Why can chicken be just fine going through packaging, delivery, and sitting on the shelves but after buying it from the store you have to use it in a few days before it goes “bad”?

Question

Why can chicken be just fine going through packaging, delivery, and sitting on the shelves but after buying it from the store you have to use it in a few days before it goes “bad”?

In: Biology

Answer 1

In addition to other comments, the chicken will almost certainly heat up between you removing it from the refrigerated store shelf and putting into your fridge at home, allowing a period of warmth where bacteria can grow exponentially.