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Culinary Corner

Food safety tips for popular proteins

So, just how long can you keep that chicken breast you meant to grill yesterday without fear of food poisoning? What about uncooked ham? And that American breakfast staple, milk?

Here are some basic guidelines offered by the FDA. Milk is usually fine for a week beyond its “sell by” date, but I always smell it first.

Seafood needs to be cooked within a day of purchase, especially shellfish, or frozen for up to a month.

Poultry can last two days in the fridge before needing to be cooked or frozen, while beef and pork have a slightly longer shelf life of three to five days (I’d stick to three.)

Ground meats, however, should be cooked or frozen within a day, whether poultry, pork or beef.

A whole ham will last five to seven days in the back of the refrigerator before cooking. Ham lasts longer than fresh proteins because it’s cured.

And all food needing refrigeration should be kept below 41 degrees for safety’s sake.

One last tip: don’t let groceries sit in a hot car. Consumers don’t realize how quickly high heat can turn fresh produce into a wilted mess.



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