Skip navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Food Safety
    • Recalls & Public Health Alerts
      • Report a Problem with Food
        • Additional Recalls
      • Annual Recall Summaries
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2012
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2013
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2014
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2015
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2016
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2017
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2018
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2019
    • Food Safety Stats
      • Consumer Research
    • Foodborne Illness and Disease
      • Pathogens
        • Campylobacter
          • Campylobacter En Español
        • Clostridium botulinum
        • Escherichia coli O157:H7
        • Parasites and Foodborne Illness
        • Salmonella Questions and Answers
      • Resources for Public Health Partners
      • Outbreaks
        • Outbreak Investigations: Prevention
        • Outbreak Investigations: Response
    • Safe Food Handling and Preparation
      • Food Safety Basics
        • Additives in Meat and Poultry Products
        • Appliance Thermometers
        • Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness
        • Cooking for Groups
        • Cooking with Microwave Ovens
        • Cutting Boards
        • Deep Fat Frying
        • Doneness Versus Safety
        • Food Allergies
        • Glossary of Packaging Terms
        • Grilling Food Safely
        • High Altitude Cooking
        • How Temperatures Affect Food
        • How to Find the USDA Establishment Number
        • Importing Meat, Poultry & Egg Products US
        • Inspection for Food Safety: The Basics
        • Irradiation and Food Safety FAQ
        • Keeping "Bag" Lunches Safe
        • Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
        • Kitchen Thermometers
        • Mail Order Food Safety
        • Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
        • Meat and Poultry Packaging Materials
        • Natural Flavors on Meat and Poultry Labels
        • Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods
        • Slaughter Inspection 101
        • Slow Cookers and Food Safety
        • Smoking Meat and Poultry
        • Tailgating Food Safety Q & A
        • Understanding FSIS Food Recalls
        • Water in Meat & Poultry
        • Danger Zone 40F - 140F
        • Food Product Dating
        • Freezing and Food Safety
        • Leftovers and Food Safety
        • Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
          • Hongos en los Alimentos: ¿Son Peligrosos?
        • Refrigeration
        • Safe Temperature Chart
        • Shelf-Stable Food
        • Steps to Keep Food Safe
        • The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods
        • The Color of Meat and Poultry
        • Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety?
      • Meat
        • Bacon and Food Safety
        • Beef From Farm To Table
        • Bison from Farm to Table
        • Color of Cooked Ground Beef as It Relates to Doneness
        • Corned Beef
        • Door-to-Door Meat Sales
        • Fresh Pork from Farm to Table
        • Goat from Farm to Table
        • Ground Beef and Food Safety
        • Hams and Food Safety
        • Hot Dogs & Food Safety
        • Jerky
        • Lamb From Farm to Table
        • Rabbit From Farm to Table
        • Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats
        • Sausages and Food Safety
        • Veal from Farm to Table
        • Yersiniosis and Chitterlings Tips
      • Poultry
        • Chicken From Farm to Table
        • Chicken Liver
        • Duck and Goose from Farm to Table
        • Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements
        • Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
        • Let's Talk Turkey Roasting
        • Poultry Processing: Questions & Answers
        • Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating
        • Stuffing and Food Safety
        • The Poultry Label Says "Fresh"
        • Turduckens Require Safe Food Handling
        • Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
        • Turkey Basics: Stuffing
        • Turkey from Farm to Table
        • Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table
      • Eggs
        • Egg Products and Food Safety
        • Shell Eggs from Farm to Table
      • Emergencies
        • A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
        • Fires and Food Safety
        • Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies
        • Removing Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers
      • USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
    • Food Defense and Emergency Response
      • Emergency Response
      • Food Defense
        • Risk Mitigation Tool
        • Food Defense Considerations for Transportation of FSIS-Regulated Products
        • Food Defense Tools, Resources and Training
        • Functional Food Defense Plans
        • International Food Defense
  • Science & Data
    • Research Priorities
    • Data Sets & Visualizations
      • Microbiology
        • Baseline Microbiology Data Reports
        • Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat and Poultry Products
          • Tables & Results Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat
          • Tables & Results: Microbiological Testing Program Pasteurized Egg Products
          • Aggregate Salmonella Categorization of Raw Chicken Parts, NRTE Comminuted Poultry, Young Chicken Carcass and Young Turkey Carcass Establishments Using Moving Windows
          • Salmonella Initiative Program Criteria
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Salmonella
            • Salmonella Action Plan: A One and Two Year Update
            • Salmonella Categorization of Individual Establishments for Poultry Products
            • Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting
        • Microbiological Testing Program for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
          • Year-to-Date Totals: Testing of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
          • Annual Report for STEC in Raw Ground Beef or Veal and Raw Ground Beef or Veal Components
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2017
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2018
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2016
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2015
          • Year-to-Date 2018 Totals: Results of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC):
        • National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS)
      • Residue Chemistry
      • Laboratory Sampling Data
        • Egg Product Testing, Years 1995-2017
    • Scientific Reports
      • Public Health Regulations (PHR)
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2021
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2016
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2017
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2018
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2019
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2020
      • Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC)
    • Laboratories & Procedures
      • Accredited Laboratory Program
        • Key Facts: ISO Accreditation
      • FSIS Laboratories
        • Requesting Bacterial Isolates from FSIS
    • Risk Assessments
    • Sampling Program
      • Raw Pork Products Exploratory Sampling Program
      • Sampling Results for FSIS Regulated Products
    • Journal Publications
  • Policy
    • Food Safety Acts
      • Federal Meat Inspection Act
      • Poultry Products Inspection Act
      • Egg Products Inspection Act
      • Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act
    • FSIS Guidelines
    • Directives & Notices
      • FSIS Notices
      • FSIS Directives
        • Related Documents for FSIS Directive 10240.4
    • Petitions
    • Federal Register & Rulemaking
      • Federal Register Notices
      • Federal Register Rules
      • Executive Orders, Small Business Protection Laws & Other Guidance
      • Regulatory Priorities
    • Advisory Committees
      • National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI)
      • National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
  • Inspection
    • Inspection Programs
      • Inspection of Meat Products
        • Humane Handling Ombudsman
      • Inspection of Poultry Products
        • Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection
      • Inspection of Egg Products
      • Inspection of Siluriformes
    • Compliance Guidance
      • Significant Guidance
      • HACCP
        • HACCP-Based-Inspection Models Project
          • New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS)
          • HIMP Redesign Achievement of Performance Standards Young Chicken Plants
          • HIMP Study Plans and Resources
          • List of HIMP Participating Plants
        • HACCP Validation
      • PHIS
        • PHIS: Historical Information
      • Retail Guidance
      • Small & Very Small Plant Guidance
        • Appealing Inspection Decisions
        • Food Safety Resources for Small and Very Small Plant Outreach: Order Form
        • Small Plant Help Desk
        • Small Plant Help Desk Form
      • Microbial Risk
        • Listeria Monocytogenes
        • Salmonella
        • Shiga Toxin-Producing E.Coli (STEC) and E. Coli O157:H7
        • Specified Risk Material
        • Guidance for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in Retail Delicatessens - Best Practice Tips for Deli Operators
      • Food Safety Assessments Tools
      • Recall Process
      • Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide
      • Labeling
        • Basics of Labeling
        • Claims Guidance
        • Nonfood Compounds
          • Compounds Used for Construction and Repair in Federally Inspected Meat and Poultry Plants
          • Criteria Used by the Former Compounds and Packaging Branch for Evaluating Nonfood Compounds and Proprietary Substances
        • Ingredients Guidance
        • Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
          • Integration of Paper Label Applications into the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
        • Labeling Policies
          • Foods Made with Cultured Animal Cells
          • Nutrition Labeling Information
            • FSIS Statement: Interim Labeling Guidance the Labeling of Factual Statements on Nutrients in Meat and Poultry Products
          • Regulations for Package Dating
          • Comprehensive List of Reasons for Label Modifications and Returns
        • Labeling Procedures
          • Information Required For Requesting a Temporary Approval
          • 10 Most Common Mistakes And How to Avoid Them
          • Label Submission Checklist
          • Labeling Situations That Can Not Have a Temporary Approval
          • Labeling and Establishment Responsibilities
          • Questions and Answers Concerning the Recently Published Generic Labeling Final Rule
          • Ten Most Commonly Asked Labeling Questions
          • Trans Fat Declarations in the Nutrition Facts Panel on Product Labeling
      • New Technology
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2003
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2004
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2005
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2003
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2004
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2005
        • NOL for Non-O157 STEC Test Methods
        • New Technology Information Table
      • Humane Handling
    • Import & Export
      • Import & Export Library
        • Eligible Foreign Establishments
        • U.S. Establishments by Country
          • Australia Eligible Establishments
          • Brazil Export Eligible Establishments
          • Egypt Export Eligible Establishments
          • Gibraltar Export Eligible Establishments
          • Israel Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Casings) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Cold Storage Facilities) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Mexico Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Beef) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Pork) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Poultry) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Prepared Products) Export Eligible Establishments
          • South Africa Eligible Establishments
      • Import Guidance
        • FSIS Import Procedures for Meat, Poultry & Egg Products
        • FSIS Import Reinspection
        • Sourcing Egg Products and Shell Eggs From Foreign Countries
      • Export Guidance
      • Equivalence
      • PHIS Components
      • International Reports
        • Foreign Audit Reports
        • Import and Export Data
    • Regulatory Enforcement
      • Humane Handling Enforcement
      • Quarterly Enforcement Reports
      • FSIS Policies on Regulatory Decisions
    • Inspection Training & Videos
      • Meat, Poultry and Processed Egg Product Inspection Videos
      • Virtual & Regional Training
      • Regulatory Education Video Seminars
    • Apply for Grant of Inspection
      • Grants & Financial Options
      • State Inspection Programs
        • Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program
          • Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Establishments
        • Guidance Documents for State and Local Agencies
        • States With and Without Inspection Programs
        • Reviews of State Programs
    • Establishments
      • FSIS Inspected Establishments
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory
    • Inspection Forms
  • About FSIS
    • History
    • Leadership & Organizational Structure
    • Strategic Planning
      • FSIS Enterprise Governance Decision Making Process
    • Core Values
    • Food Safety & Agency Partners
      • Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
    • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
      • FSIS Adjudications
      • FSIS FOIA Reading Room
      • Frequently Requested Records
      • Making a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request
  • Contact Us
    • FSIS Offices
      • Office for Food Safety (OFS)
      • Office of the Administrator (OA)
      • Office of Field Operations (OFO)
      • Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit (OIEA)
      • Office of Public Health Science (OPHS)
      • Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD)
      • Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
      • Office of International Coordination (OIC)
      • Office of Employee Experience and Development (OEED)
      • Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
      • Office of Management (OM)
      • Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE)
      • Internal Affairs (IA)
      • Office of Planning Analysis Risk Management (OPARM)
      • Significant Incident Preparedness and Response Staff (SIPRS)
      • Civil Rights Staff
    • FSIS Department Emails
    • State HACCP Contacts and Coordinators
    • askFSIS
      • Having Trouble with the Webform
    • Pregúntele a Karen
  • Careers
    • Build A Career With USDA!
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
      • Career Profiles
        • Administrative Positions
        • Consumer Safety Inspector
        • Food Inspector
        • Professional Positions
        • Public Health Veterinarian (PHV)
        • Scientific Positions
    • Who Works for Us
    • Incentives & Benefits
    • Employment Programs
  • News & Events
    • Events & Meetings
      • Officials' Calendar of Meetings
      • USDA FSIS Eastern Laboratory Open House Registration
    • News & Press Releases
      • News Feeds & Subscriptions
    • Publications
  • Employees
    • HR Policies & Systems
      • Forms
      • Performance Management
      • Understanding Your Benefits
    • Environmental, Safety and Health
      • COVID-19 Pandemic Resources
        • Information about Face Coverings/Masks and Face Shields
    • Onboarding
      • New Hire Training
    • Professional Development Opportunities
      • Agency Awards & Achievements
    • Employee News & Stories
      • Employee Connections
      • The Beacon
        • USDA Vaccination Heroes Do Their Part for America
      • i-Impact
    • Facilities and Services
    • Employee Bargaining
    • Civil Rights

Food Safety and Inspection Service

  • About FSIS
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • News & Events
  • Employees
  • Food Safety
  • Science & Data
  • Policy
  • Inspection
  • Recalls
  • Search
  • Full Menu
RECALL NOTICE: JBS USA Food Company Recalls Imported… See more details
Page Hero
  • Food Safety
    • Recalls & Public Health Alerts
      • Report a Problem with Food
      • Annual Recall Summaries
    • Food Safety Stats
      • Consumer Research
    • Foodborne Illness and Disease
      • Pathogens
      • Resources for Public Health Partners
      • Outbreaks
    • Safe Food Handling and Preparation
      • Food Safety Basics
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Eggs
      • Emergencies
      • USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
    • Food Defense and Emergency Response
      • Emergency Response
      • Food Defense
Subscribe for Updates
Washing hands in sink

Call Our Hotline

For help with meat, poultry, and processed egg products, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline:
Hotline Icon
1-888-MPHOTLINE 1-888-674-6854
Ask USDA

Ask USDA

Looking for USDA information? Search for information from across our organization all in one place.
Find An Answer
Plate of chicken

Report a Problem with Food Online

If you having a problem with a food product, let FSIS know or find the appropriate public health organization.
Report Problem

Sausages and Food Safety

Summer sausage, kielbasa, bologna, bratwurst: The list goes on and on. There are so many varieties of sausage. How long can you store them — and where? Are they fully cooked or not? The following background information will answer these questions and others. Use the chart as a guideline for safe storage.

Types of Sausages

Sausages are either uncooked or ready to eat. They can be made from red meat (for example, beef, pork, lamb or veal), poultry (turkey or chicken, for example) or a combination. Uncooked sausages include fresh (bulk, patties or links) and smoked sausages.

To prevent foodborne illness, uncooked sausages that contain ground beef, pork, lamb or veal should be cooked to 160 °F. Uncooked sausages that contain ground turkey and chicken should be cooked to 165 °F.

Ready-to-eat sausages are dry, semi-dry and/or cooked. Dry sausages may be smoked, unsmoked or cooked. Semi-dry sausages are usually heated in the smokehouse to fully cook the product and partially dry it. Cooked sausages (for example, bologna and frankfurters) are cooked and may also be smoked.

Who inspects sausages?

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspects all sausages in interstate commerce and all sausages that are exported to other countries. If sausages are made in a retail establishment (such as a grocery store, meat market or restaurant) and are sold within the State where the establishment is located, the sausage may be under the jurisdiction of that State's health or agriculture department.

What is on the label?

The label provides consumers with information about a product at the time of sale. Labels are required to bear certain mandatory features including:

  1. the product name;
  2. an ingredients statement;
  3. the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor;
  4. an accurate statement of the net quantity of contents;
  5. the inspection legend and USDA establishment number;
  6. a safe handling statement if the product is perishable (for example, "Keep Frozen" or "Keep Refrigerated");
  7. safe handling instructions, if the meat or poultry component of the product is not ready to eat, and
  8. nutrition facts information. The Nutrition Facts information on the label can help consumers compare products and make more informed, healthy food choices. If sausages are made and packaged in a local store, the nutrient information on the package is voluntary or it may be at the point of purchase. The application of a "use" or "sell by" date is optional.

What must be listed on the label of sausages that are NOT ready to eat?

The labeling for sausages under FSIS inspection that are NOT ready to eat must bear certain features such as, safe handling instructions. In cases where the sausage is partially cooked or otherwise appears cooked but requires cooking by the consumer for safety, FSIS requires additional labeling features such as a prominent statement on the principal display panel, for example, "Uncooked, Ready to cook, Cook before eating, Cook and serve" or "Needs to be fully cooked." In addition, the product should display cooking directions that are sufficient for the intended user. The manufacturer would have to validate that the cooking directions are sufficient to destroy any pathogens that could be present.

If a sausage is perishable, the label must say "Keep Refrigerated." Some federally inspected shelf-stable sausages are not ready to eat. If so, they will be labeled as above but will not have "Keep Refrigerated" on the label.

Definition of Fresh Sausages

Fresh sausages are a coarse or finely "comminuted" (reduced to minute particles) meat food product prepared from one or more kinds of meat, or meat and meat "byproducts" (heart, kidney, or liver, for example). They may contain water not exceeding 3% of the total ingredients in the product. They are usually seasoned, frequently cured, and may contain binders and extenders (for example, wheat flour, and non-fat dry milk). They must be kept refrigerated and thoroughly cooked before eating.

Content of Fresh Sausages

  • "Fresh Pork Sausages" may not contain pork byproducts and may contain no more than 50% fat by weight.
  • "Fresh Beef Sausages" may not contain beef byproducts and may contain no more than 30% fat by weight.
  • "Breakfast Sausages" may contain meat and meat byproducts and no more than 50% fat by weight.
  • "Whole Hog Sausage" contains meat from swine in such proportions as are normal to a single animal and no more than 50% fat by weight.
  • "Italian Sausage Products" are cured or uncured sausages containing at least 85% meat, or a combination of meat and fat, with the total fat content constituting not more than 35% of the finished product. It contains salt, pepper, fennel and/or anise and no more than 3% water. Optional ingredients permitted in Italian Sausages are spices (including paprika) and flavorings, red or green peppers, onions, garlic and parsley, sugar, dextrose and corn syrup.

Cooked and/or Smoked Sausages

Cooked and/or smoked sausages are made of one or more different kinds of chopped or ground meats which have been seasoned, cooked and/or smoked. Meat byproducts may be used. Included in this category are:

  • liverwurst
  • hot dogs
  • bologna
  • knockwurst
  • cooked bratwurst
  • braunschweiger
  • cooked Thuringer
  • cooked salami*

*Cooked Salami (not dry) is made from fresh meats which are cured, stuffed into casings and cooked in a smokehouse at high temperature. It may be air dried for a short time. It has a softer texture than dry and semi-dry sausages and must be refrigerated.

Meat Specialties

Some meat specialties are ready-to-eat sausage like products. These are made from comminuted meats that are seasoned and usually cooked or baked rather than smoked. They are usually sliced and served cold. Included in this category are:

  • chopped ham loaf
  • peppered loaf
  • head cheese
  • jellied corned beef
  • ham and cheese loaf
  • honey loaf
  • old fashioned loaf
  • olive loaf
  • pickle and pimento loaf
  • scrapple
  • souse
  • veal loaf

Dry and Semi-Dry Sausages

Dry and semi-dry sausages are possibly the largest category of dried meats, particularly in the United States. These products can be fermented by bacterial growth for preservation and to produce the typical tangy flavor. Alternatively, they may be cultured with lactic acid — much as cheese, pickle, and yogurt makers do — to eliminate the fermentation phase and shorten the process. They are, with a few exceptions, cooked.

Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of preserving meats. Dry sausages — such as pepperoni, and semi-dry sausages such as Lebanon bologna and summer sausage, have had a good safety record for hundreds of years.

In this procedure, a mixture of curing ingredients, such as salt and sodium nitrite, and a "starter" culture of lactic acid-bacteria, is mixed with chopped and ground meat, placed in casings, fermented and then dried by a carefully controlled, long, continuous air-drying process. The amount of acid produced during fermentation and the lack of moisture in the finished product after drying typically have been shown to cause pathogenic bacteria to die.

Dry sausages require more time to make than other types of sausages and are a more concentrated form of meat. Dried sausages range from 60% to 80% of their original weight before drying.

Semi-dry sausages are usually heated in the smokehouse to fully cook the product and partially dry it. Semi-dry sausages are semi-soft sausages with good keeping qualities due to their lactic acid fermentation and sometimes heavy application of smoke. Some are mildly seasoned and some are quite spicy and strongly flavored.

What are examples of dry and semi-dry sausages?

Dry sausages include:

  • Sopressata (a name of a salami)
  • pepperoni (not cooked, air dried)
  • Genoa Salami (Italian, usually made from pork but may have a small amount of beef; it is moistened with wine or grape juice and seasoned with garlic

Semi-dry sausages include:

  • summer sausage
  • Lebanon bologna
  • Cervelat
  • Thuringer

Are any Sausages Shelf Stable?

Some dry sausages are shelf stable (in other words, they do not need to be refrigerated or frozen to be stored safely). Dry sausages require more production time than other types of sausage and result in a concentrated form of meat. If the product is shelf stable and ready to eat, the product is not required to have a safe handling statement, cooking directions or a "Keep Refrigerated" statement.

Should people "At Risk" eat dry sausages?

Because dry sausages are not cooked, people "at risk" (older adults, very young children, pregnant women and those with immune systems weakened by disease or organ transplants) might want to avoid eating them. The bacterium E. coli O157:H7 can survive the process of dry fermenting, and in 1994, some children became ill after eating dry cured salami containing the bacteria.

After the outbreak, FSIS developed specific processing rules for making dry sausages that must be followed or the product must be heat treated. These products are included in the FSIS microbial sampling program for E. coli O157:H7, and in 1997, FSIS began to test fermented sausages for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.

Dates on Packaged Sausages

Although dating is a voluntary program and not required by the Federal government, if a date is used it must state what the date means. The product can be used after the date, provided it was stored safely.

  • "Sell By" date - tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
  • "Best if Used By" date - date by which product should be used for best flavor and quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
  • "Use-By" date - the last date recommended for use of the product while at peak quality.

Storage

All sausage — except dry sausage — is perishable and therefore must be kept refrigerated. The following storage times should be followed for maximum quality.

Sausage Storage Chart

  • If the sausage has a "use-by" date, follow that date. It is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
  • If the sausage has a "sell-by" date, or no date, store it for the times recommended below.
  • Freeze sausage if you can't use it within times the times recommended for refrigerator storage. Once frozen it doesn't matter if the date expires because foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely.
Type of Sausage Refrigerator - Unopened Refrigerator - After Opening Freezer
Fresh Sausage, uncooked 1 to 2 days unopened or opened 1 to 2 days unopened or opened 1 to 2 months
Fresh Sausage, after cooking by consumer (not applicable) 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months
Hard/Dry Sausage Whole, 6 weeks in pantry; indefinitely in refrigerator. 3 weeks 1 to 2 months
Hot Dogs and other Cooked Sausage 2 weeks 7 days 1 to 2 months
Luncheon Meats 2 weeks 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Summer Sausage (Semi-dry) 3 months 3 weeks 1 to 2 months

Featured Factsheets & Resources

A roasted turkey leg

Turkey from Farm to Table

Turkey is the most asked-about food by consumers who call USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline. There are several best practices that can help you prepare it safely.
Learn More
Soapy hands under warm running water

Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness

Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. Washing hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds can help eliminate germs from your hands.
Learn More
Jar of canned tomatoes

Shelf-Stable Food Safety

Foods that are safe at room temperature or do not require refrigeration can be good options during an emergency. Learn about shelf-stable foods and how to keep yourself safe.
Learn More
Explore More Resources
Last Updated: Aug 06, 2013
  • USDA.gov
  • USA.gov
  • Whitehouse.gov
  • About Us
  • Our Performance
  • Information Quality & Publishing Schedule
  • Visit OIG
  • FOIA
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Non-Discrimination Statement
  • Plain Writing
  • No FEAR
  • Significant Guidance

Food Safety and Inspection Service

  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • GovDelivery
  • Instagram
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • RSS
.

Start your search

Popular Topics

Recalls Import & Export FSIS Directives FSIS Guidelines Petitions