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8 minutes
Do you have doubts about what is the best way to store your food? In this article we offer you the tips approved by the FDA.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA for its acronym in English) is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for ensuring public health through regulation of medicines, vaccines, cosmetics and food, among other products. In this article we share their recommendations on safe food storage at home.
Within its responsibilities, the FDA issues guidelines and information so that people have health practices in their homes. Likewise, it gives the guidelines on the products that are approved as safe for human use.
Importance of proper food storage
Storing food correctly is essential to prevent diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. The goal is to prevent people from getting sick from microorganisms like Salmonella either E. coli.
Also, storing food properly prevents pests from appearing in the kitchen that are attracted to food, such as flies, mice or cockroaches. On the other hand, in practical matters, it helps to have a more organized kitchen and facilitates the preparation of food.
It allows food to be preserved longer, avoiding wasting it and losing money.
5 tips for refrigerating food
Generally, foods that require refrigeration are those that perish. That is, eggs and meats, for example.
1. Take care of the cold chain
The cold chain refers to the continuous control that must be done on the temperature of a food. In this case, it is about the cold that the product must have in order not to deteriorate.
The recommendation is that foods that require refrigeration do not spend more than 2 hours at room temperature. In fact, it is advisable to put them in the fridge as soon as possible after they are purchased.
2. Check food labels
In general, foods have indications about their refrigeration needs on the labels. For this reason, it is essential to always read them, in addition to seeing their expiration or expiration date.
3. Be careful with ready-to-prepare foods
Ready-to-eat foods should be used as soon as possible. Otherwise, there is a greater chance that it will develop. listeriaa harmful bacteria that develops if the temperature of the refrigerator is above 4 degrees Celsius.
4. Marinate food in the refrigerator
If after making the purchase you tend to marinate food at room temperature, you may be engaging in risky behavior. ideal is put the products to marinate and put the meats in the refrigerator immediatelysince at room temperature there is a greater probability that bacteria will multiply.
5. Keep food packaged
It is essential that meats and animal foods are separated from vegetables and ready-to-prepare products. Meats must be stored in airtight containers or bags that prevent their juices from spilling. If for any reason there is a spill, the food should be removed and cleaned up immediately.
4 tips for freezing food
Also, the FDA notes that freezing food does not have a strong impact on nutrient depletion. Therefore, there should be no qualms about using the freezer when necessary.
1. Prepare food well
Freezing food allows it to be preserved in good condition for months. However, it is necessary that the food is well stored or cooked.
In other words, if it is fresh meat, it has not lost its cold chain. As for cooked food, it must be well cooked beforehand. This happens because Freezing does not eliminate all bacteria, but it does prevent their growth.
2. Avoid keeping them for a long time
Although freezing is an excellent method of preserving food and keeping it safe, its use should not be abused. The reason is that, as the FDA itself points out, the softness, flavor, aroma, juiciness and color can be affected over time.
3. Keep food packaged
As with refrigeration, it is important for safe food storage to freeze meats in such a way that are hermetically sealed. This prevents spills that could lead to the proliferation of bacteria.
4. Thaw safely
Once you have frozen food, you must thaw it safely. About, it is not advisable to do it on the countertopbecause juices can spill.
The ideal is to defrost them by transferring them to the refrigerator, putting them for a few minutes in cold water or using the microwave defrost program.
3 tips for storing food in the pantry
The foods that are kept in the pantry are usually non-perishable. That is, they are those that have a long useful life and do not tend to be damaged by external factors.
However, this does not mean that they are foods that never expire. In fact, the ideal pantries should be cool places not subject to large changes in temperature.
1. Check the status of the food
Among the foods that are stored in the pantry, canned foods are very common. It is essential that, when you have cans in the pantry, you verify that are not damaged, do not have holes and are not expired.
Likewise, grains should also be watched. Although they usually last a long time, even years, over time they can be damaged.
Especially if they are not stored hermetically or are subjected to strong changes in the environment. If you buy in bulk they should also give you the expiration information. In this regard, if you keep them in jars, we recommend you put a label below with the expiration date to avoid problems.
2. Do not mix with other products
When you store non-perishable items in the pantry or pantry, it is important that do not have toxic products in the same place. Therefore, chemicals and cleaning fluids must be put elsewhere.
3. Keep the area clean and organized
Although non-perishable foods can last a long time in the pantry, this does not mean that you leave them unattended. In fact, if they are not stored hermetically they can call pests or unwanted animals. Therefore, it is best that you always keep your pantry clean and well organized to ensure safe food storage.
Food shelf life
The FDA has created some indications about the food storage time more common. Here we point them out so that you take them into account in your next purchase:
- fresh eggs: 3-5 weeks in the refrigerator. They should not be frozen.
- Sausages in closed container: 2 weeks in the refrigerator and 1 to 2 months in the freezer.
- Fresh beef: 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. In the freezer, steaks 6 to 12 months; chops from 4 to 6 months; meat for roasting from 4 to 12 months and offal from 3 to 4 months.
- Cooked beef: leftover meat can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. In the freezer they can be kept for 2 to 3 months.
- Fresh chicken or turkey meat: 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator and about 9 months in the freezer.
- Cooked chicken or turkey meat: Leftover chicken, whether fried, broiled or boiled, can last 3 days in the fridge. Meanwhile, in the freezer it can be stored for 4 months.
- Fish: lean and fatty fish can last 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. On the other hand, the lean ones can be stored in the freezer for 6 to 8 months, while the fatty ones for 2 to 3 months.
- Seafood: Calamari, shrimp, lobster, and oysters should only spend a day or 2 in the fridge. As for freezing, they could be from 3 to 6 months.
Take good care of your fridge
Now that you know the advice of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, you will have noticed that the refrigerator or refrigerator is essential for the safe storage of food. Therefore, It must be one of the appliances that you take care of the most so that it always performs well.
It is essential to verify that it maintains an adequate temperature to preserve food in good condition. The temperature should be around 4 degrees Celsius in the refrigerator, while the freezer will need to be -18 degrees Celsius.
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