Pizza is usually only safe in the fridge for a few days, not a week. For food safety, most leftovers (including pizza) have a clear time limit.

Safe time in the fridge

  • Most food safety guidelines and pizza chains say leftover pizza is safe in the fridge for about 3–4 days if it went into the fridge within 2 hours of being at room temperature and is stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped.
  • After day 4, the risk of foodborne illness goes up, even if the pizza still looks and smells okay, because bacteria can grow to unsafe levels without obvious signs.

When to throw it away

  • Pizza that has been in the fridge 5 days or more is generally considered unsafe and should be discarded, especially if you have any doubts about how it was stored.
  • Toss it immediately if you notice mold, sour or off smells, slimy toppings, or a strange color , even if it has been less than 4 days.

Room temperature vs fridge

  • Pizza left at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or more than 1 hour in very warm conditions) should not be eaten, even if you later refrigerate it, because bacteria can multiply rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F.
  • Putting pizza in the fridge promptly and keeping the fridge at or below about 40°F / 4°C is important to reach the full 3–4 day safe window.

Practical storage tips

  • Store slices in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in foil or plastic wrap so they don’t dry out and to limit contamination.
  • For longer storage, you can freeze pizza; well-wrapped slices keep best quality for about 1–2 months in the freezer, though they may remain safe a bit longer if they’ve stayed fully frozen and show no spoilage signs.

Bottom line for your question

  • If your pizza has been in the fridge 3–4 days , it is generally still safe if it was refrigerated quickly and looks/smells normal. Beyond that, it moves into “better not risk it” territory.
  • If you are past 4 days , especially at 5+ days , the safest move is to throw it out rather than gamble on getting sick.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.