only slightly cool to the touch", this would suggest that the temperature in the fridge may have risen above 4ºC. Any perishable food in the refrigerator that has been above 4ºC for 2 hours or more should be discarded. These foods include raw or leftover meats, poultry, fish or shellfish, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and bacon, dairy foods (such as soft cheese, milk, yogurt, cream, custards), eggs, leftover foods (such as casseroles, gravies, cooked vegetables, pasta, rice and pizza), and sauces such as spaghetti, hoisin, oyster, and creamy based salad dressings.
Foods that may be kept include butter or margarine, breads, muffins, fresh fruits and vegetables (uncut) and opened jars of vinegar based condiments such as salad dressings, relish, taco sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, pickles and olives, and jams, jellies and peanut butter.
Remember, when in doubt, throw it out.

Good evening! I cooked rice with coconut milk, several vegetable and pineapple. I let it sit to cool down before putting the leftover in the refrigerator and I forgot about it. It stayed approximately 3 hours at room temperature? Can we still eat it? Thank you!

Your rice mixture is at risk for harmful bacteria if left at room temperature more than one hour (two hours in the winter).

I made homemade chicken vegtable soup with noodles and put it outside at 8 degrees C (48 degrees F), is it still safe to eat after 24 hours?

Homemade chicken vegetable soup provides all the ingredients harmful bacteria would need to multiply so it should be kept refrigerated at or below 40 degrees F/4 degrees C. Discard the soup.

I cooked a ham last Sunday and was going to use the rest of it for beans but didn't have time. Is it to late?

Leftover cooked ham can be refrigerated three to four days.

How long is too long to leave margarine out? what about butter?

As there is no water available for growth, bacterial risks are not an issue with butter or margarine stored at room temperature. Quality of the margarine and butter would be a greater issue as these products can go rancid when left at room temperature.

I bought groceries, arrived home about 5pm. I discovered them sitting on the counter still in the bag the next morning. We live in Houton, TX. My husband said that after a certain time in the middle of the night our t-stat jumps to 30 degrees C (87 degrees F) at night. What should I do about the eggs?

After being left at room temperature overnight, the eggs should be discarded as should any other perishable food.

I am confused by date packaging terms. What are the differences between "use by", "best before", "sell by"? Is labeling dates terms the same in Canada and the US?

The date terms used in the US and Canada differ. In Canada the durable life date on pre-packaged foods is referred to as a Best Before Date. It is required on products with a shelf life of 90 days or less. Some food producers voluntarily add it to other products to help consumers.
On foods packaged at retail, the terms "packaged on" shall replace the term"Best Before".

Does the expiry or best-before date on sealed, packaged meats like bologne or sliced ham mean unopened or, once the package is opened, is it only good for 3-4 days like other cooked meats? Some expiry dates on these packages are up to 1-2 months away.

The Best Before Date on sealed packaged lunch meat may be one to two months away because there is a modified atmosphere in the package. But you are correct, once the package is opened, the storage life of these meats is three to four days like any other deli or cooked meat.

I usually buy fresh vegetables (corn, green beans, and broccoli) from the farmers market and store them in my fridge. How long do they last?

Kept in a covered container or plastic bag, corn on the cob may be stored in the fridge from 2 - 7 days, green beans up to 5 days, and broccoli from 5 - 7 days.

We like Senaca Foods, canned "3-bean salad", which is vinegar based. After opening and covering the container, how long can it be safely kept in the refrigerator?

Once opened, the canned salad should be refrigerated and would have the same shelf life as a deli made salad which would be five days.

What if you're not a young child or weak or elderly or have a weak immune system? Is it still bad to leave perishable food above 4 degrees celsius for more than 2 hours? Wouldn't having more exposure to bacteria build up your immune system thus making you stronger?

We need to understand here how a pathogenic bacteria could be harmful to anyone healthy or not. A perishable food as the word says is a food that would not have a very long shelf life if not handled properly, i.e. refrigerated. 2 hours at room temperature is the time needed for a bacteria to recuperate from any stressful situations. At the end of that two hour period, if the product offering a nice environment to grow is not refrigerated, the bacteria, spoilers as well as pathogens will take off in an exponential way. A single cell that double itself every 20 minutes will be at 640 within 2 hours. If you start with 100 bacteria in your food, you will have 64,000 cells after 4 hours (2 hours of recovery and 2 hours of growth). Knowing that it take between 1 and 10 Salmonella cells to make someone sick, imagine after 4 hours. The intestine of a healthy subject is populated by bacteria and usually the competition is strong. When a pathogen gets ingested, it might not be able to attach itself to the intestinal wall and multiply. It only takes one opportunity for it to happen and when it does, the subject gets sick with a foodborne illness. On top of their presence, toxins could be produced as well. As for increasing immunity, it might help if the bacteria crosses the bacterial wall and gets into the bloodstream.

How long can I keep cooked vegetable and rice in the fridge so that nutrients are preseved?

Cooked vegetables can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Rice can be refrigerated 3 days. After that time there will be loss of quality including nutrient value.

I left my unopened 1 lb. block of mild cheddar cheese on my table for approx. 14 hours. Our house is set to 74 F. The cheese still looks ok, but is it ok to eat?

Cheddar cheese has to be kept refrigerated. Once left at room temperature longer than two hours, it should be discarded.

Can we freeze raspberries?

Yes, it is safe to freeze raspberries. Look for freezing directions on the Internet.

I cookes some chicken until 8h00 pm and forgot it in the oven until 5:00am the following morning. The broth was lukewarm. Should I throw away my chicken?

By all means, please do. Throw it away. That chicken passed to much time (more than two hours) in the danger zone which is between 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) and 60 degrees C (140 degrees F). At those temperatures, the bacteria thrives and multiply rapidly. Even cooked sporformers will develop and could cause food poisoning.

I made homemade chocolate chip cookie dough on Thursday afternoon, baked about 2 dozen cookies out of it with some left over. I put the rest of the dough back into the fridge, then I forgot about it & it sat all weekend, can I still use this cookie dough today (Monday) to finish making the rest of my cookies? How long can you leave uncooked homemade cookie dough sitting in the fridge before you must throw it away? Thanks, Tina - NY

Because homemade cookie dough contains eggs, the recommended storage time would be 2 - 3 days in the fridge.

How long can I keep in the fridge the following comercially (ie bought from the store) products once I open the jar: Salsa? Dill pickles? Pickled jalepenos?

Once opened and stored in the refrigerator, salsa may be kept up to 2 weeks, and dill pickles and pickled jalapenos up to 1 - 2 months.

Is it necessary to refrigerate a store-bought cherry pie after serving? It was not refrigerated in the store deli when i purchased it. It has been at room temp. for a few days now. Thanks

As fruit pies generally have a high sugar and high acid content, they may be stored at room temperature up to 2 days.

I made some sour cherry pie filling using sour cherries,cornstarch and sugar.I put the filling in the freezer but the juice never froze completely. What did I do wrong ? The filling was completely cool.

Because of the ingredients used in your pie filling, the juice may not freeze solid at the safe freezer temperature of -18 degrees C (0 degrees F). High sugar concentration could be the cause.

My 13 year old daughter ate a string cheese that was unintentionally left in her lunch box. It was without refrigeration for about 24 hours and she ate about half of it. (It had been re-refrigerated when I put in an ice pack, and she didn't realize it was "old.") I know the bacteria can grow very quickly. It's now been about 36 hours and she has not had any stomach problems. Should I be watching for anything else? In short, what are the potential symptoms of someone who does accidentally eat an item that should have been refrigerated, but wasn't?

If perishable food like cheese has been left unrefrigerated for longer than two hours there is a risk it may be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Some of these bacteria may produce toxins which may result in immediate illness. Others may cause illness in several days depending on the health of the eater. The symptoms are upset stomach, cramps, diarrhea and vomiting.

I browned a 3.5 lb baron of beef and put it, along with heated ingredients such as canned tomatoes, prosciutto ham and canned roast peppers into my crock pot to simmer for 6-8 hours. Unfortunately, after 5 hours, I discovered that the crock pot had not been plugged in!! Is it okay to cook these ingredients in a pot on the stove top after sitting for this long? (I know you'll say no, but I'm hoping you'll say yes because I'm hungry and it's cooking right now!)

No! Bacteria multiply fastest in what we call the Danger Zone, temperatures between 4ºC and 60ºC. Because the baron of beef was only partially cooked (browned), bacteria would still be present in the raw juices. When left in the warm environment of the crockpot for a 5 hour period, the bacteria present would have had an excellent opportunity to multiply to unsafe levels.

How long can cooked tuna sushi with avocado rice and the seaweed wrap they use last in a fridge after creation?

Leftover sushi that has been handled safely (i.e. freshly prepared and stored refrigerated), should be eaten within 24 hours.

Hi! We have prepared 5 dishes for our lunches this week. The dishes contained cooked shrimps and we forgot them overnight on the counter. It breaks my heart to think that we have to throw them out. Do I have to do it?

Unfortunately, you will have to throw them out. You better be with a broken heart than with food poisoning. Perishable food that are left at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour during summer month) should not be consumed at all as there is a high risk of food poisoning due to the exponential growth of harmful bacteria coming from heat resistant spores that might have been be present in the food.

So say someone (me) forgot to put the margarine in the fridge.. for.. a week.. is it still okay at room temperature? Thanks

The margarine would be safe to use although when stored at room temperature for an extended period of time, the quality will deteriorate and the margarine will become rancid.

My husband forgot a bag of groceries in the car from 9pm at night until I discovered it in the morning at 7am. It included 2 packages of bacon, pizza rolls chesse and pepperoni and liquid creamer. Is this still good or does it need to be thrown away?

The items you mentioned are all perishable and if left unrefrigerated for longer than two hours may develop harmful bacteria. Throw everything.

Took ground beef out it was frozen around 10 pm, forgot it on the counter until 4 am. Is it ok to cook it for supper?

It is not safe to defrost ground beef on the counter for six hours because harmful bacteria may develop. It should be thrown out.

I made sauerkraut and kolbasa last night and left it on the stove over night with it turned off. If I reheat it can it still be eaten?

Reheating your sauerkraut may not destroy all harmful bacteria and their toxins which may have developed when the food was left at room temperature overnight.

We had pasta with a tomato cream sauce and baked cheese topping that got left on the counter last night. It was put in the fridge first thing in the morning (7:30). Is it safe to eat?

Cooked pasta that was left on the counter overnight should be discarded. There is a risk it may be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

I left a vacuum pack of bacon on the food counter all evening. Is it safe to cook up this evening. It is smoked bacon and full of preservatives.

Discard your bacon if it is raw and has been left at room temperature longer than two hours. Vacuum packaging and preservatives do not eliminate the need for refrigeration.

Can I put in the refrigerator a dish that it is very hot or do I have to wait until it cools down before putting it in the refrigerator? What is the proper time between cooking and refrigeration?

The key is to cool hot food quickly to prevent bacterial growth. If you have a large quantity of hot food that needs to be refrigerated, divide the food into smaller, shallow containers to ensure faster cooling while in the refrigerator. You can also stir the food often to speed up cooling prior to refrigeration. And when putting hot food into the refrigerator, be sure there is ample space around the container to allow air to circulate. Perishable foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible, and not left at room temperature any longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour during the summer).

I made chili with beef in a crock pot. It has been cooking on low for 12 hours and now I turned it off. How long can it sit in a crock pot before you have to refrigerate it?

Perishable foods, such as your beef chili, need to be refrigerated within 2 hours (or 1 hour on a summer day) of serving. Harmful bacteria thrive in the temperature Danger Zone of 4ºC - 60ºC.

Can not find an expiration date on bottles of clamato juice, how long is it safe to drink ?

Unopened clamato juice may be safely kept for 12 months in a cool storage area. Once opened, it may be safely stored in the refrigerator for 7 - 10 days.

Thank you for your excellent suggestions! What do you think of freezing previously prepared uncooked dishes? For example, cake dough, cookies? Meat dishes and their gravies or their marinades? Roasts and their seasoning together? Rices, can we cook them and then warm them up with added vegetables in them? Do we have to blanch all type of vegetables for three minutes?

It is safe to freeze uncooked prepared meals, including meats, gravies, their marinades, cookie dough and cookies. Vegetables should be blanched prior to freezing, but the amount of time depends on the vegetables you are freezing, check the internet for blanching times. You can also freeze cooked rice and then add cooked vegetables to it after heating.

I made a marinara sauce last night, served it with dinner and put the leftover sauce in a corningware. I left the sauce out all night accidentally. There is no meat in it. Should I throw it out? Thanks.

Foods should not be left unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours. Throw the sauce out!

I have made a huge pot of chili. I want to freeze it for next week, what should I put it in. My husband and son are going to a hunting camp and will be warming it up there. They went last year, and I did the same dish, although I put it in a ziplock bag (freezer type), but when they got there, they realized that it had exploded. What are your recommondations for containers. Thank you

As space is a premium when camping, Ziploc freezer bags are still a good choice. When filling the bags, ensure the chili is cold. Be sure to leave enough air space in the bag to allow for expansion of the chili. If space is not left in the bag, the chili will expand upon freezing and cause the bag to burst. Double bagging the chili will also help ensure that leakage does not occur. Plastic freezer containers may also be used but they do take up more space.

My wife cooked chicken soup with noodles and left them on the counter for me to put in the fridge when they cooled down. They sat on the counter for about three hours. I forgot about them. They were still warm so I put them in the fridge. Will the soup be OK?

Perishable foods, such as your chicken noodle soup, should not be left at room temperature any longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour during the summer). Bacteria grow most quickly in the temperature Danger Zone of 4ºC - 60ºC, and in moist, protein and carbohydrate rich foods. I recommend not to consume this soup.

how long can lamb be used after being defrosted and kept in the fridge?

Thawed lamb chops and roasts may be refrigerated 2-3 days. Ground lamb should be used within 1-2 days.

Where do I find an expiry date on Clamato Juice. I have some old bottles (the colour looks darker) and I cannot find an expiry date. Can an old bottle of juice go bad?

The best before date is usually located on the neck, lid or bottom of the container. Clamato Juice has a shelf life of 12 months. When the juice exceeds its shelf life, it may change colour (darken). You should throw your juice out.

Can I prepare a puree with tomatoes that froze in the garden?

Yes, provided they are not damaged and are washed well prior to using.

I thawed some Hamburger in the microwave last night and then had an emergency and had to leave, I place the hamburger in the fridge without any cover....i am wanting to go ahead and cook it today...is it still good?

Microwaves used to thaw foods are good if you are cooking the food immediately after. Microwaves tend to heat foods unevenly, and you may have exposed the ground beef to unsafe temperatures (4 -60 C). There is a risk of bacterial contamination in the microwaved meat that was later refrigerated.

If I purchase a meat/seafood product that is vacuum packaged, is it safe to eat that product if it is still frozen/refrigerated but the package has lost its vacuum seal?

It may not be safe to eat a food product that has lost it's vacuum seal. The shelf life or Best Before Date is determined based on the vacuum packaging and refrigeration/freezing. This will be shortened if the seal is broken.

I heard it's bad to eat half a can of beans and put the rest in the fridge to eat later (still in the can). is this true? and if so, why?

Once opened, canned food contents not eaten such as your beans must be removed from the can to prevent a possible reaction with the lining of the can with the presence of oxygen. Store them in a covered, nonmetallic container in the refrigerator or freezer. Canned food packaged in glass jars may be stored in the original container.

Can we freeze shepherd's pie? And if so, for how long can we keep them in the freezer? Thank you!

Yes, it can be safely frozen for 2 - 3 months, provided it is frozen within 2 - 3 days of preparing and cooking. Ensure your freezer is set at -18º C or colder.

I used only half a package of frozen vegetables. How do I properly store the quanity I did not use in the freezer and for how long can they be put back into the freezer?

Store them in an airtight container or baggie designed for freezer use. Remove any trapped air, if possible. Try not to let the vegetables thaw that you are not using. The vegetables can be stored this way for 8 - 12 months.

My leaf lettuce froze in my refrigerator? Can i still use it? Thank you!

No, freezing will cause the water in the plant cells to leak out of the leaves, and the lettuce will be soggy and limp. Throw it out.

Is it okay to leave jam out for an extending length of time (2 weeks) after it has already been refrigerated and opened? Thank you.

No, once opened, jams and jellies should be refrigerated. They have a shelf life of 6 months once opened and refrigerated. You may have mould growth now that is not visible. It would be best to throw it out.

I opened a container of prune juice about 3 months ago and stuck it in the fridge is it still good?

Opened fruit juices have a refrigerated shelf life of 8 - 12 days.

How long does the water from cooked vegetables last in a refrigerator. thank you.

Water from cooked vegetables may be stored in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days. For longer storage, the enriched water may be frozen.

I ate some chicken that stayed in the freezer for more than a year. Is it bad?

To the standpoint of food safety, there should be no health hazards or any consequences unless the chicken has been temerature abuse during that time. Whole raw chicken will keep in the freezer for a year. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator. After that year, there may be loss in quality, loss in nutritional value and the meat may dry out with time.

My child's school does not provide a school lunch and children must bring theirs from home. I generally send a cheese, tuna fish, egg, or chocolate-spread sandwich, along with a yogurt and some fresh vegetable sticks or fruit with my child. After reading this site I am concerned about the safety of my child's daily lunch. The lunch must sit unrefrigerated for about 6 1/2 hours after it is prepared in the morning and my child leaves for school. Are the sandwiches and yogurt dangerous to consume? If so, what kinds of foods can I send with my child who is a very picky eater?

Perishable foods should not remain unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours. To keep you child's lunch safe, send it in an insulated lunch kit. You can add a frozen juice box to keep contents cold. By the time lunch comes, the juice will have thawed and kept the lunch cold. Add a freezer pack to the lunch kit to retain a cold temperature.

How long can I safely keep a prepared (but not cooked) lasagna in the fridge? My freezer is not big enough to store it.

If the meat used is part of a sauce that has already been cooked such a spaghetti sauce and your pasta has been softened in boiling water, your lasagna should keep for at least 3 days in the refrigerator. However if the ground meat is not cooked, one day.

I took pork out 3 days ago and left it in the refridgerator, is it still safe to cook, the meat is still pink?

Assuming that you pull out the pork from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator, it will still be safe to cook. Once thawed, pork can be lept in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 days.

How long can you store fresh made lemon butter?

Fresh cooked lemon butter (curd) made with eggs will keep 4 days in your refrigerator.

I made fresh salsa, and then brought it to a picnic. It sat outside for 5 hours, part of the time in the sun. Is it still safe to eat if I refridgerate it now?

Fresh salsa that has been at outside temperatures for longer than two hours should be discarded because there is a risk it could have developed enough harmful bacteria to cause illness.

Hi! I fully cooked a whole chicken. When I pull it out of the oven, I put it covered on my table outside at a temperature of 1°C to cool it down before putting it in the refrigerator. I did not want to debone it and put it in small portions. I have been told that a fast cooling down of the bird is not recommended. Is it true? If so, what can we do to cool down a large piece of meat? Thank you!

You do not need to cool hot food before placing in your refrigerator, only very hot food (simmering chili, soups, etc.) It is safest to remove the chicken from the bone before chilling, to allow the chicken to cool faster and more efficiently. Placing your covered chicken outside in 1º C is a good way to cool your chicken more quickly.

My husband left a container of cooked chicken in the microwave oven last night. When I came home tonight, he was eating the chicken. He said that it tasted good. I am really worried. Should I be concerned? What shall we do?

Perishable foods, such as cooked chicken, should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. If he is going to be ill as a result, symptoms usually show up 6 to 72 hours after consumption. Watch for flu-like symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting) and go to your doctor or emergency if he starts to show signs of illness. It may be food related. Bacteria that causes food borne illnesses does not usually make the food taste or smell bad.

Is there any sanitary risks to cook food in a microwave using tupperware containers?

Make sure any container you use in the microwave is designed to be used in the microwave.

I left cooked spaghetti sauce and meatballs (in the sauce) out over night in the garage where it was about 45 degrees. Still okay to eat?

As the spaghetti sauce and meatballs are a perishable food product, proper refrigeration at a constant temperature (i.e. 4ºC or less) is required to ensure the food stays safe to eat. We would not recommend eating the spaghetti sauce or meatballs.

My 96-year old mom forgets to put her margarine back in the fridge so is on the counter a lot. Is it okay to leave it out of the fridge all the time? Is butter okay to leave out of the fridge all the time?

Both margarine and butter should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid. The more they are left on the counter, the more quickly they will develop a rancid taste.

I made a baked spinach artichoke dip that has heavy cream, sour cream, garlic and cheese in it. It was left out overnight(actually left still in the oven) after being fully baked and the oven turned off. It smells fine, but I'm wondering if it needs to go straight to the garbage instead. Thanks

You are right; if it sat at room temperature for more than two hours; which is the case here, it should go directly in the garbage. That artichoke dip contains ingredients that are highly perishable and could create a health hazard if it is consumed. Even cooked, spores resistant to heat could germinated and could be harmful bacteria that would not give any particular odour to food even in large numbers but they can make you sick.

How long can I keep a canned fruit salad that I have transfered in a plastic container with its juice and put in the refrigerator? Thank you!

Leftover canned fruit salad can be refrigerated in a plastic container as long as 5 to 7 days.

Are canned goods still eddible after sitting in a car or back of a truck in the summer heat?

If the heat was intense enough to cause the can to swell, it may be very dangerous to eat. You should throw out any cans that show signs of damage, leakage or bulging. Cans should always be stored in cool, dry places

I want to shop for chicken, milk, and yogurt during my lunch our 12-1pm, I will get home at 4:30pm, is it safe to leave these items in my trunk if it is 3C outside.

Although the cold weather has set in, these food items do require proper refrigeration, or at least storage in a thermal environment such as a cooler until they can be properly refrigerated. To keep your groceries safe in your trunk, store them in a cooler with freezer gel packs or ice packs (to maintain a chilled environment), and refrigerate as soon as possible.

I left a roast in the crock pot for 10 hours and came home from work and it hadn't been turned on. Is it still safe to cook and eat?

No, unfortunately not. Perishable foods should not be left unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours.

Hi! I prepared a spaghetti sauce last night at 6pm. I put it into jars and I forgot it on the kitchen counter overnight. I put it in the refrigerator this morning at 8 am. Is it ok to eat?

Perishable foods should be refrigerated within 2 hours. THis product was left out for 14 hours and may not be safe to eat.

I made pasta sauce with ground beef the other night and fell asleep after dinner, leaving the leftover sauce at room temp overnight. Tonight I used the sauce in a lasagna and ate it. Now I'm worried. What's going to happen to me? Also I'm a breastfeeding mother. Should I worry my milk will get tainted?

The pasta sauce should have been discarded not used to make lasagna which was eaten. There is a risk the lasagna could be contaminated with harmful bacteria. If you become ill, see your doctor.

I mistakenly left a package of uncooked ground beef on the counter for three hours. Is it safe to use? It still felt a little cool when I discovered it.

When raw ground beef is left on the counter at room temperature longer than two hours, there is a risk that harmful bacteria will develop. And because some bacteria produce heat resistant toxins, cooking may not make it safe to use. Throw it out.

How long can you store fresh broccoli in the refrigerator and at what temperature should it be stored?

Fresh broccoli may be stored in the refrigerator (4ºC/40ºF) for 5 - 7 days. To retain freshness, store broccoli in a covered container or plastic bag.

When re-heating food we must ensure that is is piping hot. what temperature should this be? - 75C or below - 82C or above - 37C - 25C

Food should be reheated to 74º C (165º F).

How long is uncooked beef good in the fridge?

Raw ground beef can be refrigerated 1 to 2 days. Raw beef steaks and roasts can be refrigerated 2 to 4 days.

I purchased a pork roast 8 days ago and put it in our second fridge which we use for storing exta stuff. The fridge is pretty cool and rarely opened. Just this morning I went into this fridge and saw the roast. The color still looks the same as when I purchased it. I haven't opened it so I don't know what it smells like. The roast is not vaccuumed sealed, only wrapped in saran from the grocery store. Is it still good to cook and eat?

A refrigerated raw pork roast should be cooked or frozen within 4 days. Check to see if there is a "Best before date" or a " use by date" on the label.

I would like to freeze my spaghetti sauce. It is cold. Can I put it in sterilized (in dishwasher) Mason jars and put thme in the freezer after letting them cool down. I would like to know how many inches should I leave on top so they would not break?

To prevent breakage, let the jars cool before filling them with the cool spaghetti sauce. Leave 1 cm/1/2 in headspace for 500 mL jars and 2.5 cm/1 in headspace for 1 L jars.

Can I eat tofu that expired the day before?

For best quality and safety, do not eat tofu after the Best Before Date.

How long does fresh salmon keep in the fridge?

Fresh (raw) salmon should be cooked or frozen within 2 to 3 days.

How long can you safely keep ( and then eat) a refrigerated sandwich of luncheon meats, cheese AND mayonaise? Thanks for your answer

If the sandwich has been left unrefrigerated (i.e. in a lunch bag) for longer than 2 hours, it is not recommended to eat it. However, if the sandwich has remained refrigerated, it may be stored up to 1 day.

We lost power Sunday morning around 7am then next morning I found that my husband did not take our shredded and cubed cheese out of the fridge. Is it okay to consume after that long of a period of time? Also we had Grands cinnamon rolls in the can still in there, are they okay?

The shredded cheese should be thrown out. If the cubed cheese is hard (cheddar, swiss, parmesan) it should be ok. You should throw the Grands rolls away as well, as they are perishable.

I made bacon and forgot to put the left over (cooked) bacon in the refrigerator. It sat out about 12 hours. Is it safe to eat?

Bacon which has been left at room temperature for longer than two hours should be discarded because it may be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

I bake tourtières (meat pies) with groud meat made of pork and beef. Meat seemed to be cooked. I put the meat in the pie, baked it for 45 minutes. When I cut a piece of tourtière, meat was pinkish. Can you tell me why? I seems that the meat has not cooked enough.

Are you using a meat thermometer to ensure the pies are cooked? You can not tell by color. The pies should reach an internal temperature of 71º C (160º F)

I bought 2 large packets of frozen prawns to defrost for Christmas. But I forgot them in the boot of the car (on a cool day) from afternoon till late evening. They were half thawed but still half frozen. I put them straight into the freezer. My question is will they be okay to thaw overnight and serve cold the next day for Christmas or will I have to throw them all out! I feel sick about doing that. But I don't want to make my guests sick. I was thinking of defrosting some of them to test on myself earlier but thought I would check with you first.

Frozen prawns which have been held above 4 degrees C/40 degrees F for longer than two hours should be discarded. There is a risk that you could make yourself or your guests sick from harmful bacteria even if you defrost them in the refrigerator.

How long after the "Best Before Date" can we keep a carboard box of pasta, a box fo couscous and boxes of powdered desserts. Thank you!

The 'best before date' indicates how long the unopened product will retain its freshness and high quality - it is more of a quality indicator than a safety indicator. Non perishable foods consumed after the 'best before date' will have a loss of quality.

My mother used to bring to our attention the fact that meat who stayed to long in the freezer was lost and it was much better to put it in the garbage. My mother was from Belgium and I did not hear that often Quebecers using that expression but I know that it exists in Québec. They say freezer burns. My mother is not with us anymore to remind us of this fact. Please, may be this expression is current in Belgium or in Europe because I heard others mentioning it and I most likely used it 30 years ago. Today, it seems that I erased it from my memory. I am in my fifties now and having put my memory at ease, I am starting to forget those little details. I would think that it is somewhat normal but I would like to recall it so I could spend more time taking care of other business. I just cannot let go on this expression hoping for an answer. St-Antoine de Padoux helps me to find things relatively fast when I take the time to ask him but right now I do not know to which Saints I should turn too. Please Mrs. Cookwell, come to my rescue. God will reward you one hundred times. Thank you!

Freezer burn is a term used to describe food that has been inappropriately wrapped and then frozen. There is a loss of moisture in the food that can affect texture and flavour, and leave the food with white or gray spots.

I baked a Southern Apple pie. It had 1 cup of sour cream and 1 egg in it. It was baked at 450 for 30 min and 400 for 10 min. I left it out overnight and then put it in the frig. Is it safe to eat now?

Because your Southern Apple Pie contains a significant quantity of sour cream and an egg, it would be considered a perishable food product that needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Perishable foods left longer than 2 hours at room temperature can pose a food safety risk as bacteria thrive in a moist, warm, protein rich environment.

Can you freeze dairy coffee creamers?

It is safe to freeze dairy coffee creamers but there may be loss of quality such as changes in consistency and flavour.

I received a smoked turkey for a gift. I put it in the frig. For how long will it be safe to eat?

A cooked smoked turkey can be refrigerated or frozen within 3 to 4 days.

I have had a tin of lucky leaf cherry pie filling in the pantry for maybe two years. It does not show any expirty date, is it still safe to open and use in a pie.

The pie filling may be safe but, for best quality, a tin of cherry pie filling should be used within 18 months.

A week ago, I prepared a chicken broth and I froze it once ready. After that, I thawed a container of this broth (approximately 2 cups) to add it to a vegetable soup. There are some leftover of this soup in the refrigerator since the last 4 days. Can we still eat it? Thank you!

Leftover soups should be refrigerated and used within 2 to 3 days.

Last evening we bought 1lb of potato salad from the grocery store deli. We found it in the bag the next morning so it had been unrefrigerated for about 12 hours. Our home temperature is 68-70 degrees F. Is the salad still edible? Thank you.

If potato salad was left at a temperature above 40 degrees F/4 degrees C for longer than two hours it should be discarded because there is a risk that harmful bacteria may have developed.

Can you eat margarine if it has been unrefrigerated overnight?

We cannot recommend eating margarine that has been left at room temperature for longer than two hours.

I forgot a package of cream cheese out of the fridge one evening, it was late in the evening and found it on my counter the next morning, I forgot to put it away. Will it still be ok or shoud it be thrown away? thank you

Cream cheese that has been left at room temperature longer than two hours should be discarded because there is a risk that harmful bacteria may have developed.

Can margarine (stick) be left out on a counter top in a covered plate? If so, for how many days?

Although margarine may be safely left at room temperature, the quality will deteriorate faster (i.e. the fat will oxidize and become rancid faster) when left at room temperature than when stored in the refrigerator.

My daughters husband refroze some thawed scallops by mistake. She ate them anyway and after a cople of days had sickness and diahorea. She has just had a blood test which shows a problem with her liver. Could this be connected to the scallops. She has also been taking strong painkillers for sciatica.

I would suggest she visit her doctor and discuss side effects of the painkillers as they maybe upsetting her stomach. She may also want to undergo testing to make sure she does not have food poisoning.

I made a bean soup with chicken broth earlier. I refrigerated it probably within a half hour of it being done, in a container probably about 3" deep. Approximately 4 hours later I checked it and it was cold except in the center of the container it was only coolish. Is this OK still to reheat and eat tomorrow? Oh, it also has macaroni in it. Thanks.

The soup may still be used. To avoid several temperature changes to your soup, reheat only the amount of soup you will eat at one time. Be sure to bring the soup to a rolling boil to reheat well.

Can I use bread crumbs that have an expiration date of March 2007. They look and smell fine. Thank you.

The "best before" date on shelf stable products is the manufacturers guarantee of quality, nutrition, and wholesomeness. It is not an indicator of food safety, and applies to unopened products that have been stored under appropriate conditions. After the "best before" date, the product may lose some of it's original quality, nutrition and could have become rancid.

Can't find an answer on your site related to this specifically.... Yesterday I bought eight packaged chicken kievs (kiev and other ones like it, all stuffed) at M & M. I'm so pissed off I did this, but I forgot, and left them in the grocery bag in our home from about 2pm yesterday afternoon until about 10 am this morning. Then I threw them in the freezer. Someone told me I shouldn't have put them back in the freezer; if I'd cooked them then and then refroze, they would have been fine. This is a lot of chicken for us to get rid of, I'm really reluctant. Maybe the M&M kiev's etc. have already been cooked once? Not sure. Yahoo Answers, there's one comment that if it's cooked in an oven at over 180F for at least 10 minutes, it should be okay... I'd appreciate whatever information you can provide.

Based on the information provided, we would not recommend eating the chickens. As the chickens were left at room temperature for approximately 20 hours, parts of the surface or interior of the food will have been exposed to temperatures above 4ºC for an extended period of time, the perfect temperature for pathogens to grow and multiply. You can get very sick by their presence or by their toxins presented.

Hi! This morning when I woke up the freezer door was opened for approximately 5 hours. I threw away some soft foods, cooked the meat but I had a lot of cooked prepared foods such as pizzas, food in pouches and dishes "au gratin". Boxes of those meals seem to be very hard still. Is there a risk? Should I eat them as soon as possible? Thank you!

If there are ice crystals remaining on the foods, they may be safely refrozen. If there are not, all perishable foods should be discarded. The exceptions are: breads, cakes, cookies, cereal, waffles, fruits and juices. The meat you cooked may not be safe to eat unless ice crystals were still present.

I left a pot of beef vegetable soup out for longer than two hours and noticed bubbles on the surface of the soup. Is that a sign of spoiling? I have seen other soups I have made do the same thing. These homemade soups have beef, corn, potatoes, carrots, onions, broth, green beans and celery and canned tomatoes in them. Just really curious!

You did not state how much longer after 2 hours. The bubbles are likely not a sign of spoilage, but just air bubbles reaching the surface. The bubbles may have been created as a result of stirring or trapped air in the vegetables.

I had some chicken in the freezer which I thawed out and cooked in a curry, the problem is I made too much of the curry can I put some back into the freezer or do I need to bin the leftovers?

You can freeze the cooked curried chicken in containers designed for the freezer and store the chicken for up to 3 - 6 months.

I bought a lot of cold cuts, turkey, roast beef, pastrami for a party that got cancelled. Can I freeze the cold cuts and how should they be wrapped.

Yes, cold cuts may be frozen. Package in single use amounts in airtight freezer wrap or bags.

I left a a chunk of sharp cheddar cheese out late in the evening. I didn't realize this until morning. Is cheese still good if left out over night? It was in a ziplock bag. Thanks!

As cheese products provide a rich, moist, neutral pH environment that pathogenic bacteria need to survive and thrive in, they should be stored in the refrigerator and not left at room temperature any longer than 2 hours. Throw it out.

We have 2 cans of pasteurized crab meat (1 lump, 1 claw)that have not been opened and have been in the refrigerator since purchase. One has an expiration date of 3/07 and the other has no expiration date. Are they safe to eat. Thank you

By law, foods in Canada with a shelf life less than 90 days require a best before date. Canned fish and shellfish have a shelf life of 12 months for optimum quality and nutrition, provided the cans have not been exposed to extreme heat or cold.

I left my large chicken of 7 -8 pounds to thaw at room temperature for over 15 hours. It was still frozen underneath this morning and I put it in cold water. After that mistake, I am wondering if it is still safe to cook? It is a grain fed chicken frozen since last fall. Thank you!

Perishable frozen foods should NOT be thawed at room temperature. The best and safest way to thaw frozen poultry is in the refrigerator. The chicken may not be safe to eat.

My mom bought some "Holiday Sugar Cookies" from the store, they are packaged in regular cookie packaging (plastic), but tasted a bit too buttery thatn the last time I ate them. It is now Jan. 20, and the store was still selling them, and there is no expiry date, so I was wondering, since the holiday season is technically way past, are these cookies expired? And are they safe to consume? I had one this morning...

Durable life dates or "best before" dates are only required on products with a shelf life of 90 days or less. As most commercially processed cookies generally have a shelf life beyond 90 days, the manufacturer does not need to have a "best before" date on the package. Although it is past Christmas, the cookies would be safe to eat.

how long can you leave clamato juice already opened in the fridge,is it fine to drink after a month?

The recommended storage time by the manufacturer for opened Clamato juice stored in the refrigerator is 2 - 3 weeks.

How long a pie crust would keep in the refrigerator? Thanks!

You don't mention if it a home made crust or if it baked or what the ingredients are. Commercial pie crusts should be kept frozen until ready to use. A cooked crust may be kept in plastic wrap for 1 week.

At what temperature in degrees Celcius should we keep fresh beef meat?

Fresh, raw beef should be kept at refrigerator temperature between 1 - 4ºC.

How can I store a block of parmesan cheese? Thank you.

If the cheese in unopened, you can store it in your refrigerator for 3 -6 months. Check to see if there is a best before date. Once open, the cheese will be good for at least 1 month. Keep it stored in an airtight container or package to ensure its freshness. Look for signs of discoloration or off odours and throw out if this happens.

Is it safe to drink milk that was unopened and left out at room temp of 69 degrees for a little less the 2 hours?

The milk is most likely safe. You will shorten the shelf life of the milk because you've exposed it to warmer temperatures. Quality may be compromised, so make sure you smell the milk every time you go to drink it, and try to use the milk as quickly as possible.

I cooked a gaspesian sea-pie (meat pâté made of rabbit meat, bison, wapiti) for 6 hours in the oven at 250 degres F. I turned the oven off for four hours before putting it in te refrigerator. They are 8 hours left to complete the cooking. Is it safe to eat that sea-pie, food been 4 hours in the danger zone?

Leaving food in the oven without heat for longer than 2 hours is not a safe practice. I would not recommend you eat the pie. In future, put the pie in the refrigerator after cooking to stay out of the "danger zone".

I browned some boneless pork ribs to cook in my crockpot. I put the sauce over top and put the crockpot on high. When I went to check 3 hours later, I realized I had not plugged it in. Is this o.k. to eat?

You have exceeded the 2 hour rule for perishable foods. Bacteria may have multiplied in that time and cooking the ribs now may not destroy all the bacteria. I do not recommend you eat the ribs.

I work at a Kmart and this older women will come in and buy all of our milk the day before it expires at half-price. I once asked her what she did with it and she said she freezes it and drinks it later. I can't imagine this being a good thing & I'm concerned becuase of the amount she must have stocked away!! Is this dangerous & what should I tell her?

The best before date on the milk ensures optimal quality, nutrition and wholesomeness. Freezing the milk will delay the onset of spoilage bacteria, but once thawed, they may grow again. Quality and nutrition are being compromised as freezing may destroy some of the vitamin content. The milk may separate or become grainy. I do not recommend freezing milk, but if you must, skim or 1% is best. Make sure you give room for the milk to expand on freezing and use within a few days of thawing.

I baked a yam 7 days ago and stored it in the refrigerator. Is it safe to eat it?

Cooked vegetables should be eaten within 3 days. Your yam may have started to spoil at this point. Throw it out.

We have unopened commercially canned soups, beans, tuna, etc on which the expiry dates of last year - are they safe to consume now? Thanks!

Provided they have not been exposed to extreme heat or cold, they should be safe to eat, but may suffer quality loss due to age.

I cooked a chicken, deboned it and put it in the refrigerator. How long can we keep it in the refrigerator and still be good to eat?

The chicken may be kept refrigerated for 3 -4 days or frozen for 3 months.

I cooked a pot of red beans with salt pork and sausage. I wanted to let them cool before I put them in the fridge but I fell asleep and left them out. I put them in the fridge as soon as I woke up. They were out for about 6 hours. Can they still be eaten?

There is risk involved with consuming perishable foods that are left unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours. You are best to throw this out.

How long does homemade olive oil and balsamic vinegrette last? Should it be kept in the fridge?

These will last 2 -3 days in the refrigerator.

Our home has been without electricity for 15 hours now and we don't know when it is going to be established. We have kept the refigerator and freezer doors closed during this time. At what point should the contents within be discarded?

A freezer should keep food frozen for about 24 hours during a power failure, a refrigerator about 4 -6 hours, depending on the kitchen temperature and the original temperature of the refrigerator. Food in the freezer that still has ice crystals on it can be refrozen. If a perishable food item has thawed, throw it away. Exceptions are breads, cakes, cookies, cereal, waffles, fruit and juices, but check to make sure there are no yeast like odours. If any perishable foods in the refrigerator have been stored above 4 C for longer than 2 hours, they should be discarded (sandwich meat, soft cheeses such as brie, cottage, ricotta, mozzarella, milk, yogurt, leftovers, eggs, etc.) Discard mayonnaise and tartar sauce that have been above 10 C for more than 8 hours.

How long can you keep butter safely in the freezer? Thank you! DED

Butter may be stored in the freezer for 6 months.

can you store opened plastic bottles of soda pop unrefrigerated for months and should they be stored in a Janitor's closet where cleaning chemicals are stored?

Soda pop has a shelf life of 12 months, 6 months for diet pop. Once open, the soda loses its carbonation quickly (within a few days to a week) and there is potential for mould growth. Storing food next to cleaning chemicals is NEVER a good idea! Keep food and chemicals stored in physically separate areas to avoid accidental use.

Once opened, how long can you keep hoisin sauce, soya sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce?

Once open, Asian sauces will keep 4 - 6 months in the refrigerator.

Understanding that there must be quick refrigeration in between uses, how many times can leftovers be recooked and incorporated into a new dish? i.e. I had leftover baked boneless chicken breasts which I chopped up and added to other ingredients to make a chicken stew (this was cooked all day in a slow cooker and then refrigerated right away). Would the stew still be okay to enclose in pastry crust and baked into a chicken pot pie? If the food is properly refrigerated between uses and completely recooked each time, is there a limit to how many times it could be recycled? I know that the typical family wouldn't have enough leftovers to keep reusing it several times- but my girlfriend and I were just wondering if you could do it?

Reuse of leftover food is limited despite proper refrigeration and recooking. Refrigeration does not destroy harmful bacteria, it merely slows their growth. And recooking may not make the food safe either. Some bacteria produce heat resistant toxins. So each time the leftover is refrigerated and heated, the risk of contamination with harmful bacteria increases. So use only the portion of leftover that can be consumed in that single use. Safe storage time is calculated based on the oldest ingredient. For example, the storage life of your chicken breasts, stew and pot pie would be a total of 3 - 4 days.

Is Turkey Bacon still good to cook and eat if the "use by" date is 5 days expired?

The use by date is a guarantee by the manufacturer that the product will still be fresh, nutritious and wholesome as the day it was made. Quality may be compromised after the use by date. Check to make sure the bacon has not soured.

Pizza left overnight, can I eat it?

It is not safe to eat food that is perishable that has been unrefrigerated for longer than 2 hours. Throw it out!

I forgot some beef with vegetables in the crockpot for several hours. I cooked it again to avoid from throwing it out. Is it still safe to eat?

Unfortunately, no. Reheating will not destroy bacteria that are heat stable or produce heat stable toxins. Throw it out!

Hi I have Maple Leaf Foods Prime Chicken, Can i use the chicken the day after its "best before date"? best before date is feb 8/08 i will make it feb 9/08

The best before date indicates the food's optimal freshness, quality and nutrition. Before cooking, smell the product first. Any off odours and you have spoilage bacteria growing and you will have to throw it out. Provided it has been properly refrigerated, you may still be able to eat the chicken, but cook it immediately and thoroughly, to an internal temperature of 86º C

I made a pot of 15 bean soup in my Crock Pot it had been cooking on high all night. I turned it off around 9:30pm went to bed woke up around 7am the next day realizing I hadn't put my beans in the frig. Is it still okay to eat??? The ingredients included tomatoes stewed (canned) corn okra jalapenos, chicken broth, garlic and onion. Is this pot of beans safe to eat? I would say no but I am not sure.

You are right. The pot of beans would not be safe to eat. It has been exposed to the danger zone of above 4 degrés C (40 degrees F) and below 60 degrees C (140 degree F) for too long. That would allow sporeformers to germinate and grow in the product. As you have onions in the recipe for example, they would carry in those heat resistant sporeformers in the mixture and once the temperatures are favourable, they would gernimate and multiply. They do not change the appearance or the taste of the food but they can make you very sick. The pot should have been refrigerated within two hours after cooking. Throw it out!

I had a large container of meat spaghetti in the freezer. I took it out and put it on the counter to get a jump start on it thawing, and forgot to put it in the frig before I went to bed. It was left out about 12 hours. This morning the middle was still frozen and the sides still cold (but some thawed). Is it safe to eat?

Unfortunately no. The food does not thaw uniformly on the counter and the warmer areas (on the outside) are at ideal temperatures for bacteria to grow. This is no longer safe to eat.

My friend today was given a fruit friendship cake at her church, I never heard of this cake and looked on internet for the recipe and found it, you leave canned fruit cocktail and peaches out for 10 days on counter, in a starter ,oh my!!!, I feel this is a very dangerous to your health recipe, is it safe to eat this cake???.. Thanks

You are right to be concerned. That is ample time for spoilage bacteria such as yeast and mould to grow. You should not leave these ingredients out on the counter.

if chicken was left overnight in a tray on the bench to be thawed, then will contamination happen? what's it's solution?

You should never thaw food, particularly raw meat, at room temperature. The safest way to thaw meat is in the refrigerator. If you plan on cooking it immediately, meat may be thawed in the microwave.

Hi, I cooked a turkey breast last night and put the juice from the turkey in a sealed container. I put the turkey in the fridge but accidentally left the small container of juice out overnight. Should I toss it or is it ok? Thanks!

Raw or cooked, the juice should be thrown out after 2 hours at romm temperature.

We have quite a bit of frozen meat in our freezer. Today I took some chicken out to cook and noticed that the packaged date is 2 years old. Is this still ok to thaw and cook? How long is okay? It has been frozen the whole time.

For optimal freshness and quality, whole frozen poultry should be consumed within 1 year.

I left opened canned tuna, no mayo out overnight. is it safe to eat?

You are not saying where you left the opened can of tuna. If the opened can of tuna mayo or not was left at room temperature overnight, throw it out. It has been out for over two hours and the suction created while opening the can drew in airborne spores that would have grown overnight in the product. If it was stored in the refrigerator in the can shortly after been opened, it should be fine to eat but do not extend any longer in the can. It is recommended to tranfer canned food in another container as oxygen accelerates the reaction between the food and the wall of the can leaching any chemical in the food.

Cooked Matane shrimps. How long can I keep them at room temperature? Thank you!

Cooked shrimps are highly perishable food commodities and should not be exposed to room temperature for more than 2 hours or one hour during the warm summer months.

Hi! My freezer frosts my foods inside pouches and boxes. Can you guide me? I set it at 1 thinking that it was going too strong but nothing changed. Thank you!

Try using freezer paper and containers designed for the freezer that are air tight.

Can I put soup which has just finished cooking (hot) directly in the refrigerator?

Foods that are boiling hot should be allowed to cool a bit before being placed in the refrigerator. You can speed up the cooling process by placing foods in shallow containers, they will cool more quickly. Hot foods may be placed directly into the refrigerator.

How long can you safely use condiments after the "best by" date? We have salad dressings and whatnot that are a year or so beyond the "best by" date...is it wrong that we don't want to toss them yet?

This is not a safety issue, but a quality issue. Best before dates are determined by the manufacturer to guarantee wholesomeness, quality, taste and nutrition. After that time, there may be a loss of any or all of these. Provided the product is properly refrigerated and has not been contaminated (ie. using your finger to catch dripping dressing), the product should be safe. However, this is well past the best before and you should throw the dressings out.

How long past the expiry date can I use a never opened box of powdered pudding mix. (vanilla)? Thank you!

Best before dates guarantee wholesomeness, taste, quality and nutrition. After that time, any or all of these attributes may be compromised. You should use your food before the best before dates expire.

Can you tell me how long you can store can food items & bottled items in your pantry??? Does it depend on the food? Example: a bottle of tomato juice versus a bottle of prune juice or a can of olives versus a can of peaches. Thank you very much.

Canned and bottled foods which are acidic like tomato juice, canned tomatoes or tomato soup and fruit can be stored 18 months in your pantry. Those which are low in acid like other canned vegetables can be stored for 2 to 5 years. Unopened cans of olives can be stored for 12 to 18 months.

How long does food stay good in an upright freezer compared to a chest freezer or the freezer attached to the fridge. Also is there a difference in the length of time that food can be stored in a frost free vs manual upright freezers.

The style of freezer is not what is important, it's the temperature. Regardless of style, your freezer should be set at -18º C or colder. Use a thermometer to check.

I accidently turned off my freezer last night. Will the food inside the freezer be ok to refreeze? It was off for about 7 hours but the freezer door remained closed.

Food should remain frozen in the freezer without power for 24 - 48 hours, depending on how full the freezer is (the fuller the better).

I bought cubed beef stew meat a week ago Monday. I stuck it in the fridge unopened thinking I was going to use it with in a day or two. Well I didn't. Is the meat still good?

Fresh beef stew meat may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 - 2 days. The meat you purchased over a week ago would not be safe to eat and should be discarded.

How long can you keep a bag of any kind of flour after it has been opened

White flour may be kept in your pantry 6 - 8 months after opening. Whole wheat flour has a shorter shelf life because the bran and germ left on the wheat (higher oil content) and it will go rancid more quickly. I suggest you store open whole wheat flour in your fridge for 6 - 8 months for optimal shelf life.

Hi, my juice has a best before date of 2008 JN 17 is that Jan 17th or June 17th?? and I just ate some breakfast sausage that was in my fridge and I didn't realize the best before date was 2 weeks ago! Am I going to be sick? I fried it well

As required by the Food & Drugs Act in Canada, January is JA and June is JN. Your juice has a best before of June 17, 2008. Regarding the breakfast sausage, you should have discarded it since it is well past the best before date. This date guarantees the food will be of good quality, nutrition and wholesomeness. After that time, nutrition and quality may be compromised. If you can not finish food in the suggested time frame, you should freeze it.

Is Vlasic jarred sauerkraut supposed to be refrigerated after opening? It doesn't say anything on the jar about it.

High acid foods such as sauerkraut should be refrigerated after opening.

I just noticed that the can of tomato paste I used in my sauce has an expiration date of a year ago. Is it still safe to eat? Should we eat the sauce or throw it away?

It is not recommended to use tomato paste after the Best Before Date because the acid in the paste may have reacted with the lining of the can causing chemical contamination of the sauce.

Took some stew out of the freezer that was frozen solid on Saturday. Forgot about it. Is it safe to eat on Monday?

If cooked stew was refrigerated shortly after cooking, it would be safe to eat or freeze for 3 to 4 days. If frozen right after cooking, then once the stew was thawed in the refrigerator it would be safe to eat within 3 to 4 days. However, if the stew has been thawed at room temperature, you forgot about it and it sat there for more than two hours, then it will not be safe to eat.

Door of fridge was left open half way for 10 hours. Have a lot of beef and lunchmeat, milk, ground beef in it. 2 lightbulbs in fridge burning the entire time but fridge was running temp in garage was 60 F are any of this foods safe to eat or drink thank you waiting to hear from you

If beef, luncheon meat, ground beef and milk were left in a fridge where the temperature rose above 4 degrees C/40 degrees F for longer than two hours, there is a risk that harmful bacteria may have developed and the food should be discarded.

Last night I made a vegan jambalaya, with kidney beans, veggies and spices, and I forgot to put it in the fridge, it was left out all night. Is it safe to eat?

Vegan jambalaya left at room temperature for longer than two hours (one hour in the summer) provides the ideal environment for the growth of harmful bacteria. Discard it.

hi, I just wanted to know how long do refrigerated cold cuts, salamis and cheese stay fresh?

Deli cold cuts and salamis can be refrigerated 3 to 4 days. Check for a Best Before Date on packaged luncheon meats. Semi soft cheeses may be refrigerated 2 to 3 weeks. Firm cheese may be refrigerated 5 weeks.

We just had a family party where I had cooked chicken being kept warm over burners. When the burners went out the chicken sat covered, warm, for about two hours. We then bagged it and put it in the fridge. Is it safe too eat?? One of our guests suggested we throw it out. But it is a full tray of good chicken?

There is a risk that your chicken may be contaminated with harmful bacteria because of unsafe food handling practices at several different points. When the cooked chicken was held for two hours it should have been kept piping hot 73 degrees C/ 165 degrees F. for no longer than two hours. Then it should have been chilled quickly by spreading in a shallow container and refrigerating. Bagging it would have slowed the heating process.

Can you save chicken broth after you open the can? If so, how do you store it and how long does it keep?

Yes, leftover chicken broth can be refrigerated or frozen if removed from the can and transferred to a refrigerator or freezer container. It can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or frozen for 4 months.

I bought a pound of hamburger and a package of hotdogs and left them set out in my kitchen for 3 hours before I realized I hadn't put them in the refrigerator. Are they still safe to eat?

If hamburger and hot dogs are left at room temperature longer than two hours (one hour in the summer) they should be discarded because there is a risk that they have developed harmful bacteria.

Is is okay to cube sweet potatoes and regular potatoes and store in water in the fridge overnight to roast the next day?

Yes, it is safe to store cubed potatoes in water in the refrigerator overnight. But there will be loss of quality including nutrients.

My son in law bought 2 ham butts for Easter last night and I discovered them both in his back entry way unrefrigerated and warm to the touch. Eater is tommorrow making it almost 48 hours untill they would be planned to be eaten but 45 hours till they are to be cooked. I am fearful to eat any of the ham but he and his wife claim that since they were smoked and fully cooked they are perfectly fine stored in that room. They had no room in their fridge for the hams so is the reason they kept them in the back room. I told them that even if they would have placed them outside they would have been much better off than where they had them. The temp outdoors was 22 last night and will be tomorrow with both daytime temps only reaching 35 degrees. Am I right in my claims that the hams should be discarded and not eaten but to be quickly replaced intime for easter supper?

The hams may be contaminated with spores of harmful bacteria thatwould multiply once the conditions are favourable. Even though ham is fully cooked it should be kept refrigerated at 4 degrees C/ 40 degrees F or below. If left at warmer temperatures for longer than two hours, they should be discarded.

Is it safe to eat unrefrigerated boiled eggs that are 4 days old?

It may not be safe to eat your eggs. Hard cooked eggs should not be stored unrefrigerated for longer than two hours (one hour in the summer) because harmful bacteria may develop.

I bought meat in one city and drove an hour and half home and promptly put it in the fridge. IS it okay?

The safety of meat left unrefrigerated for 11/2 hours would depend on the temperature in your car. If it was warm, harmful bacteria may have developed after one hour. Next time, take a cooler with ice packs to keep the meat refrigerated.

We left our opened package of schredded cheddar cheese on the counter overnight. Is is still safe to use?

Your cheese might not be safe to eat as the package has already been opened for one and it was left on the counter for more than two hours. Cheddar cheese is a perishable commidity and if present harmful bacteria would grow under ideal conditions and could make you sick.

I left a container of sour cream and also a container of fresh salsa in my car for about 2 hours. Are they both safe to consume? Or should I toss them?

Unless your car was parked under the direct sun and the temperature inside was very high, both products should be safe to consume as they are quite acidic and it would take much longer time to encounter any problem with those food commodities.

Hi! Fresh cream pâtés containing frozen vegetables such as peppers, snow peas, beans. spanish and asparagus have been left on the oven after cooking. Can we still eat them?

Those pâtés are perishable foods that should have been served immediately or refrigerated as soon as possible. They have been left on the oven way over the two hours recommended for their safety. They should be thrown out.

how long can fresh cut up fruit go without being refrigerated?

Fresh cut up fruits would last less longer than the whole fruit iself under the same conditions and it would not be recommend to keep them that way except for serving. If they are left out for more than two hours, they should be thrown out.

Cooked shrimps from Matane, how long would they keep in the refrigerator? Would it be different if we heat them in a dish such as pastas with pesto?

Cooekd shrimps will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days and that time would not change if they are used in a dish such as pastas with pesto.

First of all, thank you for all the good advices. I am French and some of our practices raised a lot of questions: Thus, eggs are not refrigerated after they are layed as you do there. However it is written on the package "refrigerate right away after purchase" but they can be offered for sale in the store at room temperature until they expiry date!!!! I think this practice is dangerous and you are confirming that. My question: My mother had cooked some flash frozen mushrooms and we have noticed after consuming them that the "date to consume preferably before" had passed 18 months ago. Is there any health risks or just a possible change in the qualities? Are there any products that carry some safety risks if they are kept frozen beyong their date? Thanks you!

Usually, foods that have been kept in the freezer for extended periods of time will not represent a health hazard to a microbiological stand point. However, their physical and nutritional qualities will diminish with time. There will be physical damage related to the dryness of the food (especially meat), freezer burns et ice crystals formation with time. Generally, they would be safe to eat but their taste and appearance may be different.

If I prepare a buffet made of cold sandwiches made with chicken, eggs, ham, all prepared as salad with maonnaise, as I have to put the table together at 11am and dismantle it at 1:30pm, left over sandwiches, cheese, vegetables and dips as well as potatoes salad ans macaroni salad would all still be good? Thank you!

If all the food is exposed on the table at 11:00 et stays there until 1:30pm, it would have stay there at room temperature well over the two hours recommended for safety. At that time, it would be very risky to keep the food, especially the sandwiches, the salads, the cheese and the dip. To start with, you should expose small quantities of food at a time and add more as needed as you pull fresh one from the refrigerator. For the dip and the salads, place them on a nest of cruched ice. They will be able to stay longer on the table. While using this practice, any leftovers would have not stay at room temperature for extended period of time.

Is it okay to eat freezer burn/frostbite meat? What are the health issues for that?

Freezer burns and fristbites are signs that the meat was not properly wrapped before going into the freezer and / or it has been sitting there for extended period of time. There are no direct health hazards related to freezer burns / frostbites. There will be quality problems. They can be cut off from the meat and throw away. The rest of the meat could be eaten then.

After purchasing deli meat from the food market, how long will it stay good for in my fridge?

Deli meats will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator.

I left a brick of cheddar cheese--hard cheese--at room temperature for 4 hours, then refrigerated it again. Is it safe to eat??

Cheddar cheese is a hard cheese that should not support growth of harmful bacteria because of its nature which should have low humidity and practically no water activity. Unless you do not see mold growing on it or the cheese is not been consumed by a pregnant woman, it should be safe to eat.

Is it okay to use margarine in the container left out overnight?

Margarine left out overnight should be fine to use the next day. That product has such a low water activity that bacteria if any do not have the opportunity to grow.

Hi! I purchased smoked salmon wrapped in plastic at the airport at 7am and I arrived home only at around 11pm. Knowing that the fish was always in its packaging, can I still eat it. Thank you!

ffffffffffffIt depends how the smoked fish was offered for sale. Was it offered in a refrigerated counter? Does the label says to keep the smoked salmon refrigerated at all time. If these are the cases, there would be a risk that the salmon might cause food poisoning because it has been exposed to room temperature for more than two hours when it was not supposed to be. Some smoked salmon are packed and sold at room temperature and should be fine, but if it needed refrigeration, then it should not be consumed.

How long can we keep in the refrigerator leftover quiche, tuna cake, an apple clafoutis and a chocolate cake all home made? Thanks for your answer

Leftover quiche and tuna cake will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days. Desserts such a chocolate cake and apple clafoutis will keep for up to a week in eh refrigerator.

How long can you leave out drinking water at room temperature? What if left out in the sun? Does it matter whether it is in glass or plastic, opened or capped or unopened?

Several factors would have an influence in the quality of the water. Bottled water that has been ozonized can last for two years (see expiry date on container) unopened and store in a cool dry place. As soon as you start playing with the product (open the bottle, drink from the container, expose it to the sun and heat) you are reducing its shelf-life dramatically because the water gets exposed to its environment and chance of contamination are greater. Water in a plastic bottle exposed to the sun might have a different taste after a while. If you talking about tap water and you bottled it yourself, its shelflife would not be as long because the water would have been exposed already to its environment.

Can I used a cheese from which is Best Before date has passed to prepare a macaroni? Thank you!

It is not recommend to use a food product from which its expiry date has passed.

I left ham from the deli in my garage for 24 hours. It was a low of 37 overnight and a high of 60 during the day outside. Is it any good since ham is smoked?

I would imagine that you purchase your ham from a refrigerated counter meaning that it needed to be kept refrigerated at all time. Your ham even smoked has been exposed to the danger zone of temperature (between 4 degrees C, 40 degrees F and 60 degrees C, 140 degrees F) for more than two hours. Bacteria can growth between those temperatures and cause food poisoning by their presence or presence of toxins that they can produce. Throw it out.

So tonight i was eating pizza and i put some parmesan cheese topping (the kind in the plastic bottle shaker) and after i ate one piece of pizza with the cheese on it i realized that the cheese had expired almost a year ago, it did not smell bad and i tasted fine but i dont know if that was okay or not.... ?

It is not recommend to eat product that are passed they expiry date. Depending of the nature of the product, manufacturers guarantee that they product would stay fresh and wholesome until it reaches its expiry date and this is for a product that has not been opened. After that date, the quality could diminish and the product could be unsatisfactory. In parmesan cheese, this is a very dry product and if it exposed to air humidity, mold would be able to growth. Also, with time, the cheese could become rancid. After a year, you should not consume that cheese.

I left my Philadelphia cream cheese in the fridge at work (max 3 weeks since opening) and let other people use it. Today i discovered it had grown some red goo. It looks like rasberry coulis but smells like sweaty feet. Is the fridge contaminated or is it the cheese?

The fact that you let other poeple using the cheese most likely brought in the contamination. It could have come from the refrigerator or from any instruments that co-workers used to serve themseves. The red goo that you are describing looks like to be yeasts that would give the sweaty feet odour. Yeasts can form spores that resist unfamiliar environment until they find a welcoming food source where they will thrive and spoil it. It should be thrown out.

My husband cooked three racks of baby back ribs in his smoker yesterday and then cooked them on the grill. He left them out on the countertop to cool before refrigerating last night and forgot to put them in the refrigerator. I know about the two hour rule and always follow it, but it seems like I remember smoked meats being safer than meat cooked other ways. Please let me know!

Smoking is another way of cooking meat but the two hours rules still applies as if the meat was cooked and left at room temperature for more than two hours. This meat would not be safe to eat and to avoid forgetting about it in the future, it shouldbe put in the refrigerator right away.

I forgot to put my fresh carrots and corn in the fridgerator last night. They have been on the counter for about 24 hours. The corn is out of its husk and they are all in plastic bags. Are the still safe to serve?

If the carrots were purchased while they were refrigerated, they might be a need to discard them as they wil become slimy in no time. If both vegetables in a plastic bag do not show any signs of humidity build-up, they should be fine. Molds would be the first microoganisms to spoil your product. Make sure that you wash them well before using them.

i have to cook plain pasta with some olive oil for 100 people. I have no room to store it in the fridge. can i leave it out overnight, covered and then reheat it tomorrow?

Once cooked, your pasta will be moisted and quite inviting for bacterial growth if left at room temperature. They will have to be refrigerated otherwise you run the risk of food poisoning. And making 100 persons sick will be something to remember. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour in the warm summer months).

Is it safe to marinade chicken overnight in the fridge? Does it depend on what I am marinading it in?

L'utilisation du réfrigérateur est la meilleure façon de mariner des viandes sans courir le risque d'empoisonnement alimentaire à moins que la marinade utilisée soit contaminée par des bactéries nocives.

A salom filet and two pork fillets were left at room temperature for 24 hours. They were well wrapped. Should I need to throw them out?

By all means, they need to be thrown out as they spent more than 2 hours at room temperature and can make you very sick even if they are cooked.

How long will Noodle Salad (pasta, mayonnaise, onions, celery, rice wine vinegar, spices) last in the refrigerator?

Noodle salad containing among other ingredients mayonnaise, rice wine and vinegar should keep up for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

My husband bought raw chicken(not frozen) from Super Store and left it in the car for 2 hours. The weather outside is 21 degrees. Is it safe to eat?

The temperature outside could have been at 21 degrees. Can you tell that the temperature in the car was the same or could it has been much higher since it is an enclosed area? Your chicken was right at the limit of time (2 hours) or over (one hour during the summer months) before bacteria would recover and start multiplying and this is if the chicken was exposed at room temperature. In a car, with temperature much higher as explained before, the recovery and multiplication of pathogens would be faster. I would not recommend to eat that chicken. It should be thrown out.

Hi there! I was thawing all beef hotdogs out on the counter and forgot them. They sat for approx. 11 hours. While I know you recommend not thawing on the counter, is it possible that these are OK given the high amount of preservatives in hotdogs? Perhaps if boiled for a long time? Thank you!

Even if we can consider the presence of preservatives in hot dogs, they are still perishable foods and perishable food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, (one hour in the summer time). Sporeformers (resistants forms of bacteria would develop and multiply fast and even if you boil them for a long period of time, there could be presence of toxins that do not get destroy by heat and can cause food poisoning. Knowing that hot dogs could be serve to children, there is a greater risk here.

I have purchased soup in tetrapak boxes and I forgot about them in my car during a very hot summer day and I noticed them only two days later. I put them in my food cupboard. The expiry date on them is still good but I hesitate to eat them as I do not know what the effect of the heat might have had on a Tetrapak! Thank you!

Soup in a tetrapak would have the same property than soup in a can; meaning that the product has reach commercial sterility. The heat treatment applied then will destroy all viable and sporeformers that could develop when the product is normally kept at room temperature. However, you could have thermo-resistant forms of bacteria that would develop in the product once exposed at higher storage temperatures such as in a car where temperature can be as you describe them. I would not recommend the consumption of that soup.

We had spaghetti for supper last night and put the left over sauce in a covered container which was left out all night in error. Is the sauce still safe to eat?? Thank you

I am afraid that the spaghetti sauce would be at risk to eat. It has been exposed to room temperature for more than two hours (one hour during the summer months). Bacteria and spores that can survive heat used to cook the sauce will thrive and could produce toxins that can make you sick. It will not be safe to eat. Throw it out.

I left cooked hamburgers in the oven over night, approx. 9 hours. Are they safe to eat today?

Not at all. The meat was left in hte danger zone wich is between 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) and 60 degrees C (140 degrees) for more than 2 hours. Knowing how hamburger meat could be dangerous to your health if it is not properly handled, it would be extremely risky to consume it. Throw them out.

Once a carton of chicken stock has been opened, how long can any leftovers be left in the fridge and how long will it maintain it's flavour? Thank you.

Once opened teh commercially made chicken stock should last of at least a week in the refrigerator unless the carton states otherwise. Its flavour will most likely diminish during that time.

I made banana coconut granola last night (ingredients- molasses, honey, oats, sugar, banana, coconut, vegetable oil) and left it on the counter to cool for storage. Unfortunately, I fell asleep before I could put it in a container. Do you think it is okay to eat? Thanks for your help.

The product should be fine to consume. The high sugar content will serve as a preservative. At this point in time, mold and yeasts would spoil the product over time so is oxygen who will make it go rancid. But right now, as freshly made as it is, it should be fine to consume

My son has gone camping, can he eat the cooked pasta I made on Wednesday if it was in the air thight container and in a cool bag. Or is this too dangerous? So now the pasta is 2 days old. All it has is Olive oil, garlic, chilles and basil.

If you can be sure that the pasta will be kept at refrigeration temperature (4 degrees C (40 degrees F)) or less at all time, they will be safe to eat. Otherwise,they could become a health hazard and should not be consumed.

I open a can of precooked beans cooked them and left them out overnight should they be thrown away too?

Yes, you should throw them out. As perishable food they have spent way over two hours at room temperature.

Can cooked spinach bread that you buy at the bakery be left out all day on the counter when brought home. The bakery leaves these breads out all day and I can't understand how it can be safe for eating. Thank you.

Once the bread is cooked it is a relatively dried commodity that would not promote growth of pathogens. Bacteria need a lot of moisture to growth something that bread would not have. Besides some preservatives might be used to extend their shelf life against molds for example. But eventually with time, they will find a way to growth and spoiled the product.

I purchased a bag of cherries in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. I forgot to take them out of my car and they sat there all night until the next evening. Car is garaged and the temperature had to be well over 90 degrees. Is it safe to eat these cherries or should I discard them. I placed them in the fridge again.

The fact that the cherries spent sometimes at that temperature will most likely accelerated their spoilage and make them go much softer. if you still want to consume them, you might want to wash them and discard the ones that look rotten, damage or too soft to enjoy. Store sells them from the refrigerated counter to extend their shelf-life.

Our refrigerator was over 60 degrees F. for at least 4 days. I insist everything be thrown out (except maybe the butter and parmesan cheese) but my parents don't believe me and they are going to keep all the food (including milk, eggs, cheese, salad dressings, relish, pickles, etc.) and continue to eat it. According to common sense and your advice I think I am right in saying it all should be tossed. Can you help me convince my parents?

Perishable foods such as milk, eggs, cheese, opened containers of salad dressing, relish, pickles should not be eaten if they were left at temperatures of more than 40 degrees F (4 degrees C) for more than two hours. In your case, it has been 4 days and you are right, they should definitely be thrown out. Bacteria and molds can multiply and cause food poisoning or other health problems. Take the initiative and thrown them out for them.

My aunt gave me some fresh green beans from her garden...how long do they keep in the frig?

Fresh green beans should keep covered in the refrigerator for 5 days.

is it okay to serve eggplant parmesan the night after making it?

Eggplant parmesan prepared the night before should be fine to serve the following day as long as it has been refrigerated.

I left the just purchased bacon in the car trunk overnight. Will it be ok to cook? Thanks, Sandy

The bacon has been exposed to hot temperatures for more than two hours and should not be consumed at all. Trow it out!

Can we cooked chicken legs, let them cool down and put them in the refrigerator after without deboning them? I heard that we absolutely have to remove the bones before refrigerating them. Thank you!

Once the chicken legs are cooked, do not hesitate to put them in the refrigerator as soon as possible. If you let them cool down at room temperature because they would be too hot, give them a maximum of 30 minutes. Otherwise, you risk to forget about them. As for deboning, a warm chicken is much easier to remove the meat from the bones and for this reason it is recommended to carve a whole chicken or turkey while it is still warm so the meat detach much easier from the bones. However, if the bones are still present while refrigerating the chicken, it does not pose any health risks unless someone chokes on a piece of bone present in the meat.

How long can a bottle of clamato juice be left in the fridge for? I bought it about 3 weeks ago. Is it still ok?

If the bottle has never been opened, it will keep for a while; 3 weeks should be fine. Check if there is an expiry date on the product. However if the bottle has been opened, then it will keep for 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator.

I have salmon which was frozen then mostly unthawed and then frozen again. Is this safe to eat?

If the salmon had some ice crystals still present during its mostly unthawed state, it will be safe to eat. Just make sure that you thaw it in the refrigerator and eat it right away.

Recently, I have prepared several homemade preserves in Mason jars. Someone told me that it is not necessary to boil the jars if we could hear the "poc" of the lids and noticed that they were caved in. After some searches on the net, I read about the risk with botulism in those cases. Should I throw them out or freeze my jars after spending few days in a cool dark place to avoid multiplicaton of the bacteria?

It would depend of the product that you have canned. It is true that home canning can be dangerous when it comes to botulism and there is a need at that time to follow reliable canning recipes. You should not have any problems to freeze your jars especially if they contain acidic products such a fruits, pickles or products containing tomatoes.

My wife made a spaghetti sauce the other night and i forgot it on the stove top, covered, all night long (10 hrs). Do i have to throw it away or could i have it simmer for at least one hour to get rid of potentially harmful bacteria ?

I am afraid that you will have to throw it away as it could be hazardous and risky to eat the sauce even if you simmer it for one hour. Ingredients added to the spaghetti sauce will carry their load of spores that resist heat. Once the product is left at room temperature, those spores germinated and bacteria start to grow. Those bacteria could produce toxins that will not be destroyed while simmering the sauce as you would like to do. And those toxins can make you very sick.

I made chicken liver pate 8 days ago. Is it still ok to eat? How long will it keep in the fridge?

Chicken liver pate should keep in the refrigerator for three to four days. Eight days might be too long.

How do we measure the temperature in the refrigerator?

Temperature is measured using a home appliance thermometer and reading could take place at different areas in the refrigerator. That temperature should read 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) or less.

I have been marinating chicken in Italian dressing in a sealed container for two nights. Is it still safe to cook tomorrow?

If marinating the chicken has been done in the refrigerator and you started it with fresh chicken or chicken that has been thawed in the refrigerator the day before, you will be safe to cook it tomorrow. Otherwise, it will not be safe if marinating the chicken took place at temperature above 4 degrees C (40 degree F) or the chicken has been in the refrigerator for more than three days when marinating started.

I left an unopened/sealed container of salsa, purchased from the refrigerated section of the grocery, set out overnight by accident. Can it be refrigerated and eaten safely?

It depends. If the container indicates that it needs to be kept refrigerated at all time, then it will be wise not to consume the product. Some commercially available salsa are sold at room temperature and could stay like that until it is opened. The container would usually ahve a screw cap lid. You might need to check with the store to see if it is a homemade salsa of a commercial one.

I left ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese in the trunk of my car for several days in the shade with temps reaching 30 degrees C (85deg F). Is it safe to eat? Thank you, Lorraine

Unfortunately not. Those cheeses are perishable and they have spent to much time under warm temperatures. Throw them out.

I bought a new jar a mayonnaise about 4pm this afternoon, it's 11:30 at night and I realized I left it in the car. Is it ok?

Your mayonnaise should be okay as long as the jar has not been opened during that time.

I am having a summer cook-out. A guest wants to bring cooked lasagna and wants to keep it in the trunk of her car (for several hours) to "keep it warm". I am very weary of this and think it is unhealthy. Is this a food safety issue?

You have reason to be weary about this practice. It is a food safety issue. It is not recommended to do that. Even if the person is cooking the lasagna, it needs to be refrigerated if it is not consumed within two hours, one hour during the summer months after cooking, no if or but. Keep it warm in the trunk of a car might not be enough as the temperature of the lasagna has to be above 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) constantly which I doubt that it will be maintained in the car. It needs to be refrigerated and warm up when needed.

Hi! We do know an improvment in the consumer's defence. We would like to know what are the microbiological analysis and their methods needed to show that soft drinks meet micro standards?

I am sorry to inform you that I do not have that kind of information. You should contact your Health autorities from your country as they are Health Canada in Canada or the Food and Drug Administration in the USA.

How long cheeies in syrup from which the jar have been opened would keep in the refrigerator? There is no such indication on the jar. Thank you!

Once the jar opened, the cherries in syrup would keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

I left uncooked shelled eggs in my car for about one and a half hours. The temperature outside was about 100 degrees (38 degrees C) or more. It probably was hotter in my car. Are these eggs ok to cook and eat?

Those eggs should not be consumed. They have been left at very hight temperature for more than an hour. Harmful bacteria thrive in those warm temperature and it would be risky to consume them. Throw them out.

How long will hot smoked salmon stay good or fresh in a vacum sealed food saver bag in the refrigerator?

If the hot smoked salmon in a vacuum sealed food safer bag was commercially prepared and purchased as such, it should keep in the refrigerator until the expiry date stamped on the package provided that it has not been opened. if the salmon was prepared at home, it should keep for 2 to 3 days.

I cooked then drained potatoes and forgot about them for an hour and 45 minutes while I watched a really good movie last night. Can we cook with these potatoes later today? Thanks.

Your potatoes should be fine as long as they have been refrigerated right away. They haven't really have time to spoil as they were still within the 2 hours rule. Just make sure that they are properly cooked with other foods.

1. How do you read the numbers on a can to see if the contents are still good (not best before, but some kind of code)? 2. Is it alright to put unopened cans of fruit in the refrigerator for a couple of months, does it get rusty inside or something? Thanks!! M.

1. Numbers embossed on a can of food belong to the manufacturer as they are not obligate by law to put a best before date on product that have a shelf life longer than 90 days. You will have to contact the manufacturer to get the meaning of those numbers. 2. Unopened can of fruits could always be refrigerated but condensation build-up on the can could accelerate the deterioration of the can (outside rust). For a couple of months however, it should be fine.

If I heat my sausage and peppers in the morning and put it in a hot bag, how long can the sausage and pepper sit out for?

If you cannot keep the sausage and peppers above 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) at all time, you will have a maximum of two hours where they can be kept in the danger zone of above 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) and below 60 degrees C (140 degrees F). After that time you might be at risk for food poisoning.

i remember when i was younger, seeing something about how its dangerous to open a can of food or soup, and instead of transfering it to another container to store in the fridge, just putting it as is inside to chill can and all. Was there some sort of reaction with the cut metal and the food besides rust? dangers?

Today, it is sensibly the same kind of reaction you may have with an opened can of food stored in the refrigerator. Especially for a high acid foods, (fruit salads, tomatoe based products), the presence of oxygen accelerates the reaction between the product in the can and the metal of the wall, where you get leaching of metal; mostly tin in the food. That might be the difference with the time you were younger when lead was used then to solder the side seam of the can. Today, lead has been eliminated. But it is still important to transfer any left-over from the can into a plastic container before putting it in the refrigerator.

Hello, We just went through Hurricane winds throughout Ohio that knocked our power out for 13 hours. Some Ohioans still haven't got there power back on yet. Anyway, my question is this...we made a pot of pinto beans on Thursday before the blackout on Sunday...and my husband IS STILL EATING THEM. I say he will get sick! I want to throw things away out of the fridge and he won't let me such as the roast beef lunch meat. He says he paid too much fo it to just pitch it in the garbage! I also want to know about the mayonnaise, mustard & ketchup, Jelly, margarine, eggs, etc.

The rule of thumb usually for perishable foods is that if it was exposed above 4 degrees C (40 degrees F) for more than 2 hours, it will not be safe to eat. This is very true for meat. Take the initiative and throw that meat and that pot of beans out if you think that they were exposed to warmer temperature for more than two hours. It should be the same for the eggs. Tell your husband, that health care cost are much higher than the price of the food you are throwing out. As for the mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, jelly and margarine, they should be fine if they were still cold to the touch. They are not as critical as the meat and the eggs. If you have doubt however, throw them out and start fresh!

I left a tub of Country Crock butter out on the counter from 7:00am to about 6:00pm. Do you think it is still okay after sitting at room temperature for that long? Thanks!

Butter is safe to keep at room temperature for long period of time as it is not a medium that would promote bacterial growth due to its nature and to the water availability in butter which it is low, close to nil. However, butter that stays for several days at room temperature may turn rancid and give a bad taste to the butter. But in your case, butter should be fine.

I have about 20 bags of frozen vegetables and was frozen at high temperature before hurricane IKE. We had power outage about 36 hours, but frozen vegetables were kept in the freezer and I had so much of ice on above self in the freezer. When we got the power back about half of the ice was not melted, frozen vegetable were half way defrosted. After the power came I left all bags in the freezer and they are now frozen again. Is it ok to cook and eat them?

Since you had ice around and the vegetables were half frozen, they will still be safe to eat. When a freezer is out due to a power outage and the door is not constantly opened, food should be safe for the first 24 hours. After that, if there is ice crystals still present on the food, it is okay to refreeze them and consume them later.

I tasted a little bit of cold tomato sauce from a preserved glass jar to realize after that it has been opened three months ago. What do I risk? What should I do?

Due to the nature of the product, you should not suffer from food poisoning. Tomato sauce is a product quite acid that do not promote the growth of harmful bacteria. However in a 3 month old opened product, you could have growth of mold and yeasts that will adapt slowly to the acidity of the product with time. Mold become obvious in the product and can produce toxins. If you think that you are suffering from food poisoning, consult a doctor. In the meantime. throw the product away.

How long can we leave on the counter cooked grounded beef and chicken to let them cool down before putting it in the refrigerator?

Cooked grounded beef and chicken should be put in the refrigerator right away after cooking. However if the meat is very hot, it can stay on the counter for 30 minutes and then put it in the refrigerator. The risk with this practice is that people may forget about the meat for period of time longer than 30 minutes.

Hi! I just found your website and it is very interesting. i do have a question. My mother prepared some lobster tails in an american sauce in mai 2007 and she put them in the freezer. We are in September 2008. can I eat them without getting sick? thank you!

Tahnk you for your positive comment. The freezing time for the lobster tail in sauce may be a little bit long but you should not get sick by pathogenic bacteria if you eat them as long as they are thawd in the refrigerator at all time and they are well heated up. However taste might be different and the texture might not be the same. The quality of the product may not be the same du to the long freezing time.

How long can milk based formula be left at room temperature?

Milk based formula for babies your mean? The shorter the time the better. Babies are quite sensitive to their environment and they should not be exposed to difficult conditions such as leaving a milk based formula at room temperature for extended period of time.

Hi! I would like to know if I can drink an orange juice that has expired about a month ago (5/9/2008 and today is 3/10/2008) if it is not opened? Thank you!

It is not recommended to consume foods that have expired for quality reasons. Manufacturers can guarantee the quality and freshness of their product until the best before date. After that there could be quality and health issues.

How long is the freezer life for a tourtiere, both baked and not baked?

Tourtieres baked and not baked should keep in the freezer for two to three months. They would need to be well wrapped so they would not get freezer burns.

I bought a package of hot dogs and drove around with them in the trunk for about 90 minutes. Temperature outside was high 50s, 60 degrees F tops. Then I refrigerated. Are the hot dogs safe to eat for me and my 4-year-old?

I will not recommend that you serve those hot dogs to your 4 year old as he is known to be part of one of the group at risk for food poisoning because of his sensitivity. Those hot dogs were temperature abused and even if it is not for 2 hours yet, the risk of food poisoning is real.

if a meal is fully cooked and prepared is it safe to leave in the pot it was cooked in overnite(in fridge) and be heated and served the following day? Also can raw vegetables sit on stove in water and be cooked next day for supper?

Leaving the fully cooked meal in the pot from where it has been cooked and put in the refrigerator overnight should be fine. You would be able to heat it and serve it the following day. As for the raw vegetables, i would not recommended to leave them on the stove in water overnight. They should be put in the refrigerator until ready to cook the next day.

If meat sandwiches have been left at room temperature for over 2 hours, can you grill them to make them safe to eat again.?

No! Even if you think that cooking might kill harmful bacteria, heat resistant toxins that they could produce can make you sick. They will have to be thrown out.

If you have a completely cooked rotisserie chicken refrigerated for 3 days, I know it's safe to finish eating it that third night. But - how about freezing any of that chicken for later use in a cassserole? Or for adding to chicken broth for soup? Or if it's been cooked in to a stir fry....as in RE-cooked after the third day, will the stir fry still be good the next day? Thanks, Cheryl

It is possible to freeze that chicken for later use after three days in the refrigerator and using it later in a casserole, chicken broth or soup as long as it is thaw in the refrigerator or added directly to the casserole,chicken broth and soup and cooked. As we know, freezing extends the shelf-life of food. That same cooked chicken can be added to chicken broth or soup or re-cooked in a stir-fry and still be good the next day it will have to be eaten that very next day.

I cooked a meat loaf for dinner last night and left it on the stove covered, over night by mistake. Is it still safe to eat?

Absolutely not! It is not safe to eat perishable food that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Throw it out!

I tried to read all the questions and answers but with time a gave up. Here is my question. Can we freeze milk and cream? Thank you!

Milk can be frozen. You will have to predict the necessary time needed to use it as it should be thawed in the refrigerator safely and shake it well one thawed. As for the cream, the more fat it contains, the less easy it is to freeze as fat will want separate. It is not recommended to freeze whipping cream.

I started to cook hamburger patties and after about 15 minutes, I had to leave on an emergency..I put the hamburgers in the refrigerator, skillet and all...can I still finish cooking them latter on in the evening or do I have to discard them. Thank you!

If your patties were fully cookied during that 15 minutes period and put in the refrigerator right away as you had to leave, they will be good the day after. However, if you do not know the level of cooking and you have put them in hte refrigerator right away, you will have to make sure that they will reach an internal temperature of 71 degrees C (160 degrees F).

How long can milk stays on the counter before it is no good anymore?

Milk should not be left on the counter for more than 2 hours, on hour during the hot summer months.

I purchased a Maple Leaf Beef Meat loaf today. After I cooked it (but before I ate it) I noticed the expiry date was two days ago. Is it still safe to eat if it was vacuum packed?

It is not recommended to eat expired food product mainly because of quality and possibly safety reason. Manufacturers guarantee the quality of the unopened product up to that expiry date and after that date, there could be a gradual lost of quality and nutrition values. It is not to say that you will be sick with this product but you might not receive the nutritional values that the product would have at the beginning of its shelf life.

Hi! I have purchased on 17/09 (nous somme le 23) carrots that I have put in the closet (in a closed bag) and today, I pulled them out to make my soup. They have some mould stains. Can I use them to make my soup after washing them, peeling them and cut them in rings? Thank you!

You realized that you those carrots in the closet for over a month ans they could have been refrigerated. If the stains are localized on different areas of the carrots, you can remove those spots plus a little bit more around those spots. After peeling them and washing them, you should be able to use the left-over carrots that haven't been affected by the moulds.

how long can i eat salmon for, once it has been cooked? how many days?

Once cooked and put in the refrigerator, salmon will keep that way for 2 days.

How long can cooked shrimp keep in a fridge? I made some salsa with shrimp in it.

Cooked shrimp will keep inthe refrigerator for two days.

I cooked lasagna (frozen kind you buy ready to bake in oven ) and forgot to put it in the oven. It stayed out overnight. Is it still safe to eat?

Your lasagne will not be safe to eat. Even left alone frozen, it had plenty of time to thaw at room temperature and being exposed at temperature above 4 degrees C (40 egrees F) for more than two hours. Throw it out.

I have cooked a pork roast. I pull it out at 10pm and put it in the refrigerator at 7am the morning after. can I still eat it? Thank you!

If the pork roast have been exposed to room temperature for more than 2 hours, you would be a great risk of food poisoning. Cokking does not eliminate bacterial spores and they will develop when conditions like yours are favourable. You will have to throw it out.

Is beef soup left on counter over- night at less than 60 degree temp safe to eat?

No that soup should be thrown out. It has spent to much time in the danger zone. Do not risk it!

how long will an opened bottle of tomato juice last?

An opened bottle of tomato juice should last in hte refrigerator for 7 days.

Hi! My daughter bought three boxes of cheese that has been delivered at school à 11am yesterday. They stayed in the classroom until 4:30 pm. Once at home, she forgot them on the table where they stayed there all night long; until 6am the next morning. I put them in hte refrigerator at that time. Cheeses spent 14 and a half hours without refrigeration. They are: Mont St-Benoît (semi-soft) -Saint Augustin (hard) -Ricotta from goat -Bleu Ermite -Fontina (hard cheese) -Frère Jacques (hard cheese) -Le Moine (hard cheese). Could you tell me if they are still good to eat. A quick response will be appreciated since I am supposed to give two boxes to other families. Thank you so much!

If the packaging indicated that the cheese should be refrigerated, I am afraid that they have passed too much time without refrigeration; especially the ricotta cheese and the semi-soft cheeses. It is highly possible that their taste has changed and they could cause illnesses if consumed. Cheeses are perishable food commodities and I would not risk to pass some to other families.

I have always wondered how long a jar of apple sauce stays good after opening in the fridge. Thank you

An opened jar of apple sauce should keep for at least six months in the refrigerator. That product is relatively acid. Mold and yeast will most likely be the microorganisms that will spoil the product.

I took a pizza out of my freezer I've had it in there since I bought it but it says on the packet that it's out of date. Is it still safe to eat? Thanks :)

Freezing foods usually allows to keep the food longer extending their shelf life. In this case, the pizza would not be hazardous to eat but its quality and taste mignt be differnt depending of the lenght of time and conditions of storage

Can we thaw food in the microwave to marinate them for few hours before cooking it? In other words, is it necessary to cook food immediately once thawed in the microwaves.

It is strongly recommended to cook food that has been thawed using the microwaves. They heat the food quickly and may promote microbial activity. For that reason, it is important to cook it right away. If you want to marinated food, thaw them in the refrigerator and marinate it.

Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education

Fight Bac! Keep Food Safe From Bacteria

Storing food safely

Fast cooling tips include:

Frequently asked questions about where and how to store foods safely:

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