How long it is safe to keep a particular food depends on many factors: its water and protein content, its freshness and quality when you bought it, the temperature at which it has been stored, the type of pathogens likely to grow on the food, and your immune status.
Also, use-by dates should be treated with caution if you are pregnant or have lowered immunity due to illness or medical treatment.
Always take note of the use-by date and storage instructions if there are any. As a general guide, here's how long you can keep food in your fridge once the packaging is opened.
| Product | How long it lasts |
| Butter | 2 months |
| Margarine | 2 months |
| Smoked salmon | 2 days |
| Smoked chicken | 3 days |
| Cooked chicken | 2 days |
| Pate | 3 days |
| Bacon | 7 days |
| Salami | 7 days |
| Luncheon | 3 days |
| Pasta sauce | 2 days |
| Long-life milk | 3 to 10 days, depending on brand |
| Cream | 5 days |
| Camembert or brie | 1 week |
| Cheddar | 2 months |
| Cottage cheese | 5 days |
| Cream cheese | 2 weeks |
| Sour cream | 1 week |
| Frankfurters | 5 days |
| Soy milk | 5 days |
| Tomato sauce | 8 weeks |
| Sliced ham | 5 days |
| Canned fish | 2 days |
| Mayonnaise (store-bought) | 6 months |
| Pickles and chutney | 8 weeks |
| Canned baked beans | 3 days |
| Canned whole peeled tomatoes | 3 days |
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