SCADOHow long food lasts in the freezer
Last updated: 10 June 2026
Good news: food kept continuously frozen at -18C (0F) stays safe indefinitely. The storage times you read about are about quality, not safety - they tell you how long the food still tastes its best, not when it becomes dangerous.
Safe forever, but quality fades
The USDA, FDA and UK FSA all agree: at -18C food does not become unsafe while it stays solidly frozen. What changes is quality - flavour, texture and the dryness of freezer burn. So a passed freezer reminder means "eat me for best taste", not "throw me away".
One important caveat: freezing does not kill bacteria or viruses, it only makes them dormant. As Italy's ISS puts it, freezing presses pause - on thawing the same microbes wake up and can multiply again.
Best-quality windows
Typical USDA best-quality times: minced meat 3-4 months; raw beef, pork and lamb cuts 4-12 months; whole chicken or turkey about 12 months; lean fish 6-8 months; fatty fish like salmon 2-3 months; bacon about 1 month; soups and stews 2-3 months. The UK FSA simplifies this to "meat is best within 2-3 months, baked goods, fruit and veg within 3-4 months".
You can freeze food right up to midnight on its use-by date to extend its life - just label each item with the date you froze it.
Thaw safely, and do not refreeze raw
Thaw in the fridge (safest), in the microwave, or in cold water in a sealed bag - never on the counter at room temperature. After thawing, treat the item as a use-by food: the UK FSA advises eating it within 24 hours.
Do not refreeze food that has thawed unless you cook it first. You can, however, safely freeze a dish you cooked from previously frozen raw ingredients. Frozen vegetables should be cooked thoroughly rather than eaten as-is, because pathogens such as listeria can survive freezing.
A note on safety
These windows are about quality. Always freeze on or before the use-by date, never refreeze raw thawed food, and discard perishable food left above 4C for more than 2 hours. SCADO is an organizational aid, not food-safety advice - when in doubt about long-frozen or thawed food, follow official guidance and throw it out.
Mark an item as frozen in SCADO and it records the freeze date and shows the typical best-quality window, so you use it while it still tastes good instead of letting it sink to the bottom of the freezer. SCADO ->