Dry-aging temperature and humidity: what the food-safety sources say

Dashdorj et al. (2016) report that the literature applies 0.5–4 °C (33–39 °F), airflow of 0.5–2.0 m/s and 61–85% relative humidity. Savini et al. (2024) cite the EU's 2024 rule for food businesses: a surface temperature of −0.5 to 3.0 °C (31–37 °F), relative humidity no higher than 85%, airflow of 0.2–0.5 m/s, for up to 35 days unless the business shows other conditions are equally safe.

For ordinary refrigerated storage, the FDA advises keeping the refrigerator at or below 40 °F (4 °C) and checking it with an appliance thermometer.

Too humid and the surface stays wet, which the review links to spoilage bacteria and off-flavors; too dry and the meat loses more weight and the crust thickens. That is why the site separates active humidity control (hardware that holds a set-point) from passive measures such as a salt block or a water tray.

In the catalog, 17 of 26 cabinets claim active humidity control and 14 of those publish the adjustable range. Savini et al. note that most producers in the studies they reviewed neither controlled nor monitored the process parameters, and recommend equipment designed for dry aging.

The median lowest setting among cabinets here is 34 °F and the median highest is 77 °F. A top setting well above 40 °F is there for other uses the maker lists, such as cheese or charcuterie, not for aging beef.

Food-safety statements on product pages are the makers' own and are labelled as such. This page is general information drawn from the sources below; it is not a food-safety certification of any product.