We all have that one shelf in the fridge: a small museum of half-used sauces, mysterious leftovers and a tub of something that may—or may not—have once been cream cheese. The date on the lid is long gone, but the food still looks perfectly fine. Do you risk it?
Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, absolutely not.
Food dates can be confusing, especially when “best before” and “use by” are treated as if they mean the same thing. They don’t. A best-before date is mainly about quality: flavour, texture and freshness may decline, but the product can still be safe if it has been stored correctly. A use-by date is about safety. Once that date has passed, the food may contain harmful bacteria even if it smells completely normal.
And that is the tricky part: dangerous food does not always look, smell or taste dangerous. Your nose is useful, but it is not a laboratory.
Here are 13 foods I would not gamble with once they have passed their use-by date—or once they have clearly spoiled. Your stomach, and possibly your next cocktail night, will thank you.
Raw or undercooked meat
Raw chicken, beef, pork, lamb and other fresh meats are high-risk foods because bacteria can multiply quickly, particularly when the meat has been stored above the recommended temperature. Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter are not ingredients anyone wants to invite to dinner.
Do not rely on a quick sniff or a change of colour. Meat can be unsafe before the warning signs become obvious. If it has passed its use-by date, discard it. If you know you will not cook it in time, freeze it before the date arrives.
One practical habit: keep raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, well wrapped, so it cannot drip onto vegetables, cheese or anything else waiting for its turn on the chopping board.
Chicken and turkey
Poultry deserves its own section because it is particularly prone to bacterial contamination. Raw chicken may look perfectly fresh and still carry harmful bacteria. Once the use-by date has passed, it is not worth trying to rescue it with extra cooking.
Cooking poultry thoroughly reduces the risk, but it does not make spoiled food a good idea. If the meat is slimy, has an unpleasant odour or has been left at room temperature, it belongs in the bin. Not in a marinade. Not under a mountain of spices. Definitely not in your Sunday roast.
Fresh fish and seafood
Fish and shellfish are delicate, perishable and unforgiving. Fresh fish should smell clean and lightly briny—not intensely “fishy”. Shellfish such as prawns, mussels, oysters and scallops can become unsafe rapidly if they are not kept cold.
Never eat fresh seafood after its use-by date. Be especially cautious with raw seafood dishes such as ceviche, oysters or sushi, where there is no cooking step to reduce bacterial risk.
When buying fish, check that it has been kept on ice or properly chilled. At home, store it in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it promptly. Seafood is not the place to practise optimism.
Minced meat
Minced beef, pork, lamb and poultry spoil faster than whole cuts because grinding increases the surface area exposed to air and bacteria. It also distributes bacteria throughout the meat, rather than leaving them mainly on the outside.
That burger mince sitting in the fridge one day beyond its use-by date? I would not use it. If you buy mince in advance, freeze it as soon as possible and defrost it in the fridge, never on the kitchen counter.
And when cooking burgers or meatballs, make sure the centre reaches a safe temperature. A beautifully browned outside does not guarantee a properly cooked middle.
Fresh sausages
Fresh sausages combine several risk factors: minced meat, moisture and a natural casing. They can deteriorate quickly, even when the packaging looks intact.
Do not eat fresh sausages after their use-by date. If they have developed a sticky texture, grey or green patches, or a sour smell, they are past their moment. Cooking them until they are very well done will not always eliminate toxins produced by bacteria.
Cooked sausages and cured products are a different category, but they still need careful storage and attention to the label. “Smoked” does not automatically mean “immortal”.
Soft cheeses
Brie, Camembert, ricotta, cream cheese, goat cheese, mascarpone and other soft cheeses contain more moisture than hard cheeses. That makes them friendlier environments for unwanted bacteria and mould.
Some mould is intentional—blue cheese would be a sad sight without it. The problem is unexpected mould, particularly on fresh or soft cheeses. If a soft cheese develops unusual mould, a pink or orange colour, a slimy surface or an ammonia-like smell that was not part of its original character, discard it.
With hard cheese, you can sometimes cut away a generous area around a small patch of mould. With soft cheese, mould can spread below the surface, so scraping it off is not a reliable solution.
Fresh cream and crème fraîche
Fresh cream, single cream, double cream and crème fraîche can spoil quickly once opened. The date on the packaging assumes proper refrigeration and hygienic handling, so dipping a used spoon into the carton repeatedly does not exactly help its chances.
If cream smells sour, has separated in an unusual way, contains lumps or has passed its use-by date, leave it alone. A slightly tangy flavour may be normal for some cultured products, but you should know what the product is supposed to taste like before making that call.
And yes, pouring it into a sauce and boiling it does not magically turn spoiled cream into a safe ingredient. It may also split and ruin your sauce. Two disappointments for the price of one.
Eggs
Eggs are often a grey area because their dates usually relate to quality rather than an immediate safety cut-off. Properly stored eggs can sometimes remain usable beyond the date on the carton, but the risk increases with age and poor storage.
For vulnerable people—young children, pregnant people, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system—use extra caution. Avoid raw or lightly cooked eggs once they are past their date.
If you are unsure about an egg, crack it into a separate bowl rather than directly into your cake batter or pan. A strong sulphurous smell means it is finished. The famous float test can indicate age, but it does not prove that an egg is safe to eat.
Cooked leftovers
Leftovers are brilliant. They save money, reduce waste and give you a second chance at that excellent roast chicken. But they are not designed to live in the fridge indefinitely.
Most cooked leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours and eaten within three to four days, depending on the food and local food-safety guidance. Rice, pasta, meat, fish and dishes containing eggs or dairy deserve particular attention.
Bacillus cereus, a bacteria associated with cooked rice and pasta, can produce toxins when food is left at room temperature for too long. Reheating may not remove those toxins. So if the rice has spent the night on the counter, it is not being “resourceful” to eat it the next day.
Cooked rice and pasta
Cooked rice and pasta can seem harmless because they do not always develop an obvious smell when they spoil. That is precisely why storage matters.
Cool them quickly, place them in a shallow container, refrigerate them promptly and use them within a few days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, and make sure it is steaming hot throughout.
If you cannot remember when you cooked it, take that as your answer. A mystery container is not a meal plan.
Pre-cut fruit and vegetables
Once fruit and vegetables are peeled, chopped or grated, their protective outer layer is gone. Moisture and handling create better conditions for bacteria to grow. Ready-to-eat salads, cut melon, sliced mango, grated carrot and pre-cut vegetable mixes can all become risky when they are past their use-by date.
Cut melon is especially perishable and should be kept cold. Bagged salads can also deteriorate quickly: a swollen bag, slimy leaves or a sour smell means it is time to let go.
Wash whole produce before cutting it, keep prepared food refrigerated and avoid leaving it on the table for hours—particularly during warm weather.
Smoked salmon and ready-to-eat fish
Smoked salmon, gravlax, pâté and other chilled ready-to-eat fish products have a limited shelf life. They are often eaten without further cooking, which means there is no final heat step to reduce bacteria.
Listeria is the main concern here. It can grow at refrigerator temperatures and may be particularly dangerous for pregnant people, older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
Respect the use-by date, keep the package cold and eat it promptly after opening. If the pack is slimy, swollen or smells sour, do not try to save it for brunch. There will be other brunches.
Ready-made sandwiches and salads
Pre-packed sandwiches, wraps, pasta salads and deli salads contain several perishable ingredients: cooked meat, eggs, mayonnaise, cheese and cut vegetables. They are handled, assembled and stored chilled, but that does not give them an unlimited lifespan.
Once the use-by date has passed, discard them. Do not remove the ham and eat the bread, or scrape the mayonnaise off the salad as if you are performing a rescue mission. Bacteria may have spread throughout the food even if only one ingredient looks questionable.
Keep these products refrigerated and avoid carrying them around in a warm bag for half the day.
Fresh juices and smoothies
Freshly squeezed juice and smoothies can spoil faster than people expect, especially when they are unpasteurised. Their natural sugars and moisture provide an excellent environment for microbial growth.
Follow the use-by date, keep them refrigerated and be cautious with bottles that are fizzy, swollen or unexpectedly sour. A little separation is normal in some juices; fermentation, pressure or a sharp alcoholic smell is not.
Unopened, pasteurised juices with a best-before date are generally less urgent, but storage instructions still matter. Once opened, treat them as perishable.
Baby food and infant formula
Baby food and infant formula are not the place for “it smells fine” experiments. Nutritional quality, sterility and preparation instructions are carefully calculated, and babies are more vulnerable to foodborne illness.
Never use infant formula after its expiry date. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for preparation, refrigeration and how long a prepared bottle can be kept. Discard leftovers from a bottle after feeding rather than returning them to the fridge.
For jars and pouches of baby food, respect the dates and storage instructions, especially after opening. A tiny portion is not worth a very unhappy baby—or an anxious night for everyone else.
When in doubt, throw it out
Food waste is frustrating, but food poisoning is worse. The best way to avoid both is to buy realistic quantities, label leftovers with the date, keep your fridge at the correct temperature and freeze food before it reaches its use-by date.
Remember the simple rule: a best-before date is often about quality, while a use-by date is about safety. Never taste food to decide whether it is safe, and do not assume cooking, marinating or adding a generous splash of wine will fix spoiled ingredients.
Wine can rescue a sauce. It cannot rescue questionable chicken.
Trust the date, trust proper storage and trust your common sense—but when the evidence is unclear, choose the bin. Your next drink will taste much better when it is not accompanied by food poisoning.