Reference
Storage times: fridge, freezer and pantry
How long common foods keep in the refrigerator, the freezer and the pantry, from USDA FSIS and FoodSafety.gov, each time marked as a safety limit or a quality limit, and where produce keeps best. Filter by category or by limit.
Each time in Table 1 is marked safety limit (throw the food out after it, even if it looks and smells fine) or quality limit (the food is likely to be less good after it, but under the stated conditions not less safe). Refrigerator times on the federal charts are safety limits; freezer and pantry times are quality limits. Where FoodKeeper is the only source, its times are marked quality, because FoodSafety.gov frames FoodKeeper around freshness and quality; the 2-hour rule and the 40 °F refrigerator still apply to every perishable food. Where FoodKeeper and an FSIS page differ, the table uses FSIS and notes the other figure under where the sources differ. How long food keeps explains the difference between the two kinds of limit (safety and quality limits), and the keep-until calculator turns a refrigerator time into weekdays.
Limits
These storage times assume the food was handled within the 2-hour rule (1 hour above 90 °F (32 °C)) and kept at 40 °F (4 °C) or below in the refrigerator or 0 °F (-18 °C) or below in the freezer. They are federal guidance for a kind of food, not a guarantee for any one item, and this page does not judge whether a specific food in your kitchen is safe to eat. Food is not tasted to test it. When in doubt, throw it out.
Table 1. Storage times by food
Times count from the day the food was bought, cooked or opened. "After opening" applies once a package or can is opened; for packaged foods with an opened time, the refrigerator column is the unopened time. "Not listed" means the source gives no time for that place. Source names: "FSIS refrigeration chart" is FSIS's Refrigeration and Food Safety page; "FSIS freezer chart" is FSIS's Freezing and Food Safety page; "FSIS shelf-stable chart" is FSIS's Shelf-Stable Food Safety page; "FoodSafety.gov cold chart" is the Cold Food Storage Chart; "FoodKeeper (2018 data)" is FSIS's FoodKeeper dataset, version 128. Each is linked under sources.
| Food | Refrigerator | Freezer | Pantry | After opening | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked leftovers, in general | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 3 to 4 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS, Leftovers and Food Safety. FSIS's freezer chart gives cooked meat and poultry separately (next rows). |
| Cooked meat, leftover | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 2 to 3 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Cooked poultry, leftover | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 4 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Soups and stews | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 2 to 3 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Casseroles, including egg casseroles | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 2 to 3 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Cooked rice | 3 to 4 days safety limit | No FSIS time; freezes poorly on its own quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS shelf-stable chart (rice after cooking); NCHFP, Foods That Do Not Freeze Well |
| Cooked pasta | 3 to 4 days safety limit | No FSIS time; freezes poorly on its own quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS shelf-stable chart (pasta after cooking); NCHFP |
| Gravy and broth, homemade | 3 to 4 days safety limit | Gravy: 2 to 3 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Pizza, leftover | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Chicken nuggets or patties, cooked | 3 to 4 days safety limit | 1 to 3 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Ground meat, ground poultry and stew meat, raw | 1 to 2 days safety limit | Ground: 3 to 4 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Chicken or turkey pieces, raw (including boneless thighs) | 1 to 2 days safety limit | 9 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Chicken or turkey, whole, raw | 1 to 2 days safety limit | 12 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Steaks, chops and roasts, raw | 3 to 5 days safety limit | 4 to 12 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Pre-stuffed chops or chicken breasts, raw | 1 day safety limit | not listed | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart |
| Bacon | 7 days safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Sausage, raw | 1 to 2 days safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Sausage, fully cooked; smoked breakfast links or patties | 7 days safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Ham, fully cooked | Whole: 7 days. Half: 3 to 5 days. Slices: 3 to 4 days safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Fresh fish and shellfish | 1 to 2 days safety limit | Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, catfish): 2 to 3 months. Lean fish (cod, flounder, haddock): 6 to 8 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart (freezer) |
| Eggs, raw in the shell | 3 to 5 weeks safety limit | Do not freeze in the shell | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezing page |
| Raw egg yolks and whites | 2 to 4 days safety limit | Whites: 12 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Hard-cooked eggs | 1 week safety limit | Do not freeze | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes | Unopened: 10 days. Opened: 3 days safety limit | 12 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Milk | By the package date quality limit | 3 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Yogurt | 1 to 2 weeks quality limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Hard cheese (cheddar, Swiss, block Parmesan) | Unopened: 6 months quality limit | 6 months quality limit | not listed | 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Shredded cheese | 1 month quality limit | 3 to 4 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Cottage cheese | Unopened: 2 weeks quality limit | Not recommended | not listed | 1 week in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Butter | 1 to 2 months quality limit | 6 to 9 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Luncheon or deli meat, opened or sliced at the deli | 3 to 5 days safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart. FDA: use as soon as possible (Listeria). |
| Luncheon or deli meat, unopened package | 2 weeks safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Hot dogs | Unopened: 2 weeks safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | not listed | 1 week in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS refrigeration chart; FoodSafety.gov cold chart |
| Deli salads, store-made or homemade (egg, chicken, ham, tuna, macaroni) | 3 to 5 days safety limit | Does not freeze well | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart (FoodSafety.gov gives 3 to 4 days; see differences) |
| Store-cooked dinners and entrees | 3 to 4 days safety limit | not listed | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart |
| Vacuum-packed dinners with a USDA seal, unopened | 2 weeks safety limit | not listed | not listed | not listed | FSIS refrigeration chart |
| Frozen dinners and entrees, bought frozen | Keep frozen | 3 to 4 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FSIS freezer chart |
| Fresh pasta, store-bought | 1 to 2 days quality limit | 2 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Hummus, commercial | Unopened: 3 months quality limit | Not recommended | not listed | 7 days in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Salsa, fresh (refrigerated) | 4 to 7 days quality limit | not listed | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Tofu | 1 week quality limit | 5 months quality limit | not listed | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Low-acid canned food (meat, stews, soups other than tomato, beans, corn, carrots, peas, potatoes, spinach, pumpkin) | not listed | not listed | 2 to 5 years quality limit | 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS shelf-stable chart |
| High-acid canned food (juices, tomatoes, fruit, pickles, sauerkraut, vinegar-dressed foods) | not listed | not listed | 12 to 18 months quality limit | 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS shelf-stable chart |
| Canned ham, shelf-stable | not listed | not listed | 2 to 5 years quality limit | 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS shelf-stable chart |
| Tuna and seafood in retort pouches | not listed | not listed | 18 months quality limit | 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS shelf-stable chart |
| White rice and dried pasta | not listed | not listed | 2 years quality limit | Cooked: 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FSIS shelf-stable chart |
| Brown rice | not listed | not listed | 1 year quality limit | Cooked: 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FoodKeeper (pantry); FSIS shelf-stable chart (cooked) |
| Dried beans | not listed | not listed | 1 to 2 years quality limit | Cooked: 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FoodKeeper (pantry); Nebraska Extension home storage chart (cooked) |
| White flour | not listed | not listed | 6 to 12 months quality limit | 6 to 8 months in the pantry quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Bread, commercially baked and sliced (FoodKeeper's whole wheat entry) | Not recommended; it stales | 3 months quality limit | 3 to 5 days quality limit | not listed | FoodKeeper (2018 data; see differences) |
| Flour tortillas | not listed | 6 months quality limit | 3 months quality limit | 3 months in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Peanut butter, commercial | not listed | not listed | 6 to 24 months quality limit | 2 to 3 months in the pantry quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Hard or dry sausage (pepperoni, dry salami) | 3 weeks safety limit | 1 to 2 months quality limit | 6 weeks quality limit | not listed | FSIS shelf-stable chart; FSIS freezer chart |
| Ketchup, cocktail or chili sauce | not listed | not listed | 1 year quality limit | 6 months in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Mayonnaise, commercial | not listed | Does not freeze well | 3 to 6 months quality limit | 2 months in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data); FSIS freezing page (freezes poorly). After an outage, discard if above 50 °F (10 °C) for more than 8 hours (FSIS; FoodSafety.gov). |
| Mustard | not listed | not listed | not listed | 1 year in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper; Nebraska Extension |
| Salad dressing, bottled | not listed | not listed | not listed | 1 to 3 months in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper; Nebraska Extension. Opened creamy dressings are discarded after an outage (FoodSafety.gov). |
| Salsa, picante and taco sauce, jarred | not listed | not listed | 1 year quality limit | 1 month in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Soy or teriyaki sauce | not listed | not listed | not listed | 1 month in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Jams and jellies | not listed | not listed | 6 to 18 months quality limit | 6 to 12 months in the refrigerator quality limit | FoodKeeper (2018 data) |
| Spaghetti or pizza sauce, jarred | not listed | not listed | not listed | 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator safety limit | FoodKeeper (Nebraska Extension gives 4 days). Treated here as a safety limit: FoodSafety.gov's outage chart discards opened spaghetti sauce. |
For a food that is not here, look it up in FoodKeeper, read the entry's name to be sure it matches your product, and mark its times as quality on your storage card.
Table 2. Where produce keeps
Fresh produce has no federal storage times. This table follows Storing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Better Taste, a sheet from UC Davis's Postharvest Technology Center with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (Publication 21590). The sheet was first made in 2004 and last modified in 2011; we found no newer version. Its advice is about taste and texture, so it is a quality question. It says home refrigerators usually run at 38 to 42 °F (3.3 to 5.6 °C), which damages some produce or stops it ripening; it keeps fruits and vegetables in separate refrigerator drawers because of the ethylene ripening fruit gives off, uses perforated bags in the fridge, and says to use refrigerated produce within a few days. The EPA column is EPA's Smart Storage sheet (February 2016), from its Food: Too Good to Waste toolkit. Rows marked "differs" are where the two disagree; the differences are about flavor (UC Davis) against shelf life (EPA), not safety. Cut or peeled produce of any kind goes in the refrigerator: FDA says to refrigerate all pre-cut or packaged produce.
| Produce | UC Davis | EPA Smart Storage (2016) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | Refrigerate if keeping more than 7 days; room temperature if eating within 7 | Inside the fridge | Differs for apples eaten within a week |
| Apricots | Refrigerate | Inside, after ripening at room temperature | Differs on ripening first |
| Avocados | Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate | Inside, after ripening at room temperature | |
| Bananas | Room temperature only (skins blacken in the fridge) | Outside the fridge, in a cool place | |
| Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | EPA: wash just before eating |
| Cherries and grapes | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | |
| Citrus (grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges) | Room temperature only | Lemons and oranges inside the fridge | Differs |
| Figs | Refrigerate | Not listed | |
| Kiwifruit | Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate | Inside the fridge | |
| Mangoes, papayas and pineapple | Room temperature only | Outside the fridge, in a cool place | |
| Melons (muskmelons, watermelons) | Room temperature only (watermelon loses flavor and color after more than 3 days in the fridge) | Inside, after ripening at room temperature | Differs |
| Nectarines, peaches, plums and plumcots | Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate | Inside, after ripening at room temperature | |
| Pears | Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate (Asian pears: refrigerate) | Inside, after ripening at room temperature | |
| Persimmons, pomegranates and plantains | Room temperature only | Not listed | |
| Cut fruit | Refrigerate | Not listed | FDA: refrigerate all pre-cut produce |
| Leafy greens, lettuce and spinach | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge ("almost all vegetables") | EPA household page: high-humidity drawer |
| Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | EPA household page: high-humidity drawer for broccoli |
| Carrots, beets and radishes | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | EPA household page: high-humidity drawer for carrots |
| Asparagus, celery, green beans, lima beans and peas | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | |
| Mushrooms | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | EPA household page: low-humidity drawer |
| Summer squash and sweet corn | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | |
| Green onions, leeks, artichokes and Belgian endive | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | |
| Herbs other than basil | Refrigerate | Inside the fridge | |
| Basil | Room temperature only, in water | Outside the fridge, at room temperature | |
| Cucumbers, peppers and eggplant | Room temperature only; can be refrigerated 1 to 3 days if used soon after | Inside the fridge ("almost all vegetables") | Differs |
| Tomatoes | Room temperature only (they lose flavor in the fridge) | Inside, after ripening at room temperature | Differs |
| Potatoes and sweet potatoes | Room temperature only, in a ventilated pantry; potatoes out of the light | Potatoes outside the fridge, in a cool, dark place | EPA household page: cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated |
| Dry onions and garlic | Room temperature only, in a ventilated pantry | Onions outside the fridge, in a cool, dark place | |
| Winter squash and pumpkins | Room temperature only | Outside the fridge; refrigerate once cut | |
| Ginger and jicama | Room temperature only | Not listed | |
| Cut vegetables | Refrigerate | Not listed | FDA: refrigerate all pre-cut produce |
Two more storage points from these sources: UC Davis says not to seal produce in plastic bags on the counter, because it slows ripening and can increase decay, and EPA's household page says to keep ethylene-producing fruits (it names bananas, apples, pears, stone fruits and avocados) away from other produce.
Where the sources differ Go deeper
The tables above give one figure per food: the FSIS page's where there is one, otherwise the named source's. These are the figures we found that differ, and what each publisher says. All of them were fetched on 2026-10-16. Freezer and pantry differences are differences about quality, not safety.
| Food or rule | Figure used on this page | Other figures |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked rice, refrigerator | 3 to 4 days (FSIS shelf-stable chart) | FoodKeeper's "Cooked rice" entry: 4 to 6 days, freezer 6 months. FoodKeeper's own entry for leftovers without meat, which names rice: 3 to 4 days, freezer 1 to 2 months. NCHFP: cooked rice frozen alone turns mushy. |
| Cooked pasta, refrigerator | 3 to 4 days (FSIS shelf-stable chart) | FoodKeeper: 3 to 5 days, freezer 1 to 2 months. |
| Cooked leftovers, refrigerator | 3 to 4 days (FSIS) | FSIS refrigeration page's rule of thumb: 4 days. NDSU Extension: up to four days. Clemson Extension: "For greatest safety, eat leftovers in a day or two." |
| Gravy and broth, refrigerator | 3 to 4 days (FSIS refrigeration chart) | University of Minnesota Extension: gravy and meat broth 1 to 2 days. Clemson: not "more than a day or two." |
| Cooked leftovers, freezer | 3 to 4 months (FSIS leftovers page); cooked meat 2 to 3, cooked poultry 4, casseroles 2 to 3 (FSIS freezer chart) | FoodSafety.gov: cooked meat or poultry 2 to 6 months. FoodKeeper: leftovers with meat 2 to 3 months, without meat 1 to 2. Minnesota: cooked poultry dishes 4 to 6. University of Illinois Extension: cooked poultry 4 to 6, casseroles with meat 2 to 4. Penn State, Ohio State and University of Missouri Extension: main dishes and casseroles about 3 months; Missouri: individual meals 1 month. |
| Soups and stews, freezer | 2 to 3 months (FSIS freezer chart) | FoodKeeper homemade vegetable soup: 3 months. Illinois: 2 to 4 months on one page, 2 to 3 on another. Missouri: soups and purees 4 to 6 months. |
| Pizza, freezer | 1 to 2 months (FoodSafety.gov) | Missouri: 1 month. |
| Deli salads (egg, chicken, ham, tuna, macaroni) | 3 to 5 days (FSIS refrigeration chart) | FoodSafety.gov, Minnesota and Penn State: 3 to 4 days. FoodSafety.gov and Minnesota: do not freeze well; Missouri: mayonnaise-based salads 2 months frozen. |
| Luncheon and deli meat, freezer | 1 to 2 months (FSIS; FoodSafety.gov) | FoodKeeper's deli turkey, ham, salami and chicken entries give 1 to 2 months and also say "Freezing not recommended." |
| Store-cooked dinners | 3 to 4 days (FSIS refrigeration chart) | Minnesota: store-cooked convenience meals 1 to 2 days. |
| Pre-stuffed chops and chicken breasts | 1 day (FSIS) | Minnesota: 1 to 2 days. |
| Fresh fish and shellfish, refrigerator | 1 to 2 days (FSIS refrigeration chart) | FoodSafety.gov: fatty fish 1 to 3 days; shrimp 3 to 5; fresh crab and lobster 2 to 4. |
| Fish, freezer | Fatty 2 to 3 months, lean 6 to 8 (FoodSafety.gov) | FoodSafety.gov also gives 4 to 8 months for some lean fish (pollock, ocean perch, rockfish). NCHFP: fish 3 to 6 months. |
| Raw stew meat, refrigerator | 1 to 2 days (FSIS, grouped with ground meat) | Minnesota and FoodKeeper: 3 to 5 days. |
| Raw poultry, freezer | Pieces 9 months, whole 12 (FSIS) | NCHFP: 6 to 9 months. |
| Raw steaks and chops, freezer | 4 to 12 months (FSIS) | Illinois: steaks 6 to 12 months, chops 4 to 6. |
| Bacon, freezer | 1 to 2 months (FSIS freezer chart) | FoodSafety.gov and Minnesota: 1 month. |
| Liquid egg substitutes, unopened, refrigerator | 10 days (FSIS) | FoodSafety.gov: 1 week. Minnesota: 6 weeks. |
| Eggs in the shell | 3 to 5 weeks (FSIS; FoodSafety.gov) | Illinois: "at least one month." |
| Hard or dry sausage | 3 weeks refrigerated, 6 weeks pantry (FSIS shelf-stable chart) | FSIS refrigeration chart: hard sausage 2 to 3 weeks. Minnesota: unopened "Indefinitely," opened 3 weeks. |
| Shelf-stable canned ham, pantry | 2 to 5 years (FSIS shelf-stable chart) | FoodSafety.gov: 2 years. |
| Bread, pantry | 3 to 5 days (FoodKeeper, commercially baked whole wheat bread) | FoodKeeper's "commercial bread products" entry: 14 to 18 days from purchase, 2 to 3 weeks refrigerated after opening, 3 to 5 months frozen. Illinois: bread 3 months frozen. |
| Pickles, after opening | 5 to 7 days refrigerated (FSIS shelf-stable chart, high-acid canned goods) | FoodKeeper: pickles 1 to 3 months refrigerated after opening. |
| Jarred spaghetti or pizza sauce, after opening | 3 to 5 days (FoodKeeper) | Nebraska Extension: 4 days opened, 18 months unopened. FSIS's high-acid canned goods chart (tomatoes): 5 to 7 days. |
| Opened condiments at room temperature | Refrigerated after opening, as a quality limit; outage rules apply | FoodKeeper and Nebraska Extension: shelf-stable commercial ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, dressings, salsa and soy sauce are "safe when stored at room temperature after opening." FSIS and FoodSafety.gov outage guidance: discard opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish above 50 °F (10 °C) for more than 8 hours, and opened creamy dressings. We give the outage rule. |
| Refrigerator in a power outage | Safe up to 4 hours closed; discard perishables above 40 °F for more than 2 hours (FSIS; FoodSafety.gov) | FDA's storage page: discard after "four hours or more" above 40 °F; food at 45 °F or below by food thermometer "should be safe" if cooked soon. FDA's thermometer page agrees with FSIS. Penn State Extension: refrigerated foods safe for 2 hours in an outage. |
| Opened fruit juice after an outage | Kept (FoodSafety.gov 2024 chart) | FSIS emergencies page (2013): discard opened fruit and vegetable juices. FoodSafety.gov keeps opened fruit juice and discards opened vegetable juice. |
| "Use by" dates | Quality, except infant formula (FSIS; FDA storage page); a safety date in California for food made from July 1, 2026 (AB 660) | FDA's refrigerator thermometer page: "If food is past its 'use by' date, discard it." |
| Produce: tomatoes, citrus, apples, melons, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant | UC Davis (Table 2) | EPA's 2016 Smart Storage sheet refrigerates them (tomatoes and melons after ripening). Rows marked "differs" in Table 2. |
| Produce: which fruits give off ethylene | UC Davis: apples (Fuji and Granny Smith produce little) | EPA's household page: bananas, apples, pears, stone fruits and avocados. EPA's 2016 sheet: bananas, apples and tomatoes. |
The FoodKeeper figures come from FSIS's public FoodKeeper dataset. Its catalog entry was updated in January 2025, but the English data file is version 128, last modified in September 2018, older than several FSIS pages it overlaps. Where FoodKeeper is the only source, a figure here may change when FSIS updates the data.
Sources for these tables
All fetched on 2026-10-16. The next check is due 2027-10-16.
- FSIS, Refrigeration and Food Safety (last updated March 23, 2015): the refrigeration chart ("short but safe time limits").
- FSIS, Freezing and Food Safety (August 9, 2024): the freezer chart, quality only.
- FSIS, Leftovers and Food Safety (July 31, 2020): leftovers 3 to 4 days refrigerated, 3 to 4 months frozen.
- FSIS, Shelf-Stable Food Safety (October 24, 2024): the pantry chart and times after opening.
- FoodSafety.gov, Cold Food Storage Chart (reviewed September 19, 2023).
- FoodSafety.gov, Food Safety During Power Outage (reviewed August 8, 2024).
- FSIS FoodKeeper Data on Data.gov (data version 128, 2018), and the FoodKeeper app.
- Nebraska Extension, Home Food Storage Chart: cooked dried beans, condiments and jarred sauce.
- National Center for Home Food Preservation, Foods That Do Not Freeze Well.
- UC Davis, Storing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Better Taste (2004, modified 2011).
- EPA, Smart Storage: Fruit and Vegetable Storage Guide (February 2016), and EPA, Preventing Wasted Food At Home (June 22, 2026).
- FDA, Selecting and Serving Produce Safely: refrigerate pre-cut and packaged produce.
- Named in the differences table and not linked here: University of Minnesota Extension's storage-times chart, University of Illinois Extension's freezer and leftovers pages, University of Missouri Extension GH1505, Penn State Extension's freezer-meal and pantry pages, Ohio State's HYG-5308, NDSU Extension FN1466, Clemson HGIC 3540, FDA's storage and thermometer pages and FSIS's emergencies page. Each is in the resource library; the federal pages are linked from How long food keeps.