Last week I wrote about using “best before…” information as a guide rather than as a warning. Food experts say your senses-taste, smell and sight-should be used to tell if something is still edible.

Sally Wadyka, writing for MSN Health & Fitness, offers other suggestions on how long you can keep certain popular foods.

She says Ira Allen, a spokesperson for the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), suggests that, to lengthen the shelf-life of bread, it should be stored in a reasonably air-tight container that is dry, as humidity will create a prime environment for the growth of mold.

As for cheeses, Allen says hard cheeses can last for years but soft cheeses (like brie or goat cheese) will mold much sooner. This is due to the difference in the amount of moisture. Cheeses with more moisture grow mold much faster than those with very little moisture content.

Allen, according to Wadyka, suggests throwing away soft cheeses as soon as mold starts to grow, “but hard cheeses can be salvaged.” He recommends slicing away at least one inch around all sides of the moldy area of the hard cheese to make the rest safe to eat.

Milk that smells sour will likely not taste very good even in coffee or cereal. Wadyka reports that Allen says there is no difference in life span between organic and non-organic milk. However, the amount of fat in the milk can affect shelf life. Thus, non-fat or skim milk, which has had all the fat removed, will last longer than whole milk.

Cold cuts freshly sliced from a delicatessen counter should be eaten within three to five days. They should be kept in the refrigerator during that time.

“An unopened package of turkey, ham, bologna, salami or other deli meats can be stored for up to two weeks. But once you break that factory seal, they still need to find their way onto a sandwich within three to five days,” Wadyka advises.

She says commercially manufactured mayonnaise will have ingredients to help preserve it and extend its shelf (and fridge) life.

Wadyka adds that whether a jar of mayo is opened or remains sealed, it will taste best if used by the “best before” date stamped on it. She quotes Allen once again, who says, “Once the jar is opened and the product exposed to oxygen, the flavors in the oil may be affected.”

The nose knows

But, as with other things, Wadyka says the best approach is to follow the nose. If the oils separate and start to smell, the mayonnaise is past its “best before” date.

A head of lettuce may remain intact for about two weeks. But once it is opened up and the head cut up, it will spoil faster. “That’s because you’re exposing the interior of the lettuce,” Allen explains.

Exposing the interior of the vegetable releases nutrients for bacteria to feed on, and causes leaves to brown due to being exposed to oxygen. Leaf lettuces in special modified atmosphere packaging can last longer because they are better protected from oxygen and bacteria exposure.

Fresh meats should be frozen within days of purchase. Wadyka, in her article says, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking and eating poultry one to two days after purchasing, and cooking and eating other meats (beef, pork, veal) within three to five days.

But she adds that meat keeps much longer in the freezer. Anything that will not be cooked yet can be kept in the freezer and defrosted when needed.

Merry Christmas!

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