4 replies to this topic

[CanadianMango]

Hello! 

I have a question about food safety. When you cook your meals or desserts for your use at home with your family, for how long do you store it in the fridge? For how long could the food stay safe in the fridge before it becomes a serious risk to one's health?   

 

 I have to ask you for your opinion because a neighbour said, "if you cook any food in oil, you can keep it in the fridge for over a week."

 

Is this correct?

 

I have spent  long time through Google to find reliable sources to support this view, but I have so far failed! What do you think? Does the use of oil in any home-cooked food extend its life in the fridge? If you happen to agree, would you please share your sources! This group must have lots of trained chefs who might have done highly rated courses in food safety. And there might be others who might have a background in food science. I would love to hear your views. 

 

I found two YouTube videos from news channels that advise people to NOT store home-cooked for more than four days. But, both of these videos do not explore the use of oil in the cooking of the foods.  

 

 

[kingstudruler1]

it probably depends more on what the food is and the temperatures reached and post cook contamination.  not sure if the oil makes a difference.  

 

for instance, potato chips are fried in oil and are good for a long time at room temp.   

 

 

I don't eat home cooked food stored in a fridge for very long.    not so much because i don't think it's not safe.   it just doesn't taste right.  lol

[SQFconsultant]

It depends on the food type, holding trnperature and not that it was cooked with/in oil.

[Charles.C]

 

Hello! 

I have a question about food safety. When you cook your meals or desserts for your use at home with your family, for how long do you store it in the fridge? For how long could the food stay safe in the fridge before it becomes a serious risk to one's health?   

 

 I have to ask you for your opinion because a neighbour said, "if you cook any food in oil, you can keep it in the fridge for over a week."

 

Is this correct?

 

I have spent  long time through Google to find reliable sources to support this view, but I have so far failed! What do you think? Does the use of oil in any home-cooked food extend its life in the fridge? If you happen to agree, would you please share your sources! This group must have lots of trained chefs who might have done highly rated courses in food safety. And there might be others who might have a background in food science. I would love to hear your views. 

 

I found two YouTube videos from news channels that advise people to NOT store home-cooked for more than four days. But, both of these videos do not explore the use of oil in the cooking of the foods.  

 

Hi CM,

 

As pr previous posts, probably necessary to more closely define yr "cooking" situation to enable speculation on (safety-related?) relative keeping capabilities.

 

The final result, ie "available" shelf-life of refrigerated, RTE product, can likely relate to several  factors, possibly including the

specific "mode" of "cooking". Fundamentally, shelf lives (safety/non-safety related) can vary due to characteristics such as  -

 

(1) BCP status of "pre-cooked" material, eg size, shape, thickness, micro. composition, chemical sensitivity to spoilage

(2) time/core temperature of product during "cooking" ( associated  with [1]),

(3) type of packaging,

(4) actual temperature/stability of refrigerator.

 

I suggest to select a specific case(s) for investigating  regarding the hypothesis you are mentioning..

 

Regardless, IMEX of frozen, pre-(oil)fried, but not RTE, battered foods, packed at atmospheric pressure in sealed plastic bags, the batter/oil coating does appear, perhaps not surprisingly, to assist maintenance of internal organoleptic quality during the typical designated shelf-life,.

 

PS - Might also note that the delay time betweeen cooking and entering/cooling in the fridge may also have safety significance.

 

PPS - The Irish seem to regard FDA/USDA as being too lenient regarding 3-4 days, eg -

 

 Home Cooking and Storage.pdf   1.59MB   2 downloads

 

P3S - This US website has a few (generous)  divergencies from USDA -

https://www.bhg.com/...leftovers-last/

 

(although, I have so far also failed to find any actual hard data to support the above [and USDA] recommendations : )

Edited by Charles.C, 27 March 2023 - 09:07 AM.
edited

[hello.fizz]

At home, if I know a meal has reached an appropriate cooking temperature, know it has been cooled within a short time (refrigerated in small container when it stops steaming) and know I will reheat properly, I have eaten home cooked meals a week after making them regardless of whether oil was used (although we do usually cook at least onion in oil). If I was to get leftovers from a restaurant or from my parents, and have refrigerated the portions as soon as possible (eg taking containers to my parents house), I would want to eat this the next day (still ensuring I can reheat thoroughly).  

 

If you have re-heated the whole meal (either purchased a RTE meal and only ended up eating half, or serving leftovers and did not eat all of it), I would not ever re-heat a third time and would dispose of it. 

 

If a friend was asking me for advice, I would tell them what I do but would emphasise that I cook it well the first time, cool it quickly in small portions and reheat thoroughly only once.