There are a lot of people who keep chicken in their fridge for a long time, it will get spoiled after some days, so it’s important to know how long does raw chicken last in the fridge.
Chicken is a healthy source of protein that every one wants to eat, some people eat by cooking, roasted, fried or grilled. The chicken is famous worldwide and you can see in any restaurant menu there is a chicken recipe.
So, it is very important to know how to prepare, and store in the fridge properly. If you’re not storing your cooked chicken properly, there will be a risk of harmful bacterial growth that leads to Food-Borne Illnesses.
But many people wondered How long does cooked chicken last in the fridge and how long does raw chicken last in the fridge?
Read this article till the end to understand everything you need to know about keeping chicken in the fridge. How long can we keep chicken in the fridge and eat safely. Some of the best tips you can follow to avoid health problems caused by foods.
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Table of Contents
How Long Does Raw Chicken Last in the Fridge?
According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), raw chicken can be kept in the fridge not more than 1 to 2 days at a temperature of below 40F (4C). Storing raw chicken in the fridge can help slow bacteria growth.
Storing chicken in the refrigerator can only slow down the bacteria growth but it does not kill them. So, make sure that you can store raw chicken only for 1 or 2 days.
Well, here are two main types of bacteria that spoiled your food. These are:
Pathogenic Bacteria: these bacteria cause food-borne severe illness, these can grow between the temperature of 40F to 135F. And you are not able to identify these bacteria that have grown in your chicken because these bacteria don’t cause the smell, taste and texture of your chicken.
Spoilage Bacteria: these bacteria can grow in refrigerators, and these can identify easily because they can affect the taste, smell and appearance of the chicken very badly.
How to Tell if the Chicken has Gone Bad
If you store chicken in the fridge for more than 2 days, there’s more of a chance that it has gone bad. There are some factors you need to check before eating.
So, below are some signs that you can notice and tell if your chicken in the fridge has gone bad.
- Smell: the raw chicken spreads an acidic smell if it has gone bad. However, it will be harder to notice if the chicken has been marinated with sauces or herbs.
- Colour: Raw chicken that’s starting to turn its colour changes like Gray to green that you need to consider that chicken unsafe to consume.
- Texture: the chicken has a slimy texture, it simply means the chicken has gone bad that you should not eat.
- By/before date: if the raw chicken has passed the quality “by or before date”, then you should not consume.
How long Does Cooked Chicken Last in the Fridge?
According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), the cooked chicken can last in the fridge approximately 3 to 4 days at a temperature of 40F or less.
However, you can have cooked chicken within 3 to 4 days to prevent getting sick.
What are the Risks of Eating Spoiled Chicken?
We already informed you that eating spoiled chicken can cause food poisoning, also called food-borne illness. Keep in mind that chicken is a high risk of causing food poisoning.
However, you must avoid eating spoiled chicken, otherwise it can give you food poisoning if you eat them. If you get sick by eating spoiled foods, then you must talk to a doctor or visit a hospital because it has been reported that food poisoning can lead to death.
Food poisoning can cause symptoms such as:
- High fever
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dehydration
- Bloody stools
You should not ignore the above symptoms because food poisoning can affect your health badly.
Tips to Frozen Chicken
If you’re not consuming the fridge chicken within 3 to 4 days, then you must put it in a freezer under a temperature of 10 to 20 degrees.
FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) says that cooked chicken is frozen, and can be kept for up to 4 months.
Follow these tips to freeze cooked chicken:
- If you cook chicken warm, then you can keep it until it gets cooled.
- You can wrap the chicken with plastic wrap, freezer paper or foil to avoid freezer burn.
- For extra protection keep it in a freezer bed and you can mark a date of packing, so you know how long it has been frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Cook Raw Chicken After 7 Days?
Raw chicken you need to cook or freeze immediately, according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration the raw chicken will only keep in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.
How Do you Store Raw Chicken in the Refrigerator?
Store w raw chicken in its original packing, make sure that package is well sealed and away from the other foods and cooked meats. Keep your fridge to 0–5-degree Celsius.
The Bottom Line
Chicken is one of the worldwide famous foods that everyone wants to eat. Any food that can be spoiled with bacterial growth, make sure that you must avoid that food.
Try to consume fresh and healthy meals to prevent getting sick with food-borne illnesses. Food poisoning can lead to hospitalization and even death.
Hopefully you like this article, if you have any questions and suggestions kindly put them in the comment box below.
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