‘Shelf life’ is a funny term – but a very important one. If you’ve ever pulled some mouldy cheese out of your refrigerator or drank some milk that tasted like a dead foot, then you know what we’re talking about. Not only is consuming out-of-date food unpleasant, but it can also be unhealthy. That’s why Canstar Blue has produced a guide to the shelf life of different foods commonly found in your fridge.
Shelf life is an important property of food and should be of interest to everyone, from the producer of the food to the consumer (you). This article will provide an in-depth explanation of the shelf-lives of various common food products, as well as explaining exactly what shelf life means.
What’s the difference between shelf life and expiry dates?
First off, it’s important to make a distinction between shelf life and expiry dates, since confusing the two can have some bad ramifications. The expiry date is the date that the manufacturer lists on the labelling that states how long a product will ‘stay good’ for as long as it remains unopened. For highly perishable foods such as meat and dairy products, this is called a ‘use by date’, while foods that stay better in storage have a ‘best before’ date.
Shelf life, on the other hand, is a little different. The broad definition of shelf life is the length of time that products may be stored without becoming unfit for use or consumption. For food, it is the manufacturer’s label of how long the product will stay good for once it is opened.
Shelf life and expiration dates can be vastly different. For example, bread can last for months in the freezer, but as soon as you break that seal and defrost it, you have about a week to eat it all before it starts to go mouldy.
What determines shelf life?
No single factor influences the shelf life of food, but according to CSIRO, the most important factors that determine a food’s shelf life are:
- Microbiological changes
- Moisture and water vapour transfer
- Chemical or biochemical changes
- Food-packaging interaction
- Domestic storage
You can read their article on shelf life for a more in-depth understanding of how these factors affect the shelf life of your food.
The legal requirement for manufacturers of packaged foods to date foods was introduced in 1978. The packaging needs to include both a timeframe of use and expiry or used by date. The responsibility of determining the shelf life of food lies with the manufacturers, but the consumer also has to take responsibility to ensure that they check these dates and don’t consume off foods.
To help you with this, we have compiled a handy guide to the shelf life of your favourite refrigerator foods, so you can enjoy them in safety. In this guide, the shelf life in the freezer refers to storage at 0°C or below. A temperature of 0-3 indicates using the coldest part of the fridge, while 21-24 means it should be fine at room temperature, preferably stored in the cupboard. If a column in any of the tables below states ‘not recommended’, then do not store the product at that temperature.
The shelf life of meat products
Meat products are highly perishable and are highly sensitive to microbiological growth and deteriorative changes. Unless you’re planning on eating them straight away after buying them, you should always look to store meat products in the freezer to prevent them from going off. Depending on the type of meat you’re freezing, it can last anywhere from one month to one year, but the shelf life is usually much less than that.
Due to the extensive range of meat products, we’ve divided this section into three different tables – general meat products, fish products, and poultry.
General meat products
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw beef, lamb and steak | Not recommended | 3 days if wrapped, 5 days if unwrapped | 6 months |
| Raw pork roast and lamb chops | Not recommended | 3 days if wrapped | 4 months |
| Pork sausages and raw pork | Not recommended | 1-2 days | 1-2 months |
| Roast beef and roast lamb | Not recommended | 2-3 days | 6 months |
| Cooked steak | Not recommended | 2-3 days | 6 months |
| Stewed meat and casseroles | Not recommended | 2-3 days | 2-3 months |
| Beef mince | Not recommended | 2-3 days | 2-3 months |
| Pre-packaged ham slices | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks if unopened, 4 days once opened | 1-2 months |
| Sausages and salami | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks if unopened, 4 days once opened | 1-2 months |
Fish products
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw fish and prawns | Not recommended | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Cooked fish and prawns | Not recommended | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
| Cooked salmon | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks | 2 months |
| Tinned tuna | 12 months unopened | 2 days in fridge once opened | Not recommended |
| Crabs and oysters | Not recommended | 2 days | 6 months |
Poultry and other products
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken mince and raw poultry | Not recommended | 2-3 days | 3 months |
| Raw poultry – chicken, duck, turkey and goose | Not recommended | 1-2 days | 3-6 months
|
| Cooked poultry | Not recommended | 3-4 days – refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking | 3-6 months |
| Cooked chicken nuggets | Not recommended | 1-2 days | 1-3 months |
| Cooked poultry with stuffing | Not recommended | 1-2 days | 1 month |
| Meat juice and gravy | Not recommended | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Tofu and meat substitutes | Not recommended | 4-5 days | 6-8 weeks |
| Frozen dinners | Not recommended | 3-4 months; keep frozen |
The shelf life of dairy products
Almost all dairy products, especially milk and cheese, need to be stored in the refrigerator. The exceptions to the rule are powdered milk and ice-cream. The period of time each dairy product needs to be stored for varies, but generally, they have very short shelf-lives, so be careful not to buy too much or you’ll end up having to throw it out. However, in a lot of cases, dairy products that are past their used-by dates are not necessarily dangerous to consume. They just might not taste very good!
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks | Not recommended |
| Cream | Not recommended | 5 days once opened | Not recommended |
| Ice-cream | Not recommended | 1-2 months | |
| Yoghurt | Not recommended | 1 week | Not recommended |
| Hard cheeses | Not recommended | 1-3 months – varies by type | Not recommended |
| Cottage and cream cheeses | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks | Not recommended |
| Butter | Not recommended | 2 months | Not recommended |
| Margarine | Not recommended | About 6 months | |
| Condensed milk | Varies, need to check the labelling when sealed | Not recommended | Not recommended |
The shelf life of fat products
Fatty and oily products tend to have longer shelf lives since the absence of water in fats lessens the number of microorganisms in the food. They are not highly perishable and generally are stored at room temperature. Oily and fatty products should not be frozen.
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | 1-3 months opened, 6 months unopened | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Salad oil | 2months opened, 3 months unopened | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Peanut butter | 2-3 months opened; 6-9 months unopened | 6 months opened | Not recommended |
| Olive oil | 1-2 weeks | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Raw eggs | Not recommended | 5-6 weeks | Do not freeze |
| Hard-boiled eggs/ cooked eggs | Not recommended | 1 week | Do not freeze |
| Milk chocolate | 7-8 months from opening, 10 months if unopened | Only refrigerate if necessary | Not recommended |
| Dark chocolate | 1 year from opening, 2 years if unopened | Only refrigerate if necessary | Not recommended |
The shelf life of grain, flour and wheat products
The shelf life of food in this category varies a lot in terms of shelf life. Grain products such as rice last much longer unattended, whereas flour and wheat products such as bread don’t last nearly as long, mainly due to a lack of preservatives.
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked rice | Not recommended | 5-7 days | Not recommended |
| Raw white rice | 12 months | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Raw brown rice | 6 months, since they contain more natural oils | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Pasta | 6-12 months sealed, 2 months opened | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Cereal | 6-12 months sealed, 2 months opened | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Bread | 5-7 days | 1-2 weeks (try to avoid storing in the fridge) | Approximately 3 months |
| Cakes, cookies and muffins | 1 week | 1 week | 3 months |
The shelf life of canned and bottled goods
As a general rule, unopened home canned goods have a shelf life of approximately one year, and they should retain their best quality until that point. Foods that have higher acid levels and aren’t stored in a liquid have a shorter shelf life. Canned foods are the best survivable goods, as they can last up to 10 years unopened!
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried fruits and gravy powder | Approx. 6 months sealed | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Canned fruits and vegetables | 12 months + sealed | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Pate | 3 weeks sealed, 5-7 days once opened | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Mayonnaise/salad dressing | Not recommended | 2-3 months | Do not freeze |
| Tomato/barbeque sauce | 4-6 months | 4-5 months | Do not freeze |
| Bottled fruit juice | 1-2 weeks | Not recommended | |
| Canned fruit juice | 6 months max | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Soft drink | 6 months | 6 months | Not recommended |
| Baby food | Approx. 6 months unopened | 1-2 days once opened | Do not freeze |
The shelf life of fruits and vegetables
Eating fresh produce is a requirement of a healthy diet, yet a lot of people end up throwing away rotten fruits and veggies due to the rate at which they expire. To avoid this, consult the following two tables below, separated for fruit and vegetables.
Fruit
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | 4 days | 1 month | Not recommended |
| Avocadoes | 3 days | 3 days | Not recommended |
| Bananas | 7 days if green, 2-4 days if ripe | Do not refrigerate as they will turn black in the cold | Not recommended |
| Berries | Not recommended | 2-3 days | Not recommended |
| Citrus | 1-2 weeks | 2 weeks + | Not recommended |
| Grapes | 3-5 days | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Kiwi fruit | 2-3 days to ripen | 1 week once ripe | Not recommended |
| Melons | 1 week | Not recommended | |
| Peaches | 1 day to ripen | 3 days once ripe | Not recommended |
| Pears | 2 days to ripen | 2 weeks once ripe | Not recommended |
| Pineapple | 2 days (whole pineapple) | 1 week once cut | Not recommended |
| Strawberries | Not recommended | 3 days if covered and isolated from other foods | Not recommended |
| Watermelon | 2-3 days | 6-8 days | Not recommended |
Vegetables
| Food | Shelf life in cupboard | Shelf life in fridge | Shelf life in freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-packaged frozen vegetables | Not recommended | 12 months in original packaging | Not recommended |
| Canned vegetables | Not recommended | 3 days once opened | Not recommended |
| Asparagus | Not recommended | 3-5 days | Not recommended |
| Beans | Not recommended | 3-6 days | Not recommended |
| Broccoli | Not recommended | 5-7 days | Not recommended |
| Cabbage | Not recommended | 1-2 months | Not recommended |
| Carrots | Not recommended | 1-3 months | Not recommended |
| Capsicum | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks | Not recommended |
| Cauliflower | Not recommended | 1-2 weeks | Not recommended |
| Celery | Not recommended | 3-4 weeks | Not recommended |
| Corn | Not recommended | 3 days | Not recommended |
| Cucumber | Not recommended | 10-12 days | Not recommended |
| Eggplants | Not recommended | 10-12 days | Not recommended |
| Lettuce and mushrooms | Not recommended | 10-12 days | Not recommended |
| Onions | 1-3 months | 1-3 months | Not recommended |
| Peas | Not recommended | 5-6 days | Not recommended |
| Sweet and white potatoes | 2-4 months | Do not refrigerate | Not recommended |
| Tomatoes | 2-5 weeks to ripen | 5-7 days | Not recommended |
In addition to this information above, there are a number of things you should know that are often necessary to maintain the lifespan and quality of your fruit and veggies:
- Store apples in plastic and separate them from other fruits and veggies in the fridge, since apple gas turns things brown.
- Keep all citrus fruits in plastic bags or containers, separate from other fruits and veggies.
- Keep grapes in a covered bowl to retain their moisture.
- Wrap melons tightly in cling wrap so their odour won’t contaminate other foods.
- Wrap all tomatoes in paper if you want them to stay fresh in the fridge.
- When storing veggies in plastic bags, poke a few holes in the bags to provide air circulation.
- Always keep fruits and vegetables in separate produce sections of your fridge.
- Never store potatoes and onions together, as they give off gases that can cause rapid decay of the other.
- Don’t wash the veggies prior to putting them in the fridge. Only do this once you’re ready to eat them.
Eating foods that have passed their shelf lives can lead to food poisoning, salmonella poisoning, and other illnesses, so it is best that you avoid doing so. Knowing the shelf lives and expiry dates of the foods in your fridge is an easy way to avoid this, although you can always learn to recognise the signs that your food is off as well.
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Original Author: Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito
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