site logo
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
Home > Blog > Editorial > How long should we be storing our food?
January 31, 2018  |  By Sunil Boodram In Editorial, Trinidad & Tobago

How long should we be storing our food?

Fruits & Vegetables

Ever wondered if that zip lock bag of frozen peas sitting in your freezer for the past six months is still good food? Turns out, it just might be.

I recently wrote about an experiment I did in visualising historical agricultural prices in Trinidad & Tobago. I had briefly touched on an article I had read about local poultry farmers complaining of imported frozen chicken that was already frozen for 180 days.

So it got me thinking, how long can food be stored before it has to be thrown away? I did some searching on Google and Bing, but I couldn’t find any results specific to Trinidad. There were quite a lot of articles about food storage on various blogs and news sites, however If I’m going to write about proper food storage, then I needed a source that’s reliable.

Government Of Canada Safe Food Storage

I travel between Trinidad & Tobago and Canada somewhat often. One of things I appreciate about the Canadian government is their concern about public health and safety. Perhaps, while it may not be the best, they do make quite an effort.

I came across this safe food storage guide a few months ago; I was a little hesitant to use it as a source of information, mainly because Trinidad’s climate is much different than Canada’s. Ultimately I decided to use it, since we’re dealing with the storage of food in a fridge/freezer. To learn more you can visit the safe food storage page on the Government of Canada’s website.

Health Risks

Consumption of improperly stored food can have severe health effects and in some cases lead to death. Foodborne illness or more commonly known as “food poisoning”, is the result of consuming food that has been contaminated.

Symptoms of food poisoning can include:

  • vomiting
  • nausea
  • stomach cramps
  • diarrhea
  • headache
  • constipation
  • persistent fever

Symptoms may suddenly, after several hours and even several days after consuming contaminated food. The good news is that most people will make a complete recovery from eating contaminated food. The bad news is that some groups of people are at higher risk of suffering more serious effects.

Groups at higher risk include:

  • pregnant women
  • children under the age of five
  • adults over the age of 60
  • people with weakened immune systems

If you believe you have food poisoning, it’s always a good idea to see a healthcare professional. If you believe you contracted food poisoning from a restaurant, you should file a complaint with your local government official and the ministry of health to have the matter looked into.

Shopping tips

  • Buy cold or frozen food at the end of your shopping trip.
  • Check the “best before” date on your food.
  • Keep your raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood away from other food in your grocery cart.
  • Examine fruits and vegetables carefully and avoid buying items that are bruised or damaged.
  • If you use reusable grocery bags or bins, make sure to use a specific bag or bin for meat, poultry or seafood. Label the bag or bin with the type of food it carries.

Chilling

It is extremely important to keep cold food cold and hot food hot, so that your food never reaches the “temperature danger zone”. This is where bacteria can grow quickly and cause food related illness.

  • Keep your raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood cold. Refrigerate or freeze them as soon as you get home from the grocery store.
  • Refrigerate fresh fruits and vegetables that need refrigeration when you get home. This includes all pre-cut and ready-to-eat produce.
  • Make sure your refrigerator is set at 4 °C (40 °F) or lower and your freezer at -18 °C (0 °F) or lower. This will keep your food out of the temperature danger zone between 4 °C (40 °F) to 60 °C (140 °F) where bacteria can grow quickly.
  • Keep your raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood separate from other food in the refrigerator at home. Do this by storing them in different containers.
  • Place raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood in sealed containers or plastic bags on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator so raw juices won’t drip onto other food.

Cleaning

Cleaning your hands, kitchen surfaces and utensils, fruit and vegetables and reusable grocery bags will help eliminate bacteria and reduce the risk of food related illness.

  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Use one cutting board for produce, and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood.
  • Use paper towels to wipe kitchen surfaces, or change dishcloths daily to avoid the risk of cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria and avoid using sponges, as they are harder to keep bacteria-free.
  • Sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils before and after preparing food. Use a kitchen sanitizer (following the directions on the container) or a bleach solution (5 ml household bleach to 750 ml of water), and rinse with water.

Storing Eggs

It’s important to consider how eggs are stored. If your eggs have been washed to remove dirt or other organic matter, you must store the eggs in the fridge. When hens lay eggs, there’s a natural coating protecting the egg from bacteria called the “bloom”.

If your eggs haven’t been washed, you can store them in an area that’s dry and cool for about a week. If the eggs have been washed then the bloom is most likely gone and the eggs become susceptible to bacteria growth. The best way to slow the growth of bacteria is a cold environment, such as your fridge.

I had to double check with a friend how eggs are handled in Trinidad & Tobago between producer and consumer. Years ago it was common to buy eggs from local suppliers who usually did not wash the eggs. Now, most individuals purchase their eggs from supermarkets, which means more likely than not they were washed. If you are unsure, you can always read the information on the carton or ask an associate who works there.

Washed eggs, or no washed eggs. It’s still a good idea to store your eggs in the fridge, preferably in the back of the fridge where it will maintain a constant cool temperature even if the door is open. Eggs stored in the fridge will always last longer.

Fridge and freezer storage

The following recommended refrigeration times are for safety, and the freezing times are for quality. If you store properly wrapped food in your freezer the quality may be maintained for longer periods of time.

Fridge and freezer storage
FoodRefrigerator at 4 °C (40 °F) or lowerFreezer at – 18 °C (0 °F) or lower
Fresh meat
Beef2-4 days10 – 12 months
Pork2-4 days8 – 12 months
Lamb2-4 days8 – 12 months
Veal3-4 days8 – 12 months
Ground meat1-2 days2 – 3 months
Fresh poultry
Chicken/Turkey – whole2-3 days1 year
Chicken/Turkey – pieces2-3 days6 months
Fresh fish
Lean fish – cod, flounder etc.3-4 days6 months
Fatty fish – salmon etc.3-4 days2 months
Shellfish – clams, crab, lobster etc.12-24 hours2-4 months
Scallops, shrimp, cooked shellfish1-2 days2-4 months
Ham
Canned ham6-9 monthsDon’t freeze
Cooked ham3-4 days2-3 months
Bacon and sausages
Bacon1 week1 month
Raw sausage1-2 days1-2 months
Pre-cooked sausage links or patties1 week1-2 months
Hot dogs
Un-opened hotdogs2 weeks1-2 months
Opened hotdogs1 week1-2 months
Lunch meat and deli food
Un-opened lunch meat2 weeks1-2 months
Opened lunch meat3-5 days1-2 months
Deli packaged lunch meat3-4 days2-3 months
Deli or homemade salads3-5 daysDon’t freeze
Leftovers
Cooked meat, stews, egg or vegetable dishes3-4 days2-3 months
Cooked poultry and fish3-4 days4-6 months
Meat broth and gravy3-4 days4-6 months
Soups2-3 days4 months
Frozen dinners
Keep frozen until ready to cook3-4 months
Eggs
Fresh in shell3-4 weeksDon’t freeze
Fresh out of shell2-4 days4 months
Hard-cooked1 weekDoesn’t freeze well
Egg substitutes un-opened10 days1 year
Egg substitutes opened3 daysDon’t freeze
Dairy products
Un-opened milkBest before date6 weeks
Opened milk3 daysDon’t freeze
Un-opened cottage cheeseBest before dateDoesn’t freeze well
Opened cottage cheese3 daysDon’t freeze
Un-opened yogurtBest before date1-2 months
Opened yogurt3 daysDon’t freeze
Soft cheese1 weekDoesn’t freeze well
Semi-soft cheese2-3 weeks8 weeks
Firm cheese5 weeks3 months
Hard cheese10 months1 year
Processed cheese5 months3 months
Un-opened salted butter8 weeks1 year
Un-opened unsalted butter8 weeks3 months
Opened butter3 weeksDon’t freeze
Vegetables
Beans green or waxed5 days8 months
Carrots2 weeks10-12 months
Celery2 weeks10-12 months
Leaf lettuce3-7 daysDon’t freeze
Iceberg lettuce1-2 weeksDon’t freeze
Spinach2-4 weeks10-12 months
Summer squash1 week10-12 months
Winter squash2 weeks10-12 months
TomatoesDon’t refrigerate2 months

 

Article by Sunil Boodram

Software Consultant, Web Designer, Writer, and an Activist.
Previous StoryPopulation of Trinidad & Tobago: 2018
Next StoryWhat you say online might be defamation

Related Articles:

  • Trinidad & Tobago Diabetes Heatmap
    Diabetes Heatmap of Trinidad & Tobago
  • Trinidad diabetes
    Diabetes Statistics for Trinidad & Tobago

Comments: no replies

Join in: leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

RECENT POSTS

  • Twitter API: Retrieve User Timeline & Group Threaded Tweets April 10, 2018
  • Twitter: Registering and Creating a new Application April 9, 2018
  • Google: Search Console Beta Rickrolled Me March 31, 2018
  • Fighting to Protect the Aripo Savannas March 28, 2018
  • Diabetes Heatmap of Trinidad & Tobago March 1, 2018

SHARE

RECENT POSTS

  • Twitter API: Retrieve User Timeline & Group Threaded Tweets April 10, 2018
  • Twitter: Registering and Creating a new Application April 9, 2018
  • Google: Search Console Beta Rickrolled Me March 31, 2018
  • Fighting to Protect the Aripo Savannas March 28, 2018
  • Diabetes Heatmap of Trinidad & Tobago March 1, 2018

CATEGORIES

  • Blog (17)
    • Business (4)
    • Editorial (4)
    • Lifestyle (3)
    • News (3)
    • Technology (3)
  • Hermitt (1)
  • Trinidad & Tobago (12)

ARCHIVES

  • April 2018 (2)
  • March 2018 (4)
  • February 2018 (5)
  • January 2018 (6)

About Us

Embracing the late Dr. William’s philosophy, “Together we achieve, Together Aspire.”  ma.co.tt aims to unite our readership and followers with content, news, and topics that matter within the Caribbean community, especially within our beautiful twin island-Trinidad and Tobago.

We’re not just about news & entertainment, we’re about the things that matter.

Copyright ©2018 ma.co.tt. All Rights Reserved