I keep stuff in my refrigerator for a long time. How can I tell when something's gone bad without getting food poisoning?

ANSWER:

The rule of thumb with most foods is: If it smells and/or looks gross, it’s probably unsafe to eat. When in doubt, toss it out -- it’s a whole lot better to be a little wasteful than a lot doubled over with food poisoning.

However, some foods can look and smell perfectly fine and still contain harmful stuff. To avoid food-borne diseases -- which sicken 76 million people a year, according to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association -- you should always: 

Consume packaged food by its “use by” or “best before” date.

Eat foods with “sell by” dates -- such as meats and dairy products -- within five days of that date.

Toss sliced deli meats after five days.

To further decrease your risk of food poisoning, you might want to take a second look at your fridge, where nasty bacteria, viruses and parasites can lurk. To improve your refrigerator hygiene:

• Don’t let leftovers sit in your fridge for more than two or three days.
  
• Keep the fridge temperature between 34 F and 40 F. (Supermarkets sell thermometers if your fridge doesn’t have one.)
  
• Keep it clean. Wipe up spills before they become science projects.

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