Does storing meat in plastic alter how long it takes to go off?

The question is 'plastic vs. what else?'

I admit I've never done side-by side tests to prove it, but from my observations, when the deli I went to switched from butcher paper to zip-top plastic bags, sliced lunchmeats wouldn't last in the fridge as long. They'd start getting slimy around two weeks.**

I've noticed the same thing (although longer time frames) with firm and hard cheeses, and my solution for those has been to wrap the cheese in a paper towel, then put it back in the plastic bag.

I suspect that the issue is moisture buildup (you open the packet, let in cold air, it condenses in the freezer, etc.), and if this is the case, then other non-porous materials (glass, metal), would be equally bad for storage, especially as you can't then squeeze them to remove the air. The butcher paper always stays at roughtly the size of the item being wrapped.

... but still, even if we did experiments, to say it's always bad, we'd have to also test raw meats, ground and whole (and for moisture, many stores put those little diaper pads in the containers), tightly vs. loosely wrapped, and a few other variables.

** Some health person is going to complain 'but you're not supposed to keep meat in the fridge for 2 weeks ... this was well preserved items like sweet bologna)

To the point of why people would think that plastic spoils faster, aside from a lot of propaganda and some truth about some plastics: Plastic has a habit of retaining past life experiences lets say. I am talking reusable plastic containers of course, not plastic films or other single use items. Older plastic storage containers and ones with rough or slightly porous surfaces are more prone to this that some others. If you have had one item spoil in a container, that container may have an increased chance of retaining some level of contamination which the thought is would lead to faster spoiling of future items.

To me, and this is opinion only, no research to back it up, if plastic is the correct medium for storage depends on the item. Meat, items like deli meats, I would definitely choose plastic myself, sealed air tight and preferable with as little air exposure as possible. Similarly with any other item which is cut, prone to drying out, or where in general air exposure helps speed deterioration. Ground meat would definitely fit in that category as well. Cheeses for instance, air means drying and mold, bad, I use plastic.

Now, some items, say a good steak or roast, now you are in different territory. Some air circulation can suddenly be a very good thing to allow the meat to dry out a bit and age. Most people get a steak or roast that seems almost tasteless and they think it is poor meat or poor cooking and actually, the meat may simply be too fresh. Aging that same piece of meat though in air-tight plastic would result in the meat deteriorating and going off rather than losing a bit of the extra moisture and concentrating the flavor, which is part or the goal of aging. (Yes, I know that aging a steak is sometimes referred to as controlled spoilage, but controlled is the key word there.) Likewise, some items, I am thinking of some fruits like fresh strawberries especially if they were over watered, will spoil much faster if they do not have any air circulation and none of the moister can escape.

It seems better to keep it in the original hard plastic container than transfer it to a plastic bag. It seems to me the packaging for the product would have been well researched to keep their product fresh.

Air is the problem. When you butcher. Put up meat. Use plastic but remove all air. It causes freezer burn. When you open a package you expose it to air. This causes spoilage faster. It is illegal in the U.S. now. But they use to put nitrogen in the packs before setting out. This keeps food fresh. Till opened. So plastic or paper. The more times food is exposed to air. The faster it will spoil.

I routinely store my cooked meat in a container uncovered. After a number of days it does tend to dry out but it lasts longer and always tastes better.

Question: Who of us hasn't, at one time or another, gone into our refrigerators and found a forgotten closed plastic container with a furry (or worse a slurry) of leftover food? At what point do you suppose the decomposition process began? I have to believe it pretty much starts at the moment you close the lid. It might not be noticeable for a day or two. But after a few days cooked meat stored in air tight containers just doesn't smell right.

A week ago I BBQ'd a pork butt which I sliced and served. I had left-overs. I put the leftovers in an open (no lid) container. Before putting them into the fridge I sprinkled them with a little sea salt and olive oil and tossed it to mix well. I stored it uncovered. This kept the meat fresh and the oil helps to stop it from drying out. There are still a few pieced left and a week later it's still brilliantly fresh.

There is no reason to believe that meat spoils more quickly in plastic than it does in any other type of container, given proper sanitation.

There is no reasonable way to prove a negative--for example, you cannot prove that there is no such thing as unicorns. Sighting a unicorn would demonstrate that they do exist, but failure to site one may only mean that they hide quite well.

I am not aware of a credible study that shows plastic containers shorten shelf life for meat, but this is not evidence one can point at. Perhaps it is just hiding.