Storing Fresh, Frozen or Cooked Meat Safe

So, what do you do when you get home from the supermarket?
Do you stuff everything into the fridge or do you think ahead and freeze the foods you won't be able to eat by the best before date? Or perhaps, you just leave the shopping bags on top of your worktops for few hours before you start thinking what to freeze and what to eat fresh?

When you bring fresh, cooked or frozen meat home from the supermarket it is important to follow the storage instructions on the label. Storing meat at the correct temperature and using it by the specified date prevents spoilage and the chance of food poisoning.

All raw and cooked meat is highly perishable, so it should refrigerated at a temperature between 0ºC (32ºF) and 4ºC (39ºF), or kept in the freezer at -18ºC (0ºF) or colder. If meat is left at 7ºC (44.4ºF), for example, the bacteria causing food poisoning multiply rapidly.

Bacteria begin multiplying when meat is left out of the fridge for two hours or longer, which is why it is a good idea to take your shopping straight home and into the fridge or if you plan on stopping somewhere enroute from the supermarket, you could use a cool bag.

All pre-packaged meat, including poultry, should be left in its wrapping until you are ready to cook. Loose pieces of meat should be covered loosely to allow air to circulate and keep the surface dry, inhibiting bacterial growth. Any meat that will not be used within a few days should be frozen as soon as possible.