Shelf Life of Cured and Salted Meat at −18°C

Question

The shelf life of cured & salted meat at freezing temperature of (−)18°C is:

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Question (English)

The shelf life of cured & salted meat at freezing temperature of (−)18°C is:

  1. 2 months ✓ Correct
  2. 6 months
  3. 4 months
  4. 8 months
Explanation:
Correct Answer: 2 months

The shelf life of Cured and Salted meat at −18°C is only 2 months — the shortest among all frozen meats.

Why Cured Meat Has the Shortest Frozen Shelf Life?
  • Salt (NaCl) in cured meat lowers the freezing point, allowing some enzymatic and chemical reactions to continue even at −18°C.
  • Nitrite acts as a pro-oxidant for fat at freezer temperatures — accelerating rancidity.
  • These combined effects reduce the frozen shelf life significantly.
Shelf Life Ranking at −18°C (Longest to Shortest)
  1. Beef/Mutton/Chevon/Carabeef: 6 months
  2. Pork/Poultry: 4 months
  3. Cured/Salted meat: 2 months

📚 About this Topic — Animal Refresher

This multiple choice question is from Animal Refresher, Meat Science. It has 4 options with a detailed explanation of the correct answer. Practice more MCQs from Animal Refresher to strengthen your preparation.

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