How long does cooked food last in the refrigerator?

The quality of frozen food depends on the type of food, the freezing process and the storage conditions. For cooked food, storing it in the refrigerator helps to extend its shelf life, however, if stored improperly, it will cause harm to health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leftovers should be refrigerated no more than 2 hours after cooking or one hour if exposed to outside temperatures above 90°F (32°C).

How long does cooked food last in the refrigerator?

According to nutritionists, in principle, cooked food should only be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, but the actual time depends on the characteristics of each type of food.

Dr. Huynh Ngoc Phuong Thuy, Head of the Nutrition Department at Hung Vuong Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) also noted that how long cooked food can be kept in the refrigerator depends on how you store it.

You need to wrap food tightly before putting it in the refrigerator, let the food cool completely before putting it in the refrigerator because if the food is hot, the high temperature when meeting the low temperature will condense into steam, promoting the growth of harmful bacteria leading to poisoning of all the food in the refrigerator.

Experts say cooked fish and seafood can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Soups can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Meat processed into stews, broths or sauces also depends on the fat content. The higher the fat content, the faster the food will spoil.

Normally, cooked foods such as chicken, beef, pork... should only be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. "Putting food from the refrigerator to the storage again and again will reduce the quality of the food, the dish will not be guaranteed to be delicious and safe for users," said Dr. Thuy.

On the Health and Life newspaper, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam, who used to work at the Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, also advised that cooked beef, chicken, and pork should only be kept for 1-2 days. Beef steak and roast meat should be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Cooked hotdogs and sausages should be kept in the refrigerator for 1 week if the package has been opened, and 2 weeks if the package has not been opened. With salted meat, users can keep it in the refrigerator and use it within 7 days.

According to experts, processed foods such as sausages, ham, sausages, and meatloaf can be kept in the refrigerator for 4-6 days and in the freezer for 8-10 days.

Note when storing food in the refrigerator

According to Dr. Huynh Ngoc Phuong Thuy, storing food in different containers with lids will speed up the cooling process. Families should use the middle and top compartments of the refrigerator to store cooked food, as these are the coldest areas of the appliance.

You also need to keep raw foods away from cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination, label each food, and clearly state the cooking date to control shelf life.

In addition, cooked food in the refrigerator when taken out must be cooked again immediately to avoid bacteria from entering, because in reality any cooked or raw food when taken out of the refrigerator is often sensitive to all types of bacteria.

The temperature in the refrigerator only inhibits the growth of bacteria but cannot destroy it. If you do not reheat the food, it will cause bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea.

You should not leave food out for too long, just wait until it is not too hot and then put it in the refrigerator, it is important that you store food in a sealed container to keep it well in the refrigerator.

In particular, families should not put processed vegetables in the refrigerator. The reason is that when stir-fried at high temperatures, with salt added, bacteria in food will grow rapidly, creating carcinogens. Leftover vegetables are not good for health, and people who often eat foods made from salted vegetables are at high risk of stomach cancer.