Raw chicken kept in fridge for 5 days...
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| We had raw chicken wings in our fridge for the past 5 days. The sell by date was 9/8/2018. I should have tossed the chicken in the trash, but DH cooked the chicken without realizing how long it's been in the fridge, and cooked it to an internal temperature of 200 degrees (confirmed with a meat thermometer). Everyone feels fine now - it's been about four hours after eating the chicken -- but I'm paranoid about my family getting sick. If we do get sick, would we likely see symptoms tomorrow?? Sigh... |
Anonymous
| I don’t understand. The chicken was still 2 days before the sell-by date. What is the problem? |
Anonymous
|
Should be fine.
|
Anonymous
| Oh for heavens sake op. How do you actually leave the house every day? |
Anonymous
I’m confused too. I sometimes have chicken on my fridge for a week. |
Anonymous
| But... it’s before the sell by date? Confusion. Where did this “5 day’s in the fridge” time limit come from? |
Anonymous
|
OP here. I googled USDA rules about how long to keep raw chicken in the fridge, and saw that the rule is no more than 2 days, with the fridge being at least 40 degrees F.
I am feeling super paranoid. DH thought the chicken had a slight odor but didn't smell foul or rancid. UGH. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Refrigeration_and_Food_Safety.pdf |
Anonymous
|
You're fine. USDA is very conservative. They have to imagine all of the worst cases piled on top of each other.
From your link: pathogenic bacteria - the ones that will make you sick - only multiply at temps over 40 degrees. Spoilage bacteria - which smell bad and can make the meat taste bad, but won't result in food-borne illness - can multiply below 40 degrees but at a much slower rate. In other words, the fact that you kept it refrigerated means you are unlikely to get any sort of serious illness. It'll smell and taste bad LONG before it'll make you sick. If it had been left out at room temperature, that's a different story: it can develop dangerous levels of food-borne illness types of bacteria without any smell. Also from your link: those "short but safe time limits will help keep home-refrigerated food from spoiling". Again, per their definitions earlier, spoilage means it'll smell and taste bad but not result in food-borne illness. And, HELP. There is a huge range of times that will result in spoilage: depending on how old the chicken was when you bought it, storage conditions, and many others. The sell-by date is a much better guide here than the duration in your fridge (and even that date assumes 2-3 additional days in your fridge). |
Anonymous
| Op here again. To the PP and others...thank you for the sanity check and the explanation of spoilage bacteria vs pathogenic bacteria. I feel a lot better!! |
Anonymous
|
A lot of the new packaging for meat is sealed u dear nitrogen, which is inert, and allows for longer sell by dates.
|
Anonymous
Where do you think the grocery store keeps it? |
Anonymous
| Doesn't the chicken sit in the grocery store meat section for at least 5 days? No different than sitting in your home refrigerator. |
mojo222
Member Offline
Member Offline
| You'll be fine |
Anonymous
| What? If it smells fine and tastes fine you are FINE. |
Anonymous
sell by date =/= used by date serious question - do you have anxiety issue? |