On Oct 6, 9:54?am, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
> > "Default User" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> jmcquown wrote:
>
> >>> Glasswalker wrote:
> >>>> Hey all.
>
> >>>> Just wondering how long deli meat can be expected to store in the
> >>>> fridge? I'm talking about meat (in this case salami, pastrami, and
> >>>> pepperoni) sliced and purchased from the deli in the local
> >>>> supermarket. This deli in particular wraps the meat with some
> >>>> paper, and then puts it in a zip top bag with a slider zipper.
>
> >>> Read the "use by" date on the package.
>
> >> What package? He's talking about stuff purchased from the deli. I've
> >> never seen any dates on those.
>
> > I have at some places. But not others.
>
> Maybe the supermarket deli is different where I live. They slap a sticker on
> the bag of deli meats that you buy.

Of course they slap a sticker on, but there is no use-by date... only
a date of sale. No cold cuts (in the US) are labeled with a use-by
date, not even factory sealed, those only have a sell-by date.

Those sell-by dates are pretty meaningless anyway, they are only a
guide, a very rough guide... because one has no way to know how that
refrigerated food was handled/stored from the time it left the plant
until the consumer actually consumes it... even consumers do not
properly handle foods, in fact consumers themselves are the biggest
offenders.

Stupidmarket delis practice the worst food safety habits. The small
stand alone delis and privately owned butcher shops are the best
places to buy custom sliced cold cuts. But regardless, once cold cuts
are sliced the bacteria levels rise at the speed of light. Never buy
more cold cuts than you can use in a couple-three days, regardless of
on-sale... in the US there will be cold cuts on sale every day.

Sheldon