Ask people if they will eat something refrigerated a week ago...?

Question

I have had this strange look from a coworker when I said I eat food I prepare and refrigerate for one week...then I throw it away. I made some home made chili and refrigerate it for a week. He started a whole thing about me going to be sick and such. Now I have worked in restaurants during my 20s and we used to refrigerate precooked food for weeks...as long as the temperature does not increase...you should be fine. PLus McDonalds and Burger King refrigerate everything...even salads! And believe me they keep those foods there and sell them. My coworker does like fastfoods and when I told him they refrigerate everything for weeks he said its not true LOL. He thinks its all fresh, out of the cow or chicken...Thoughts?

Answer 1

If food has additives to increase the shelf life I can see keeping it possibly longer than one week but fresh food should be tossed, especially when in doubt. Better safe and healthy than sorry and sick.

I even check my milk before the expiration date as I have had it spoil before that date even though always refrigerated.

Answer 2

Your friends salads should be fine..I used to do all the ordering and making of salad at such a place. Vegetables come in everyday! Vegetables are prepped everyday. Prepped vegetables are labeled and rotated! He isn't getting old stuff! Foods stay good quite a while in the refrigerator. A week is a bit long because food looses nutrition and starts to break down a bit by that point. You should feel just fine about eating something that has been refrigerated up to 3 days, except raw meats or fish. You should however be freezing things you plan not to use immediately beyond that point. Will a 7 day food product kept refrigerated make you sick? Probably not! Its not so good for you though.

Answer 3

Different foods have different shelf life's. Some prepared foods can hold up to 14 days if the temperature is cold enough and it is properly prepared and cooled quickly. The average life of food that is prepared as a meal (casseroles or soups) is not more than 3 days. That's because of the reaction of the ingredients to each other.
Most restaurants only prep food for the day it is to be consumed.
Your health department can provide you with information of shelf life's and storage as well as storage temperature and re-heating guidelines.
A good rule of thumb is if you haven't eaten it in 3 days, throw it out.

Answer 4

It depends on what you're refrigerating. If it's got meat content, three days is usually close to your maximum. Veggie-based dishes have a bit longer, say five or six days.

Also, a little known fact: If you take the whole dish out and reheat it all, you have effectively further decreased its shelf life. You cannot safely reheat an entire dish more than twice.

Answer 5

I would inform your fellow co-worker, the reason refrigeration was invented was to keep food over a longer period of time.

Obviously has a warped perspective on food, and shelf life.
 
 

Answer 6

About 3 weeks,ago my daughter and I went to McDonalds and had quarterpounders and fries.That very night we experienced the same symptons as above.I think that the fries were old,as it tasted awful or maybe the oil they use for the fries were of.I dont blame McDonalds but the staff that is employed by them,usually here in Europe students and teenagers.

Answer 7

I am afraid your co worker is right I think any food should not be kept over 2-3 days in the fridge . You are asking for tomaine poisoning . dump it after 3 days . good luck .