Can I eat 2 days old Curry? (3 factors affecting shelf life)

In this article, we will answer the following question: “Can I eat two days old curry? and discuss what factors affect the shelf life of curry, what is the best way to keep curry leftovers and how to know if curry is bad. 

Can I eat 2 days old Curry?

Yes, you can eat 2 days old curry if there is no indication that the curry is spoiled and it was refrigerated in the first 2 hours after cooking. Cooked leftovers can be generally stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and in the freezer for 3 to 4 months (1).

After cooking the food, a fast cooling process is important to reduce the growth of microorganisms and consequently reduce the risks of foodborne diseases. Other factors, such as the quality of the ingredients and the food handling can also affect the shelf life of cooked food leftovers (5). 

What factors affect the shelf life of curry?

The main factors that affect the shelf life of curry are (2,3,5):

The ingredients and their quality: Choosing the right ingredients can help improve the shelf life of cooked curry.

Curry contains cumin, which can be used as a food preservative, due to its antioxidant properties manifested by the phenolic compounds present in its composition. Indian spices are used both for nutritional and preservation purposes (4). 

Food handling: good hygienic conditions and safe cooking practices reduce the risk of contamination by pathogenic bacteria.

Good cooking practices include hand washing, fast cooling of cooked foods, the use of clean food containers to store food and avoidance of cross-contamination, by handling cooked and raw food simultaneously, for example.

Food storage conditions: The storage of food at refrigerated temperatures is important to reduce microbial growth. Frequent door openings can lead to temperature fluctuations inside the refrigerator and reduced shelf life.

How to know if curry is bad?

To know if curry is bad, you should be aware of the possible indications of spoilage in the curry, which are alterations of the odour, flavour, texture and appearance of the curry. Independently if the curry contains meat or rice and vegetables, spoiled food is manifested by altered sensory properties (1,2,3).

Spoilage can occur as a result of chemical and enzymatic reactions and due to the contamination of microorganisms.

The generation of off-odours and off-flavours, such as rancid, alcoholic, fruity, putrid and ammonia-like may indicate oxidation of lipids and degradation of proteins, in addition to the possible action of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

Changes in the texture, such as leakage, the occurrence of slime, production of gas (noticed by bloating of package or container) or ropiness are indications of deterioration caused by microorganisms.

The growth of mould can be noticed by altered colour and the formation of spots or mycelia. Any change in the colour can also be a sign of spoilage.

Can you eat curry after the expiration date? 

Yes, you can eat curry after the expiration date, that is, after the recommended shelf life of 3 to 4 days stored in the refrigerator or after 3 to 4 months stored in the freezer, if there is no sign that indicates that the curry is bad.

Food can be safely consumed after its expiration date, as the expiration date, as well as the recommended storage time is only an estimation of how long foods last (2).

However, the curry should not be consumed if it is spoiled or bad. Curry is susceptible to microbial spoilage and eating spoiled food can lead to foodborne diseases (5). 

Other FAQs about Curry that you may be interested in.

Why does restaurant curry taste better?

Why is my Thai curry bitter?

What is the difference between curry paste and curry powder?

Conclusions

In this article, we answered the following question: “Can I eat 2 days old curry?” and discussed what is the shelf life of curry, what factors affect the shelf life of curry and how to know if curry is bad.

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References

1.-

Leftovers and Food Safety | Food Safety and Inspection Service. Usda.gov, 2013, www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety#:~:text=Top%20of%20Page-.

 

Leftovers and Food Safety | Food Safety and Inspection Service. Usda.gov, 2013, www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety#:~:text=Top%20of%20Page-.

3.-

Girish PS, Nath L, Thomas R, Rajkumar V, Alam T. Development of Shelf Stable Ready-to-Eat Pork Curry Using Retort Processing Technology. Journal of Packaging Technology and Research. 2018 Mar;2(1):61-6.