Food Storage Fact File
Proper storage of food is an important part of reducing the risk of food poisoning.
Some foods must be stored in the fridge and eaten within a short space of time; other
foods, such as flour, pulses, canned foods and many others last much longer and can
be stored at room temperature. But even dried foods have limits on their storage
time. So watch out for storage instructions and make sure you always store foods:
n in the right place
n at the right temperature
n for the right time.
More information on food storage can be found on the Food Standards Agency
website – www.food.gov.uk.
Shopping
When shopping, buy chilled and frozen foods last. Pack them together, ideally in an
insulated bag or cool box, and take them home and put them in the fridge and freezer
as soon as you can.
Keep raw foods (meat, fish, poultry and eggs), fruit and veg away from cooked and
ready-to-eat foods. Pack foods that bruise or damage easily above other foods.
Whenever carrying food outside the home (whether shopping, for barbecues or
picnics) avoid putting it in warm places, eg near car heaters or in the sun. It’s best to
use a cool box for perishable foods.
Milk and other home deliveries
Protect milk bottle tops from birds – if they get pecked, discard the milk. Provide a
covered holder for the milkman to put milk bottles in or protective caps for the bottle
tops. Bring the milk indoors and store it in the fridge as soon as you can.
If you have other perishable groceries delivered to your home, check that the carrier
will store them correctly during transportation and ensure they go in the fridge as
soon as they arrive.
If you order hot food deliveries, check it is piping hot and eat as soon as you can.
Fridges and Freezers
Raw foods, such as meat and poultry, may contain microbes that can cause food
poisoning. To prevent this, store them in the fridge. To avoid cross-contamination
store these foods away from other foods, especially cooked foods and ready-to-eat
foods (such as salads, fruit, cooked meats, cheeses, bread and sandwiches). Store
them well covered, on the bottom shelf of the fridge so they can’t drip onto other
foods.
Eggs should be kept in the fridge, in their box.
Keep prepared cold foods in the fridge until it’s time to eat them. Dairy products
belong in the fridge too.
Many foods now need to go in the fridge once they’ve been opened – check the labels
to see which ones.
Never put open cans in the fridge – transfer contents into a storage container or
covered bowl, and remember to use within two days.
Store foods in separate covered containers. Cover dishes and other open containers
with foil or film. Don’t re-use foil or film to wrap other foods.
Fridge/freezer maintenance
Make sure your fridge/freezer stays clean and in good working condition:
• Use a thermometer to check fridge and freezer temperatures. The coldest part of
the fridge should be at no more than +5°C and the freezer at –18°C or below.
• Avoid overloading. If a fridge is over-packed with food or iced up it’s harder to
keep the temperature down.
• Clean all internal and external surfaces often, especially fridge shelves and door
storage compartments. Mop up any spills as soon as they happen.
• Defrost your fridge/freezer regularly.
Cupboards and other storage places
Store root vegetables away from other fruit and veg and in a dark place.
Keep pests out. After opening packets of dried foods (eg flour, rice and breakfast
cereals) reseal them tightly or transfer contents to storage jars.
Select storage jars and containers with tightly fitting lids – always wash and allow
them to dry thoroughly after use.
Check that safety seals are intact when first opening food packaging.
Store cooking, eating and drinking utensils in cupboards and drawers and clean and
tidy these storage spaces regularly.
Store pet foods separately from human foods.
Storage times
No food lasts forever however well it is stored. Most pre-packed foods carry either a
‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date. Check them carefully, and look out for advice on how
long food can be kept for once packaging has been opened.
• ‘Use by’ dates – are for highly perishable foods – those that ‘go off’ quite quickly.
No-one likes to waste food but it can be dangerous to eat foods past their ‘use by’
date.
• ‘Best before’ dates are for foods with a longer life. They indicate how long the
food will be at its best quality.
Even if a food is within these dates don’t eat it if it looks, tastes or smells off. Always
throw away any fruit or veg that has started to rot and never eat food from rusty or
damaged cans, or from leaking cartons.
Throw away perishable food that has been left out at room temperature for more
than a couple of hours and all food scraps. Other left-overs should be stored in the
fridge and eaten within two days.
Freezer storage times
Check the label on pre-packed food to see if it is suitable for home freezing. If so,
freeze as soon as possible after purchase. The star marking panel on food labels will
tell you how long you can store your food, depending on your type of freezer.
When freezing home-cooked foods, use clean freezer bags and label them with the
date and description of the food. Again, check your freezer manual or cook book to
see how long you can store the foods.
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Remember: Use up older items first – first in, first out – and if in doubt throw it out.
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