Editorial Policy

Independence

No advertiser, partner, or sponsor has any influence over our editorial content. Storage times are sourced from USDA and FDA primary data — they are not paid placements. Affiliate relationships, if any, are disclosed in content where they apply.

Scope

FoodLasts covers food storage and shelf life only. We do not publish nutrition advice, medical recommendations, or diet guidance. Storage times are “how long is this food safe to eat / at peak quality” — they are not medical advice.

Content selection

We publish a food page when all of the following are true:

• At least one primary source, such as USDA FoodKeeper or FDA/FSIS guidance, provides storage data.
• The food is commonly purchased or prepared by home consumers.
• The page content is genuinely distinct from existing pages; we do not publish clone content.
• A reviewer from the editorial team has checked the data, with credentialed sign-off rolling out for Tier-1 pages.

Expert review standards

Reviewers must hold one or more of the following:

• Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
• MS in Food Science, Food Safety, or Nutrition from an accredited program.
• PhD in a food-related discipline with peer-reviewed publication record.
• Certified Food Safety Professional (CFSP) or equivalent credentialing.

Data freshness

We check the cited USDA/FDA/FSIS source set for upstream changes. When a cited source changes, affected pages are flagged for re-review within 30 days. Review dates are displayed on every page.

Corrections policy

We take corrections seriously. A dedicated corrections contact channel is coming soon. Once it launches:

1. Send the food name, the value you believe is incorrect, and your source.
2. We review submissions against the primary sources cited on the page.
3. If a correction is made, we note it on the page with the correction date.

AI and automated content

Storage times and safety facts on FoodLasts are never published unreviewed. Duration data comes from the cited source on each food page — not from AI generation. We use AI tools to assist with drafting supporting text such as storage tips and spoilage signs, but all such content is reviewed and approved by a human editor against its primary source before publishing. Credentialed sign-off on Tier-1 pages is being added.

Conflicts of interest

FoodLasts is currently self-funded. We do not have financial relationships with food manufacturers, grocery retailers, or food storage product companies that could influence storage recommendations. Any future relationship of this kind will be disclosed prominently.