How many days can food be stored in the refrigerator and how to do it right?
Content:
Sunlight, heat and constant changes in humidity negatively affect the condition of food products, so most of the ingredients, blanks and ready-made meals are most convenient to keep in the cold. Despite a significant decrease in the activity of pathogenic bacteria under such conditions, it is necessary to know exactly how much this or that product is stored in the refrigerator.
The opinion that the use of this unit prolongs the life of the components or allows them to be reanimated is fundamentally wrong. Keeping food in the refrigerator can only provide the minimum deadlines.
It should be remembered that the higher the temperature in the room, the higher it is in the chamber of the refrigeration unit, regardless of the manufacturer's warranty. Only if the device is placed in a cool and well-ventilated part of the apartment can we count on indicators close to those stated.
Features of refrigeration units that must be considered when placing products
Anyone who believes that soup, salad, vegetables, any preparations and dishes you just need to put in the refrigerator compartment will often encounter premature food spoilage.
To store food properly, you need to remember the following points:
- The temperature should be constant, you need to open the door of household appliances as little as possible, you can not leave it open for a long time. Today devices with a door that closes independently are very popular, which positively affects the temperature inside the chamber.
- The more moisture in the product, the higher should be the temperature of its storage. If meat, fish and root vegetables feel good at temperatures from 0 to + 3ºС, then greens are more comfortable under conditions a couple of degrees warmer, and most vegetables and fruits will have to add a couple more degrees. This rule does not apply to soup, fruit drinks and other liquid dishes.
- The freezer cannot preserve food in its original state, and this factor does not depend on how many degrees it has. Even with deep freezing, the processes of decay do not stop, therefore, components cannot be stored in it forever.
In the refrigerator, products can only be stored in plastic bags, plastic or enameled containers. Favorite use of pots, pots and plates is strictly prohibited. Therefore, it is better to transfer a fresh soup or salad to a more suitable dish, no matter how much trouble this adds, it will allow you to store the dish for a couple of days longer, and it will not have an unpleasant aftertaste.
How to store food products and preparations correctly and how much?
Here are a few recommendations for the proper storage of components in the refrigerator, taking into account the optimal timing:
- Bread can be stored for about a week in a tightly closed container. It will not become stained or moldy.
- Stuffing should not be kept thawed for more than 12 hours. But in the form of ready-made meatballs or meatballs, he will last another day.
- The timing meat storage depend on its type. If a piece of product in fresh or boiled form can lie for two days without negative consequences, then breaded products will last no more than a day. By the way, raw meat will better maintain its delicate texture if you first coat it with vegetable oil.
- Prefabricated fish will not have time to deteriorate in a day, chicken - for two, sausages and sausages - for three.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables are cleaned in the refrigerator in an unwashed form, then they will retain their freshness for 3-7 days, depending on the initial condition and type.
- Closed dairy products are stored according to instructions. In the open - no more than a day. Milk soup, porridge made with milk, sour cream or sauce should be eaten immediately, they should not be stored in the refrigerator.
It is recommended to lay dry sponges in containers for vegetables and fruits. They will absorb excess moisture, keeping the quality of the ingredients at a high level.
How long can I keep ready meals?
Experts say that how much you can keep ready-made meals in the refrigerator, without the risk of poisoning and unpleasant sensations:
- It is not recommended to keep pancakes, pies and mince pies in the cold for more than 6-12 hours. In extreme cases, they can be placed in the freezer, however, the taste of egg, cabbage or onion filling will suffer from this.
Tip: Before packing the dish in polyethylene or pouring it into a special container, make sure that it is completely cooled. Otherwise, condensation will form inside the package, which will not only accelerate product spoilage, but also increase the risk of poisoning.
- Soup and broth can last in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days, depending on the composition. The fatter the product, the longer it will last. If ordinary chicken soup is better to use during the day, then the composition on a fat lamb broth will not deteriorate on the third day.
All other finished products can be easily divided into three groups according to the degree of processing. Dishes from fresh, not thermally processed ingredients should be eaten during the day, fried foods can stand for 2-3 days, boiled and stewed multi-component compositions will lose their taste in 36 hours.