Have you ever opened your fridge for a quick snack, only to be greeted by the sight (and smell) of moldy food? Almost every Dallas/Ft. Worth homeowner has gone through a similar experience. And while the sight of moldy food may be bad enough, the damage it can cause can lead to worse issues. Mold spores can spread to other food items as well as the surfaces of your fridge, and too much contamination could eventually lead to requiring mold remediation.

You want to keep your fridge clear of mold as much as possible. And to help do so, you want to be aware of the foods that can expire the fastest. RestoPros has listed some of the worst offenders below.

Cooked Eggs

A staple for most refrigerators, eggs are so commonly used that we tend to forget how easily they can spoil when cooked. While raw, unopened eggs can last up to 3-5 weeks in the refrigerator, cooked eggs can last less than a week. But this expiration times varies depending on how you cook them.

If you scramble eggs or make an omelet, chances are it will only be good for about 3 days refrigerated. Hard-boiled eggs can last a little bit longer, usually up to a week. After this time, mold and bacteria will begin to form in the cooked eggs, leading to foul smell and discolored look.

Milk

Due to the high lactose amounts, adequate pH levels, and major water content, milk can become moldy very quickly, especially after being opened. Whole milk can only last 7 days unopened in the fridge, which is reduced to 5 days after being opened. However, milk can last a little longer if the fat and lactose is removed. Lactose-free or fat-free milk can last up to 10 days in the fridge, which is a bit longer but still a short lifespan overall.

Sliced Fresh Fruits/Vegetables/Mushrooms

The fresher a fruit, vegetable, or mushroom is, the higher amount of water it contains. And as soon as it’s sliced, diced, or cut in any way that exposes its flesh, mold can more easily form. Sliced fruits, vegetables, or mushrooms can only last about 3-5 days, even if refrigerated.

Cooked Grains and Beans

You wouldn’t expect grains or beans to have a short lifespan, especially considering they’re usually stored in the pantry for long periods of time when raw. But once they’ve been cooked, they only last about 3-4 days in the fridge. Cooking grains and beans expose their interiors to bacteria growth, helping mold to spawn and feed off their nutrients. Additionally, cooking grains and beans also adds water to them, which is another essential for mold growth.

Raw Meat

Raw meat is filled to the brim with bacteria and water. And only after about 3-4 days in the fridge the bacteria along with mold will grow rapidly, completely ruining the meat. Raw meat should always be cooked and eaten as soon as possible, or it should be frozen if you don’t plan on using it immediately. Although thawed frozen meat may lose some of its flavor, it’s a much better experience than eating moldy raw meat!

Help protect your refrigerator from the clutches of mold by learning about some of the foods that can turn the fastest. If you’ve discovered moldy food that has spread its spores to the surfaces of your fridge, you’ll want to contact RestoPros to have mold-removal experts restore your fridge back to a suitable condition. Call 855-587-3786 for our mold remediation services.