Ground pork and beef is the most popular of the ground meat varieties. However, correct storage is essential in order not to catch a gastrointestinal disease or food poisoning.

Avoid mistakes when buying minced meat

Fresh minced meat is characterized by a strong pink-red color. You should therefore avoid old minced meat that shimmers gray and contains dried pieces.

Put the minced meat in the shopping cart before you go to the checkout and ideally store it in a cooler. The cold chain should not be interrupted under any circumstances, otherwise bacteria will accumulate and multiply on the minced meat on the way home.

If the minced meat was bought frozen, it should be placed in the freezer immediately after purchase, where it can be kept much longer at minus 18 degrees.

Store ground beef properly

The minced meat keeps best if it is stored on the level directly above the vegetable compartment, as it is the coolest there at around two degrees. It is advisable to process the minced meat on the same day you buy it in order to keep the number of germs on the surface as low as possible. Fresh minced meat from the butcher can be kept in the fridge for a maximum of 24 hours. The earlier it is processed, the better. With packaged minced meat from the supermarket, it is important that the best-before date is not exceeded and that the specified storage temperature is observed. If the minced meat smells sour and has a dark discoloration, it should be thrown away immediately.

If the ground beef is not processed within 24 hours, it should be frozen. It can be frozen in small portions so that it cools down to minus 18 degrees as quickly as possible. Freezer bags are suitable for this, which should be flattened after filling with the meat so that no oxygen remains in the bag. Tip: Write the freezing date on the freezer bag. Fatty ground beef can be frozen for up to four weeks, while lean ground beef can be frozen for up to six months.

Also: Pregnant women, small children, the elderly and people with a weak immune system should keep their hands off raw minced meat anyway!