Shelf Life Food State Decision Engine
Shelf Life
v 3.4
Online
Enter: a food item and its condition.
Returns: what to do next: use it, store it, refrigerate it, freeze it, preserve it, turn it into a recipe, or discard it — with warning signs, method steps, and follow-up options.
Pro Tip
Shelf Life — Food State Decision Engine
1 — Describe the Actual State
Don't worry about naming the exact spoilage type. Describe what you're seeing, smelling, or noticing — color change, texture, smell, mold, how long it's been stored, where. Shelf Life translates the description into a use, store, or discard decision rather than requiring you to already know the answer.
2 — Storage Context MattersIf you know
how it's been stored, include it. Room temperature versus refrigerated versus frozen, sealed versus opened, how long since purchase or cooking — these details change the answer completely. The same food can be fine or unsafe depending entirely on how it got here.