Where our storage times come from

Primary references

• FoodSafety.gov — Cold Food Storage Chart

  U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

  Primary reference for refrigerator and freezer times on meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and leftovers.

• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service — Fact Sheets

  U.S. Department of Agriculture

  Safe handling, the danger zone, thawing methods and cooking temperatures.

• FDA — Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart

  U.S. Food and Drug Administration

  Cross-check for packaged foods, produce and opened condiments.

• Food Standards Agency — Chilling and Food Safety

  UK Food Standards Agency

  UK fridge temperature guidance (5°C or below) and use-by date rules.

• safefood — Food Storage Advice

  safefood (Ireland / Northern Ireland)

  European household storage practice and leftover reheating guidance.

• Health Canada / Canadian Food Inspection Agency

  Government of Canada

  Secondary confirmation for refrigeration limits and high-risk foods.

• Food Keeper App data

  USDA FSIS, Cornell University & the Food Marketing Institute

  Pantry and cupboard shelf life for dry goods, canned foods and condiments.

• Extension food preservation guides

  Cornell, Clemson, Colorado State and UC Davis Cooperative Extension

  Freezer quality windows, blanching and produce-specific storage detail.

How each entry is built

1. 1Every fridge and freezer time starts from a government food-safety chart, not from a blog or a manufacturer's marketing claim.
2. 2Where two authorities differ, we publish the more conservative figure and describe the range in the food's notes.
3. 3Fridge times assume 4°C (40°F) or below; freezer times assume −18°C (0°F). Frozen food stays safe indefinitely — our freezer numbers are quality windows.
4. 4Spoilage signs come from sensory-quality guidance and are written for what a person can actually see, smell or feel. We never tell anyone to taste-test.
5. 5Reader submissions are reviewed by a person against these same sources before anything is published.
6. 6Entries are re-checked when a source updates its chart.