How long does raw chicken last past the sell by date?!
Question:
How long does raw chicken last past the sell by date?
If I bought a chicken breast and the sell by date is June 3rd. How long does it stay good for past the date? Should I throw it out?
Thanks!
Additional Details
2 weeks ago
It was not frozen. I forgot to throw it in the freezer :( that's why I was asking this question....
Answers:
2 weeks ago
It was not frozen. I forgot to throw it in the freezer :( that's why I was asking this question....
Buying and storing tips
Check the “Sell By” date on the package. This date indicates the last day the chicken should be offered for sale. Meat and poultry should be prepared as soon as possible after the date of purchase, and used beyond the Sell By date only occasionally, if at all. Fresh chicken should have no detectable odor; the flesh should feel firm, and the surface should not feel slick.
Store chicken in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Raw poultry can be refrigerated for two days. Cooked chicken can be refrigerated for three days. If not served immediately, cooked chicken should be kept either hot, between 140°F and 160°F (60°C and 71°C), or refrigerated at 40°F (4.5°C) or colder. -
So MY thoughts are if the sell-by date was June 3rd, and today is June 7th, I personally would toss it. You DON'T want to mess with bad poultry.
raw in the fridge-about 3 days if you are lucky
cooked in the fridge-should be reheated to over 40 degrees Celcius at least once every 3 days(but it will dry out if you do this too many times so eat it)
frozen solid in the freezer-about 6 months depending on how well you wrapped it-the more air you leave in with it the more chance of spoilage
As to your chicken bought on June 3rd-if you freeze it it will last for 6 months, if you leave it in the fridge uncooked well it is now June 7th, either cook it today or freeze it today as long as it doesn't smell strongly.
Rule of thumb: If you feel a need to question it... don't even ask. Always err on the side of caution. Just throw it out.
