How Long Does Chicken Last in the Fridge: However, chicken is a healthy and tasty source of protein features a high risk of bacterial contamination. That’s why planning, storing, and cooking chicken is important — it might develop into a source of foodborne illness.
Storing chicken on your refrigerator is suitable, but many men and women wonder just How Long Does Chicken Last in the Fridge?
This report can help you understand exactly how long chicken lasts in your fridge.
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How long does chicken last in the fridge?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), raw chicken can be stored in your fridge for roughly 1-2 days.
Meanwhile, the cooked chicken can last in the fridge for approximately 3-4 days.
Preventing poultry in the refrigerator helps slow bacterial growth, as bacteria tend to grow slower in temperatures under 40°F (4°C) (Trusted source). So store chicken in refrigerator under 40°F (4°C).
Furthermore, raw chicken is best kept in a leak-proof container to stop its juices from leaking and contaminating other foods.
Should you need to store chicken for longer than a few days, it’s ideal for keeping it in your freezer.
Raw chicken pieces can be saved in the freezer for up to 9 months, while a whole chicken can be frozen for up to one year. Cooked chicken can be kept in the freezer for two 2-6 months.
How to Tell if Chicken is Bad?
Here are some ways to tell if the chicken in your refrigerator has gone bad:
- Expiry Date: Chicken — raw and cooked — that has passed its own “best if used by/before” date is more likely to have gone bad.
- Color changes: Raw and cooked chicken starting to turn a gray-green color has gone bad. Areas of gray-to-green mold signify bacterial growth.
- Smell: Both raw and cooked chicken emit an acidic smell that looks like ammonia, as it goes bad. But this odor can be tricky to notice if the chicken has been marinated with spices, sauces, or spices.
- Texture: Chicken that has a slimy feel has gone bad. Rinsing the chicken won’t destroy bacteria.
Risks of eating spoiled chicken
Eating spoiled poultry can lead to foodborne disease, also referred to as food poisoning. Chicken has a higher risk of causing food poisoning, as it might be contaminated with germs like Campylobacter, Salmonella, and much more.
Normally, these germs are removed when you cook the new chicken completely.
However, it would be best to prevent cooking and eating spoiled chicken. Although re-heating or cooking may kill surface bacteria, it will not eliminate some of the toxins produced by bacteria, which may give you food poisoning if you eat them.
Food poisoning may cause uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous symptoms, including a high fever (above 101.5°F or 38.6°C), chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, and dehydration.
In some cases, severe food poisoning can require hospitalization and even cause death.
Should you suspect your chicken is spoiled, please do not eat it. It’s always best to discard chicken that you suspect has gone bad.
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