How Long Can Meat Stay in the Freezer? Here’s What You Need to Know.

Many households treat their refrigerators like “mini supermarkets,” stuffing them with all kinds of food—raw meat, leftovers, beverages, unfinished milk—leading to bacteria spreading throughout the fridge over time. Among these, one type of bacteria can survive even at -20°C freezing temperatures, and severe infections can be fatal. This is Listeria.

What symptoms appear after a Listeria infection? How can you protect against this dangerous bacteria in the summer? Let’s take a look→

What Symptoms Appear After a Listeria Infection?

Listeria is a foodborne pathogen widely found in nature. This bacterium has extreme cold resistance, not only surviving and reproducing in refrigerated environments at 0°C to 4°C, but it can also “hibernate” for up to a year even at -20°C freezing conditions.

It often lurks in undercooked meats, dairy products, ready-to-eat salads, and frozen foods, spreading quietly through cross-contamination during food handling. From ingestion to the onset of illness, some people may have a long incubation period, typically up to three weeks, and sometimes even more than two months.

Healthy adults generally don’t need to worry too much. Most people infected with Listeria show no symptoms or experience diarrhea, fever, pain, and chills, recovering within a few days.

However, for pregnant women, newborns, adults over 65, and those with weakened immune systems, Listeria infection can be very dangerous:

When the immune system is weak, Listeria can spread beyond the intestines to other tissues and organs, potentially causing headaches, fever, muscle aches, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

During pregnancy, changes in the immune system make women more susceptible to Listeria. Although pregnant women may only have mild symptoms themselves, the bacteria can enter the placenta and infect the unborn fetus, leading to premature birth, miscarriage, or causing severe illness or death in newborns.

How to Effectively Guard Against the Threat of Listeria?

■ Regularly Clean the Refrigerator

After removing all items and disconnecting the power, use a cloth dipped in warm water or detergent to wipe the interior walls of the refrigerator, then use clean water to remove the detergent.

Remove shelves and other attachments inside the refrigerator and rinse them with water.

Open the refrigerator door to ventilate and let it air dry naturally.

Additionally, avoid frequently opening the refrigerator door or leaving it open for too long. Every time the door is opened, warm air rushes in, and the longer it stays open, the closer the internal temperature gets to room temperature, aiding bacterial growth. The door seal should also be checked and cleaned regularly.

■ Store Food in Separate Zones

Since bacteria grow faster at temperatures of 5°C and above, the refrigerator’s temperature should be kept at 4°C or below.

It’s best not to store milk, raw meat, and other foods on the door shelves; instead, place them closer to the back of the refrigerator.

Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods. Raw meat is best stored on the bottom shelf.

If there are many items, you can use organizing tools like rotating trays, but be careful not to overcrowd the refrigerator. Try to keep it at about 75% capacity so cold air can circulate properly.

■ Cook and Heat Thoroughly

When cooking, ensure the food’s internal temperature reaches at least 70°C and maintains it for 5 minutes to thoroughly kill Listeria. Even if leftovers are stored in the refrigerator, they should be eaten as soon as possible and reheated thoroughly before consumption.

During food preparation, keep raw and cooked foods separate, and use different cutting boards and knives for each.

High-risk individuals should also take extra care to avoid raw foods, soft cheeses, unpasteurized dairy products, and pre-cut salads, which are high-risk items.

Safe Storage Periods for Different Types of Meat

The refrigerator is not a safe; freezing is not a one-time solution for preservation. Safe storage periods vary significantly for different types of meat:

Pork should generally not be stored for more than 3 months, and beef or lamb should ideally not exceed 9 months. Prolonged freezing can lead to poor texture, nutrient loss, and even the production of harmful substances.

Poultry is recommended to be consumed within 6 months;

Processed meat products should not be stored for more than 2 months;