Sophie Bennett
Raw chicken is highly perishable, even when stored in a refrigerator. The USDA recommends that raw chicken should be cooked or frozen within one to two days of purchase. If you're unsure whether your raw chicken is safe to eat, there are several signs of spoilage to look out for, such as discolouration, an unpleasant smell, or slime. If in doubt, it's best to throw it out, as eating spoiled chicken can lead to foodborne illnesses like food poisoning, salmonella, and E. coli.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Raw chicken in the fridge for 5 days | Not recommended |
| Raw chicken in the fridge | 1 to 2 days |
| Raw chicken in the freezer | Up to 9 months |
| Cooked chicken in the fridge | Up to 4 days |
| Cooked chicken in the freezer | Indefinitely |
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What You'll Learn
Raw chicken is highly perishable
The perishability of raw chicken is due to its susceptibility to bacterial contamination, such as salmonella and E. coli. These bacteria can cause foodborne illnesses like food poisoning, which can lead to stomach aches and other unpleasant symptoms. Therefore, it is crucial to handle and store raw chicken properly to minimize the risk of bacterial growth and contamination.
To ensure food safety and maintain the quality of raw chicken, it is advisable to purchase it only when you plan to cook it that night or the next day. Additionally, raw chicken should be stored in the refrigerator immediately after purchase. It is recommended to wrap the chicken in a plastic bag or store it in an airtight container on the bottom shelf of the fridge. This helps protect against leaks and maintains a cooler temperature, which slows down bacterial growth.
While refrigeration helps extend the shelf life of raw chicken, it is not a long-term preservation method. Even with proper storage, raw chicken can only be safely kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of two days. After this period, the risk of bacterial growth and spoilage increases significantly. Therefore, it is generally recommended to freeze raw chicken if you intend to store it for an extended period.
To freeze raw chicken, it is important to package it properly to maintain its quality. Use airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags to prevent air exposure and freezer burn. Label the chicken with the date of freezing so you can keep track of how long it has been stored. Frozen raw chicken cuts or pieces can last for about nine months in the freezer, providing a much longer storage option compared to refrigeration alone.
In summary, raw chicken is highly perishable due to its tendency to spoil quickly and its potential for bacterial contamination. To ensure food safety and maintain freshness, it is crucial to follow proper storage practices and consume or freeze raw chicken within one to two days of purchase. By doing so, you can reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses and make the most of this versatile and nutritious protein source.
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The USDA recommends throwing it out after two days
Raw chicken is highly perishable, even when stored in a refrigerator. The USDA recommends that raw chicken be cooked or frozen within 1 to 2 days of purchase. This guideline is based on the assumption that the chicken is stored properly in a refrigerator set to 40°F or below.
The USDA's recommendation is made with food safety in mind. Bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli can contaminate poultry, and the longer raw chicken is left in the fridge, the more time bacteria have to incubate and multiply. Foodborne illnesses, such as food poisoning, are preventable, but the risks increase when consuming questionable produce, especially raw meat.
The "best if used by" date printed on the package is for quality assurance purposes. Even if the printed expiration date hasn't passed, raw chicken should be consumed within a day or two of purchase. If you're unable to cook it within that time frame, freezing is a good option to preserve it for longer. Raw chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to nine months, but it's important to properly package and label it with the freezing date.
While refrigeration helps to preserve food, it doesn't completely stop the deterioration process. The USDA's guidelines are a baseline for maintaining food safety, and individual circumstances may vary. Other signs of spoilage include discoloration, slime, or an unpleasant smell. If you have any doubts about the freshness of your raw chicken, it's best to err on the side of caution and discard it.
In summary, the USDA recommends that raw chicken be consumed or frozen within two days of purchase to minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses. Proper storage, refrigeration, and freezing can help extend the shelf life of raw chicken, but it's important to prioritize food safety and not keep raw chicken in the refrigerator for more than a few days.
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Bacteria multiplies the longer you wait
The USDA advises that raw chicken should be cooked or frozen within one to two days of purchase. After two days, the USDA recommends throwing it out to be safe. The "best if used by" date on the package is for quality assurance, so it's best to consume the chicken within a day or two even if the printed expiration date hasn't passed.
The longer raw chicken sits in the fridge, the more time bacteria have to incubate and multiply. This increases the risk of food poisoning. While refrigeration helps to preserve food, it doesn't completely stop bacterial growth.
To extend the shelf life of raw chicken, freezing is an option. Raw chicken can be stored in the freezer for about nine months. However, it is important to properly package and label the chicken with the freezing date to ensure quality and keep track of storage time.
In summary, to prevent the multiplication of bacteria and reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses, it is crucial to follow safe food handling practices, including storing and consuming raw chicken within the recommended time frame of one to two days, or opting to freeze it for extended storage.
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Raw chicken can be frozen for up to nine months
Raw chicken should not be left in the fridge for five days. According to the USDA, raw chicken should be cooked or frozen within 1 to 2 days of purchase if stored in a refrigerator set to 40°F or below.
Now, if you're looking to store raw chicken for an extended period, freezing is a good option. Raw chicken can be frozen for up to nine months while maintaining its quality. Freezing food is an excellent way to keep it safe for consumption indefinitely. Dangerous pathogens cannot survive long-term freezing, so your chicken will still be safe to eat even after a long freeze.
However, the quality of the meat may deteriorate over time. Vacuum-sealed raw chicken can be stored indefinitely in the freezer without any loss of quality. But for non-vacuum-sealed chicken, the recommended storage time for optimal quality is about nine months.
To maximize the shelf life of frozen raw chicken, it's important to store it properly. First, it's best to store chicken in the deeper parts of the freezer to prevent temperature fluctuations. Second, vacuum sealing is ideal for preventing freezer burn, which occurs when poultry is exposed to air, leading to dehydration. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use your hands to push the air out of the bag before sealing or try the water-displacement method. With the water-displacement method, you slowly submerge the bag containing the chicken into a bowl or pot of water.
In summary, while freezing raw chicken can keep it safe to eat indefinitely, it's best to consume it within nine months to ensure optimal quality. Proper storage methods, such as vacuum sealing and storing in the deeper parts of the freezer, can help extend the shelf life and maintain the quality of your frozen chicken.
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Signs of spoilage: smell, slime, discolouration
According to the USDA, raw chicken should be cooked or frozen within 1 to 2 days of purchase. Raw chicken that has been sitting in the fridge for more than 2 days is likely no longer safe to eat.
Signs of Spoilage: Smell
Raw, fresh chicken will have a very mild smell or none at all. If your chicken has a very apparent smell, such as a sour or sulfur-like odour similar to rotten eggs, it has gone bad. However, because people's sense of smell can vary, you should not rely on smell alone to determine if chicken is safe to eat.
Signs of Spoilage: Slime
Fresh raw chicken has a glossy, somewhat soft texture. It should not be slimy, sticky, or tacky. If your hands have a slimy residue on them after touching raw chicken, this is a sign that it has gone bad.
Signs of Spoilage: Discolouration
Raw chicken should have a light pink colour with white fatty pieces. If the flesh is gray or green, or if the fat is yellow in colour, this is a sign of spoilage and you should discard the chicken. However, it's normal to observe mild colour changes in the chicken's flesh, such as a slight darkening or fading of the pink colour. These changes are usually the result of oxymyoglobin, a red protein and pigment, converting to metmyoglobin after being exposed to oxygen.
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Frequently asked questions
Raw chicken can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of one to two days.
Bacteria such as salmonella and e. coli can contaminate the chicken, which can lead to food poisoning.
Raw chicken that has gone bad will have a poor smell, slime, or discolouration.
You can store raw chicken in the freezer for up to nine months.
Cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
