How Should You Store Cold Cuts and How Long Does It Keep?

As long as cold cuts are still packaged and stored refrigerated, the best-before date is a guideline. In summer temperatures, however, you should transport the cold cuts home from the grocery store in a cool bag to avoid premature spoilage. Once the pack has been opened, the cold cuts made from boiled and meat sausage can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, and the salami for up to five days.

However, this information can only serve as a guide. If the cold cut smells unpleasant, has become discoloured, has dry edges or has a greasy surface, you must throw it away, even if the package has not been open that long. Conversely, you can still eat the cold cuts after a week if you have kept them cool the whole time and they do not show any of the signs of spoilage mentioned above.

After opening, it is best to store the cold cuts in a tightly sealable plastic box on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. That’s where the coldest spot is. Multi-zone refrigerators also have a dedicated area for meat products that is around zero degrees Celsius. To ensure that the cold cuts can be kept for as long as possible, you should always only take the desired amount out of the fridge and put the rest back immediately.