FAQs on Food Safety

Summer heat is riskier than winter chill in terms of food contamination, but  winter presents its own challenges for food spoilage or pathogen growth.  Let’s consider some typical winter situations involving food storage.

Part I - Shelf-Stable Foods

The most popular (most often visited) Q/As on Shelf Life Advice are ones that ask, "How long can I keep it?" The product section of Shelf Life Advice provides answers to these questions about specific foods. This article will give you some general guidelines--provided by scientists on the Shelf Life Advice Advisory Board--on various categories of shelf-stable foods.  (Perishables will be discussed next month.) Along with info about how long foods can last (beyond the "use-by" date) are tips on how to extend shelf life beyond the usual expectations. Some foods, if treated right, will essentially last indefinitely.