I bought many packages of meat with a specific dinner plan in mind, but the plan went awry. I usually play it safe, but a day or two later I wonder if I should cook it anyway or if I waited too long. No one wants to throw away perfectly good food, but a packaging date or a quick sniff doesn’t always resolve the safety question: Is the meat still safe to eat or will it make my family sick?
I reached out to registered dietitian and food expert Jennifer Pallian to ask which foods deserve special attention. It’s helpful to know that expiration dates help stores manage inventory, and expiration dates primarily refer to quality. But Pallian says storage time and temperature matter more than the printed date.
“A food can look, smell and taste good and still contain Listeria, Salmonella or E. coli,” she says. Because food poisoning is never worth it, here are three foods to watch more closely.
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1. Charcuterie
Listeria can continue to grow on deli meats in the refrigerator. Cold slows most bacteria, but not this one, she says. An unopened package of meat can stay refrigerated for up to two weeks, but once opened — or if you buy it sliced at the deli counter — that window shrinks to three to five days.
Obvious signs of deterioration include a slimy or sticky coating, mold, or an unpleasant odor. But don’t wait for these panels to throw away once the storage window has passed. And for people at higher risk, including pregnant people, adults 65 and older, and anyone with a weakened immune system, the CDC recommends reheating cold cuts to 165°F (74°C) before eating.
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2. Ground beef
Ground beef spoils faster than expected. This is because grinding distributes the bacteria throughout the meat. As a result, Pallian advises cooking or freezing raw ground beef within one to two days of purchase, even if the packaging date is later. When preparing it, she recommends cooking at a temperature of 160°F (71°C).
A brown center with a red exterior is usually the result of a lack of oxygen, not spoilage. On the other hand, a sticky or slimy texture and sour smell mean it’s time to throw out. The absence of these signs does not extend the window. If it has been refrigerated beyond the two-day time limit, throw it away regardless of its appearance.
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3. Pre-cut melon
Cutting the rind damages the melon’s only protective barrier, exposing it to potential contamination. Pallian also points out that the moist, low-acid flesh of cut melon creates favorable conditions for bacteria to grow. She advises buying pre-cut melon only when it’s refrigerated (or exposed on ice) and storing it cold, below 40°F (4°C).
The CDC advises throwing out cut melon that has been in the refrigerator for a week. So if you don’t know when the store cut it, try to finish it sooner. If you see mold, slime, or a fermenting smell, or if it’s been sitting out for more than two hours (or one hour above 90°F (32°C), it’s time to throw it out.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes
Gn Health
