Meat sellers-How long do you consider frozen birds fresh enough to sell?

[DanIndiana]

We've been selling the remainder of our batch that weren't pre-sold, out of the freezer. How long can you consider frozen birds fresh enough to sell? I assume you should date them on the package. 2 months maybe?

 

[ChickenJerk]

This was a matter of considerable debate a year or two back. Everybody had an opinion.

Here is the official determination from the USDA-

Fresh or Frozen
The term fresh on a poultry label refers to any raw poultry product that has never been held below 26 °F (-3.3 C). Raw poultry held at 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or below must be labeled frozenor previously frozen. No specific labeling is required on raw poultry stored at temperatures between 0 and 25 °F (-17.8 °C and -3.9 °C).

As far as time is concerned here is some more information-

Storage Times
Product dates aren't a guide for the safe use of a product or how long can the consumer store the food and still use it at top quality. Instead, follow these tips:

• Purchase the product before the date expires.
• Follow handling recommendations on the product.
• Keep chicken in its package until it's ready to be used.
• Freeze chicken in its original packaging; overwrap or re-wrap it according to directions in the above section,"How to Handle Chicken Safely".

Home Storage of Chicken Products

Product​

Refrigerator
40 °F (4.4 °C) or below​

Freezer
0 °F (-17.8 °C) or below​

Fresh Chicken, whole​

1 to 2 days 1 year

Fresh Chicken, parts​

1 to 2 days 9 months

Giblets or Ground Chicken​

1 to 2 days 3 to 4 months

Cooked Chicken, Leftover​

3 to 4 days 4 months

Chicken Broth or Gravy​

3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months

Cooked Chicken Casseroles, Dishes or Soup​

3 to 4 days 4 to 6 months

Cooked Chicken Pieces, covered with broth or gravy​

3 to 4 days 6 months

Cooked Chicken Nuggets, Patties​

3 to 4 days 1 to 3 months

Fried Chicken​

3 to 4 days 4 months

Take-Out Convenience Chicken (Rotisserie, Fried, etc.)​

3 to 4 days 4 months

Restaurant Chicken Leftovers, brought immediately home in a "Doggy Bag"​

3 to 4 days 4 months

Store-cooked Chicken Dinner including gravy​

3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months

Chicken Salad​

3 to 5 days Do not freeze if it contains mayonnaise

Deli-sliced Chicken Luncheon Meat​

3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months

Chicken Luncheon Meat, sealed in package​

2 weeks (but no longer than 1 week after a "sell-by" date) 1 to 2 months

Chicken Luncheon Meat, after opening​

3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months

Vacuum-packed Dinners, Commercial brand with USDA seal​

Unopened 2 weeks; Opened 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 months

Chicken Hotdogs, unopened​

2 weeks (but no longer than 1 week after a "sell-by" date) 1 to 2 months

Chicken Hotdogs, after opening​

1 week 1 to 2 months

Canned Chicken Products​

2 to 5 years in pantry Do not freeze in can.



And remember that turkey meat does not store as well or as long as chicken meat.

 

[wsmoak]

That 1-2 day recommendation is for chicken that's already been refrigerated for a while after processing, during transport and in the retail store. I have no trouble holding my own processed birds for up to a week as long as the fridge is around 40F.

As a consumer I'd be fine buying frozen whole birds up to a year old. Hopefully you wouldn't have to hold them that long -- use them yourself and sell the newer birds (I assume) you have coming along to your customers.

-Wendy