Food Storage Guidelines

Be it famine or be it rain, by storing food we have nothing to lose and everything to gain! We often take the excess of food for granted and turn a blind eye to the blatant importance of food storage. And just when they start to rotten that realization dawns upon us, but it's too late by then. Just when you were rummaging through the crevices of your tiny quaint kitchen for the missing ginger root, sniffing your nose dry that it hits you that it’s the rotten blob of brown reeking beef chops and not ginger root, which is causing all the nuisance! Yes, food storage is essential for preserving authentic food quality. Don’t allow the precious flavor and nutrients of your foods to slip away. Moreover, consumption of food that isn’t stored properly often leads to food poisoning. While certain foods mandate refrigeration, especially under non-conducive weather conditions, the rest survive in the pantry. It is very pertinent to purchase groceries and edibles bearing in mind that you’re going to consume them quickly and not watch them accumulate dust till the expiry date comes closer. Steal some valuable food storage guidelines as you make your way down this page.

Safe Food Storage

Keep a cautious tab on all the meat and poultry you have purchased. Toss them straight into the refrigerator the moment you reach home. The same applies to seafood and any dairy products. In fact, ensure that you manage to stuff these in the coldest section of your refrigerator. However, by overloading one compartment with too many foods, the refrigerator’s capacity to keep all these foods cold starts plummeting, rendering the meats and everything else prone to spoilage. Therefore, be systematic while placing each item into the freezer! If you can’t avoid massive purchases that allocate a lot of space in the freezer, then it’s time you buy another refrigerator!
Air-tight containers and zip lock pouches work well for cooked foods that are susceptible to losing flavor on exposure to air. Refrigerating food in an open container is detrimental as food odors transfer from one dish to another! Vegetables and fruits are easily perishable. Hence, it’s better not to stock up on them.
Freezer temperatures shouldn’t exceed 0ºF as anything higher can result in food spoilage. Additionally, clean your refrigerator every 15 days or so to get rid of any spills or spoiled food scraps! Last of all that you need is a bacteria infestation in the refrigerator. Spare your foods of any contamination by incorporating hygiene!
Refreezing partially frozen foods, such as frozen peas and the like, isn’t recommended. Similarly, try not to keep reheating and refreezing soups or casseroles, as the flavor of these food tends to get expunged.
Baked goods like cakes and cookies last for four to seven days when stored in refrigerated temperatures of 37°F to 40° F, while they last up to six months if placed in the freezer at a temperature not more than 0ºF. Wrapping well and butter frosting will help greatly.
Dried foodstuffs like packaged pastas, beans and noodles can be stored in the pantry. Pack these in poly containers if the original packing contains holes. Clean the pantry regularly so that the storage period can be extended with no hassles.
Even restaurants have mandatory guidelines to adhere to. For instance, foods can only be purchased from a source that is approved by the health department. Purchased food from restaurant must be stored in areas that are dry with great ventilation and adequate lighting. Consistent inspection ensures that the selected storage room brings down possibilities of infestation and spoilage to the bare minimum! Dry foodstuff must be stored in shelves 6 inches above the floor, while meats, seafood, vegetables and poultry must be handled with extra care to steer clear of cross contamination.

Hence, you are now well endowed with techniques of food storage. Hope these guidelines help you avoid food spoilage and wastage in the future!

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