Fish | Shellfish
| Meat
(beef) | Meat
(pork) | Sausage
| Meat
(lamb) | Meat
(poultry)
Rabbit
meat, fresh | Meat
(canned) | Dairy
products | Eggs
Product Category, |
Temperature °C |
Temperature °F |
Relative Humidity (%) |
Approximate Storage Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | ||||
| Haddock, Cod, Perch | -1 to 1 | 31 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 12 days |
| Hake, Whiting | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 10 days |
| Halibut | -1 to 4 | 31 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 18 days |
| Herring, kipperd, smoked | 0 to 2 | 32 to 36 | 80 to 90 | 10 days |
| Mackerel | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 6 to 8 days |
| Menhaden | 1 to 5 | 34 to 41 | 95 to 100 | 4 to 5 days |
| Salmon | -1 to 1 | 31 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 18 days |
| Tuna | 0 to 2 | 32 to 36 | 95 to 100 | 14 days |
| Frozen fish | -29 to -23 | -20 - -10 | 90 to 95 | 6 to 12 mo |
| Shellfish | ||||
| Clams (shucked meats) | -1.7 | 29 | 85-90 | 5 days |
| Crabmeat, pasteurized | 0 to 1.1 | 32-34 | 6 mo | |
| Crabs, King, Snow, ck, frz | -18 | 0 | 12 mo | |
| Crabs, Dungeness, ck, frz | -18 | 0 | 3 to 6 mo | |
| Scallop meat | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 12 days |
| Shrimp | -1 to 1 | 31 to 34 | 95 to 100 | 12 to 14 days |
| Lobster, American, live | 5 to 10 | 41 to 50 | in water | indefinite |
| Lobster, Amer fresh meat | -1.1 to 0 | 30 to 32 | 90 to 95 | 3 to 5 days |
| Lobster, Amer, froz, shell | 0 | -18 | 3 to 6 mo | |
| Lobster, meat, ckd, frz | 0 | -18 | 6 to 9 mo | |
| Lobster, Spiny, froz, shell | 0 | -18 | 10 to 12 mo | |
| Oysters, meat, liq | 0 to 2 | 32 to 36 | 100 | 5 to 8 days |
| Oysters, clams, in shell | 5 to 10 | 41 to 50 | 95 to 100 | 5 days |
| Frozen shellfish | -29 to -20 | -20 to -4 | 90 to 95 | 3 to 8 mo |
| Meat (beef) | ||||
| Beef, fresh, average | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 88 to 92 | 1 to 9 wk |
| Beef, carcass, Choice, 60% lean | 0 to 4 | 32 to 39 | 85 to 90 | 1 to 3 wk |
| Beef, carcass, Prime, 54% lean | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 | 1 to 3 wk |
| Beef, carcass, Sirloin, Round cut | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 | 1 to 9 wk |
| Dried, chipped | 10 to 15 | 50 to 59 | 15 | 6 to 8 wk |
| Liver | 0 | 32 | 90 | 1 to 7 days |
| Veal, 81% lean | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 90 | 1 to 7 days |
| Frozen beef cuts | -29 to - | -20 to 0 | 90 to 95 | 12 to 18 mo |
| Meat (pork) | ||||
| Pork, fresh, average | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 to 90 | 3 to 7 days |
| Carcass, 47% lean | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 to 90 | 3 to 5 days |
| Bellies, 35% lean | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 | 3 to 5 days |
| Backfat, 100%lean | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 90 to 95 | 3 to 8 wk |
| Frozen pork | -29 to - | -20 to 0 | 90 to 95 | 8 to 10 mo |
| Ham, cured, 20.5% protein fat free | -3 | 26 | 3 mo | |
| Ham, cured, 18.5% protein fat free | -3 | 26 | 3 mo | |
| Ham, cured, 17% protein fat free | -3 | 26 | 2 mo | |
| Ham, cured, Frozen | -23 to - | -10 to 0 | 2 to 3 mo | |
| Ham, fresh, frozen | -23 to - | -10 to 0 | 6 mo | |
| Bacon, Medium fat class | 3 to 5 | 37 to 41 | 80 to 85 | 2 to 3 wk |
| Bacon, Cured, farm style | 16 to 18 | 61 to 64 | 85 | 4 to 6 mo |
| Bacon, Cured, packer style | 1 to 4 | 34 to 39 | 85 | 2 to 6 wk |
| Bacon, Frozen | -23 to - | -10 to 0 | 90 to 95 | 2 to 4 mo |
| Sausage | ||||
| Links or bulk | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 | 1 to 7 days |
| Country, smoked | 0 | 32 | 85 | 1 to 3 wk |
| Frankfurters, average | 0 | 32 | 85 | 1 to 3 wk |
| Polish style | 0 | 32 | 85 | 1 to 3 wk |
| Meat (lamb) | ||||
| Fresh, average | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 85 to 90 | 5 to 12 days |
| Choice, 67% lean | 0 | 32 | 85 | 5 to 12 days |
| Leg, choice, 83% lean | 0 | 32 | 95 | 5 to 12 days |
| Frozen | -29 to - | -20 to 0 | 90 to 95 | 12 to 18 mo |
| Meat (poultry) | ||||
| Poultry, fresh, average | -2 to 0 | 28 to 32 | 95 to 100 | 1 to 4 wk |
| Chicken, all classes | -2 to 0 | 28 to 32 | 95 to 100 | 1 to 4 wk |
| Turkey, all classes | -2 to 0 | 28 to 32 | 95 to 100 | 1 to 4 wk |
| Duck | -2 to 0 | 28 to 32 | 95 to 100 | 1 to 4 wk |
| Poultry, frozen | -23 to -18 | -10 to 0 | 90 to 95 | 12 mo |
| Rabbit meat, fresh | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 90 to 95 | 1 to 5 days |
| Meat (canned) | ||||
| Non-perishable | -1 to 15.5 | 30 to 50 | 70 or below | variable |
| Perishable | -3 to -1 | 26 to 30 | 70 or below | variable |
| Meat (mech. separated) | -29 to -18 | -20 to 0 | 1 to 6 mo | |
| Dairy products | ||||
| Butter | 0 | 32 | 70 to 75 | 1 mo |
| Butter, frozen | -23 | -10 | 70 to 75 | 12 mo |
| Cheese, Cheddar | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 12 mo |
| Cheese, Blue | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 to 3 mo |
| Cheese, Brie | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 mo |
| Cheese, Brick | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 to 3 mo |
| Cheese, Camembert | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 mo |
| Cheese, Colby | 0 to 3 | 32 to 38 | 65 | 6 mo |
| Cheese, Cottage | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 to 3 wk |
| Cheese, Cream, hot pack | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 4 wk |
| Cheese, Limburger | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 to 3 mo |
| Cheese, Mozzarella | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 6 to 8 wk |
| Cheese, Parmesan | 0 to 4 | 32 to 40 | 65 | 10 to 24 mo |
| Cheese, Past. Process Cheese | 0 to 4 | 32 to 40 | 65 | 6 to 10 mo |
| Cheese, Past. Proc Cheese Food | 0 to 4 | 32 to 40 | 65 | 6 to 10 mo |
| Cheese, Romano | 0 to 4 | 32 to 40 | 65 | 5 to 12 mo |
| Cheese, Roquefort | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | 65 | 2 to 3 mo |
| Cheese, Swiss | 0 to 4 | 32 to 34 | 65 | --- |
| Frozen Dairy Desserts | -32 to -26 | -15 to - | --- | 5 mo |
| Milk, Whole, past, Gr. A | 0 to 1 | 32 to 34 | --- | 2 to 4 mo |
| Milk, Dried, whole | 7 to 21 | 45 to 70 | low | 6 to 9 mo |
| Milk, Dried, non-fat | 7 to 21 | 45 to 70 | low | 6 to 9 mo |
| Milk, Evaporated | 4 | 40 | --- | 24 mo |
| Milk, Evaporated, unsweetened | 21 | 70 | --- | 12 mo |
| Milk, Condensed, sweetened | 7 | 40 | --- | 15 mo |
| Cream, fresh, pasteurized | 0 to 2.2 | 32 to 36 | 2 wk | |
| Cream, sour | -2 to 0 | 28 to 32 | 3 mo | |
| Cream, sweetened | -23 | -10 | several mo | |
| Whey, dried | 21 | 70 | low | 12 mo |
| Eggs | ||||
| Dried, white solids | 21 to 27 | 70 to 80 | 75 max | Indefinite |
| Dried, whole or yolk solids | 4 to 10 | 40 to 50 | 75 max | 1 to 2 years |
| Shell | -2 to -0.6 | 29 to 31 | 85 to 92 | 5 to 6 mo |
| Frozen | 0 | 32 | --- | 1 year plus |
Source: The Refrigeration Research and Education Foundation,
1996; American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning
Engineers, Inc., 1994.