After carefully selecting the freshest produce on the market, people now face more choices for vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products at home, ensuring longer freshness, minimizing waste and minimizing waste. food poisoning.
There are several ways to preserve and preserve food, including: canned and pickled products, Freeze leftover foodstoring food in the refrigerator. Refrigerators are effective, and most households have them, but experts say it’s fair to say that most families just set it and forget it.
“Keeping fresh produce under refrigeration is the first step, but you should always be aware of how long certain foods have been cooked, exposed to air, and stored. Refrigerated items can still develop mold and dangerous microorganisms such as listeria, salmonella, and E. coli, so consumers should always be vigilant and take necessary precautions,” said Emily Hilliard, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This is especially important during the holiday season, when people buy more and expect their meals to last longer. Diane Beccles, a professor at the University of California, Davis, who studies fruit and vegetable quality, said food waste can be reduced by planning recipes, buying less and being creative with extras and leftovers. These measures will also help stretch shoppers’ budgets, among others, she said. inflation is rising and federal food aid is under threat as government shutdown Continue.
Prepare to store food in the refrigerator
Experts say proper food storage starts before the food arrives. refrigerator. Purchase products before their expiration date or “sell by” date. This is an indication of how long the product will remain in stores and is not a safety deadline. Follow instructions and place food in the refrigerator within 2 hours of reaching room temperature. Other tips include wiping up spills, especially from defrosting meat, and keeping appliances clean by discarding spoiled food. The Department of Energy recommends keeping your refrigerator at a temperature of 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 to 3.3 degrees Celsius).
Social media offers endless tips on how to make your food last longer, like cleaning fruit before storing it in the fridge and storing everything in plastic or glass containers. But experts say there’s no one right way to properly preserve many foods.
After all, understand temperature Wyatt Brown, a professor emeritus at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, says of relative humidity when storing produce: After that, it “gets more sophisticated” and takes into account things like storage space, meal timing, and personal preferences.
For Beckles, the most important thing is to eat more fruits and vegetables and not worry too much about how they are stored. “I recommend not storing tomatoes in the refrigerator, but some people find it better to store them in the refrigerator,” she said. “It may not taste as good, but if you can eat it and get the nutrients, who cares?”
fruits and vegetables
Most produce is living, including fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and herbs. Experts say proper refrigeration of produce can slow spoilage. Brown, who researched and taught postharvest techniques for 31 years, said refrigeration can also preserve nutrition and extend shelf life.
Experts recommend using the refrigerator’s crisper drawer to separate fruits and vegetables and control humidity. Keep the berries dry and wash them just before eating. Refrigerate broccoli, carrots, and green beans, and store leafy greens in plastic or paper bags to prevent them from wilting.
Some produce, such as tomatoes, pears and apples, release ethylene gas as they rot, causing surrounding fruits and vegetables to ripen faster, so experts say rotting food should be removed to keep other items fresh. Onions, garlic, apples, nectarines, citrus fruits, and pumpkin can all be left on the countertop.
Brown said consider storing onions and potatoes outside the refrigerator to reduce root sprouting from the bulbs. “When potatoes are stored in the refrigerator for long periods of time, the starch breaks down into sugars, and the Maillard reaction can produce black pigments from the sugars during cooking,” he said, explaining that this reaction causes dark spots on cooked potatoes.
Proteins such as meat, eggs, and beans
The federal health agency says raw meat should be refrigerated and not left out at room temperature for more than two hours, or more than an hour if it’s above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). Experts say avoid thawing meat on the countertop and marinate it in the refrigerator. When storing meat in the refrigerator, it should be stored at the bottom to prevent cross-contamination from drips and spills.
Food Safety Guides from the Food and Drug Administration and the Food and Nutrition Service of the Department of Agriculture recommend storing eggs on warmer middle or back shelves rather than in the door. Avoid washing eggs as this removes the egg’s natural protective outer layer called the bloom. Unwashed farm fresh eggs can be stored at room temperature, but refrigerating them will extend their shelf life.
dairy products, milk, cheese
Milk, yogurt, and cheese all need to be kept refrigerated. Experts say yogurt is a ready-to-eat product that can be stored on the top shelf of the refrigerator. On the other hand, cheese should not be stored on top of shelves or over doors, where it can dry out due to air circulation. Experts say soy milk, coconut milk and nut milk should also be refrigerated, but some cartons can be kept at room temperature until opened.
bread, grain, rice
The FDA advises against refrigerating bread because it can dry out and become stale. However, refrigeration slows mold growth in humid climates, and freezing preserves quality for up to six months. preserved food like ricepasta, and flour can be stored at room temperature.
other
Ready-to-eat meals and leftovers can be stored on the top shelf for quick access, while dressings, condiments, and non-dairy beverages can be stored in a warm spot by the door. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months, according to the USDA. Storage of alcohol depends on the type, whether it has been opened or not, and whether it contains dairy or fruit. Opened wine should be stored on its side in the refrigerator to slow oxidation and keep the cork moist.
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Mumphrey reported from Flagstaff, Arizona.
