How long can sausage stay in the fridge?
In this brief guide, we will answer the question “How long can sausage stay in the fridge?”, discuss what can happen if you eat bad sausage, and how to store the sausage.
How long can sausage stay in the fridge?
Sausage can stay in the fridge from 2 days to a week depending on its type.
Uncooked sausage
Uncooked sausage can stay in the fridge for 2 days. After two days, its quality will start deteriorating due to the moisture in the fridge, and also certain bacteria and mold will begin to harbor the sausage.
Cooked sausage
Cooked sausage can stay in the fridge for a maximum of 1 week. As it is cooked, so it prevents certain bacteria to grow on it for a specific period.
How to increase the shelf life of sausage?
The shelf life of sausage in the refrigerator can be increased without the addition of artificial preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, or propyl gallate. To increase the shelf life of fresh sausage, a naturally sourced antioxidant, duralox, can be used. The addition of duralox to the ground meat can increase the shelf life for 2 weeks by inhibiting spoilage, color stability, and oxidative stability.
Can sausage go bad?
Sausage can go bad if they are not stored properly or if their best-by date is long gone. If you keep them at room temperature or you place them in the refrigerator, some bacteria and molds can still grow on the sausages rendering them inedible by spoiling them. The unsuitable environmental conditions at room temperature and the humidity of the refrigerator can also be the reason for sausages to go bad.
Signs that sausage has gone bad
Certain sausages, if stored properly, last for a few more days even after their best-by date. To know if the sausage has spoiled, consider the following telltale signs:
- Aroma
If the sausage smells sweet, sort of funky, this means that the sausage is rotten and it is no more good to be used.
- Texture
If the particular texture of a specific sausage is no more, and the texture is slippery or slimy, this means that the sausage has gone bad. Do not use such sausage.
- Color
If the color of the outer surface of the sausage is not the same throughout its length and there are various spots of different spots on the entire surface of the sausage, this means that the sausage is no more good to be used.
- Microbial growth
The presence of any sort of microbial growth, either bacterial or fungal, is a clear indication that the sausage has gone bad. Don’t try to cut the part of the sausage having the microbial growth to use the remaining sausage, as you have no idea that how long the mold has penetrated it. Simply discard the whole sausage.
Other FAQs about Sausages which you may be interested in.
How long can cooked sausage stay in the fridge?
How long can pork sausage stay in the fridge?
What can happen if you eat bad sausage?
If the sausage has gone bad but there is no microbial growth, then eating it will not cause any serious issues related to health. The bad odor of the sausage can cause vomiting and nausea.
If the sausage is gone bad due to microbial growth, then there are chances that you may develop food poisoning due to its consumption. The most important issue faced in such a scenario is Salmonella based food poisoning. Salmonella, a gram-negative flagellated bacteria is the major culprit of causing food poisoning in poultry-related food. The symptoms of Salmonella based food poisoning include fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. The severity of these symptoms varies for different people. Old aged people and children are at greater risk of getting food poisoning as compared to young people who have a stronger immune system.
Can you freeze sausage?
You can freeze sausage either it is cooked, uncooked, or ready to use. The uncooked and fresh sausages can be kept in the freezer for 1-2 months while the cooked sausages can be kept for 2-3 months.
You can freeze either whole sausage or sliced, but keep in mind that the whole sausage will take a longer time to defrost as compared to sliced one but it can be crafted into multiple dishes with greater ease. The sliced sausage is defrosted more quickly but it is more susceptible to freezer burn.
How to store sausage?
To store the cooked sausage, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place it in a shallow airtight container. Store the container in the fridge at a constant temperature of 40 Fahrenheit, the temperature where bacteria cannot grow or thrive, to ensure that it would not be contaminated in the fridge.
Conclusion:
In this brief guide, we answered the question “How long can sausage last in the fridge?”, discussed what can happen if you eat bad sausage, and how to store the sausage.
References:
- How Can You Tell if Sausage is Spoiled? – Cooking Chops
- Case Study: Shelf Life Extension of Fresh Sausage – Kalsec
- Can You Freeze Cooked Sausages? How Long Will They Keep? | New Idea Food
- How Long Does Cooked Sausage Last in the Fridge | HowChimp
