How to store food in the refrigerator so that it does not get damaged

To keep the food in the refrigerator for longer without running the risk of damage, it is necessary to cook and store the food properly and pay attention to cleaning the kitchen, the toilets and the hands.

Likewise, the temperature of the refrigerator must always be maintained below 5 ºC, even though the temperature is lower, the slower the growth of microorganisms that damage food and cause intestinal infections, such as gastroenteritis, which generates symptoms such as acute abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Foods that can be frozen

It is possible to store the food in the freezer so that it lasts longer, practically all the food can be frozen, although some need certain specific care. Some foods that can be frozen are:

• Yogurt: It can be useful if you want to take it to a picnic because, at the time of consumption, it must be defrosted;
• Leftovers of a pastry chef: They can be stored in a clean and dry container, as in a cold pack, placing a servilleta table below. To defrost it, simply place it in the refrigerator. Once defrosted, the pastel cannot be refrozen;
• Leftovers from the food: in BPA-free plastic or glass containers, always identified. To defrost them, use the microwave or defrost them in the refrigerator;
• Meat: They can be stored in the same bags where they come from the butchery, in the packaging that comes from the supermarket or in square or rectangular containers, which allow greater use of space;
• Vegetables, vegetables and fruits: They can be stored in freezer bags of different sizes, always cut and dried before freezing. To freeze bananas, peel them first and wrap each one in plastic wrap, they are excellent for preparing fruit smoothies.
• Queso y jamón rebanados: They can be stored in closed, BPA-free plastic containers or in sealed glass containers;
• French bread, baguette or bread pan: can be frozen in freezer bags or individually wrapped in plastic film.

See how to freeze the fruit pulp.

Shelf life of foods in the refrigerator

When food has a good appearance in the refrigerator, it may be contaminated with fungi and bacteria; For this reason, each individual’s expiration date must always be respected. The table below shows the shelf life that foods have when they are stored correctly in the refrigerator:

In order for food to last longer, it is important to store it in clean, covered glass or plastic containers, so that they do not come into contact with other foods, especially raw ones.

How to organize food in the refrigerator

Each food in the refrigerator must be stored in closed containers or bags so that it does not come into contact with other products that may be contaminated. In addition, the refrigerator should not be left empty so that the cold air circulates more easily and preserves the food for a longer period of time.

To reduce the risk of food contamination, the refrigerator must be organized in the following way:

• top: yogurts, quesos, mayonesa, pâtés, jamón and huevos;
• middle part: on the upper deck, place the cooked food;
• lower retake: raw meats and fish or in the process of defrosting;
• Drawer: fresh fruits and vegetables;
• puerta: milk, aceitunas and other preserves, condiments, butter, jugs, jaleas, water and other drinks.

A tip to preserve chopped vegetables and vegetables for longer is to wash and dry each vegetable before placing it in the refrigerator, covering the storage container with paper towels to absorb excess water that forms in the cold environment.

Asimismo, in the case of milk, it is important that its consumption be carried out according to the indication on the label; since, as the recommendation is placed in the door of the refrigerator, this drop is exposed to more temperature variations due to opening and closing of the same, which can favor the development of harmful microorganisms and cause infections, even, being within the plazo of validity.

Foods that don’t need to be in the fridge

The following list indicates the foods that do not need to be kept in the refrigerator:

1. onionbecause it gets damaged faster than in the pantry;
2. actbecause it can lose flavor and get old faster;
3. Tomatobecause it loses the flavor;
4. Papa Blanca or Camotebecause it dries up and takes longer to cook;
5. pickled pepperbecause it has ingredients that prevent damage;
6. all kinds of breadbecause it dries quickly;
7. honey or molassesbecause they crystallize;
8. Fruits such as banana, manzana, pear, mandarin orange or orangebecause they pierden their antioxidants, it is ideal to buy in season cantidad;
9. Fruits such as papaya, sandía, melon or avocado, after cutting, they can be stored in the refrigerator packaged with plastic film;
10. Calabazabecause it loses liquid and, for this reason, it needs to be stored in a dark and ventilated place;
11. Cacahuate and Nutella Butterbecause they harden and dry, for this reason, they must always be covered in the pantry or in a clean dish.
12. Zanahoriabecause if it dries up and loses its flavor, it is preferable to place it in a ventilated and dark place;
13. chocolates, even though they are open, because they harden and tend to change their odor and flavor; never put them around the onion;
14. Cereals for breakfastbecause they become less crunchy;
15. Condiments and specialties such as oregano, perejil, pepper in octopus, pepper in octopusbecause they can get wet and lose their flavor;
16. Industrialized salsas like ketchup and mustardbecause they contain preservatives that keep them for a long time even at room temperature;
17. Galletaseven though the package is open, because the humidity can make them less crunchy and change the flavor.

They are kept at room temperature only for 10 days, for this reason, they can be stored in the refrigerator because the cold temperature helps to preserve them.

When the fruit is very ripe, it is advisable to put it in the refrigerator because this slows down the ripening process and makes it last longer; However, to preserve fruits and vegetables better, it is advisable to buy only enough for the week because, in this way, it is not necessary to store it in the refrigerator.

How to store leftover food

Hot foods should not be placed in the refrigerator because, in addition to damaging the functioning of the apparatus, they could allow the development of microorganisms that are found in some damaged food inside the refrigerator, for example. For this reason, to keep the leftovers from lunch or from the scene, let them cool first and then keep them in the refrigerator.

On the other hand, to freeze leftover food, they must be placed in a BPA-free plastic or glass container with its own lid. When you are out of time, it is possible to keep the plate ready to eat the other day, or also to freeze the rice, the frijol and the meat in separate containers.

The most correct way to freeze leftovers is to place them in the desired container, which must always be clean and dry, and then place them in a tray with cold water and hielo cubes, as this will quickly change the temperature, allowing May the food last longer.

How to eliminate bad odor from the refrigerator

To carry out a good cleaning in the refrigerator and eliminate the bad odor, follow the following steps:

• Disconnect the refrigerator from the mains socket and place all the food that could be damaged on the base;
• Remove the drawers and washers and wash them with hot water and detergent. Then, apply vinegar or lemon and let it dry in the free air or pass a clean cloth;
• Clean the entire refrigerator with water and detergent;
• Cleaning the exterior with a clean and soft cloth;
• Clean the condenser coil with a brush;
• Put the trays and organize the food again;
• Connect the device and regulate the temperature from 0 to 5 °C.

If the refrigerator is kept clean on a daily basis, a more thorough cleaning must be carried out every 6 months; However, if it is normally found sucio and with food leftovers, general cleaning must be carried out monthly.

Tips for cleaning the kitchen

Hygiene in the kitchen is necessary to reduce the risk of contamination of food in the refrigerator, being important to wash the utensils, the sponge and the cloths of the fregadero with water and detergent after its use; in addition, it is necessary to clean the cabinet and the drainer at least once a week, applying lemon, vinegar or chlorine to help clean.

A good advice to clean the dish washing sponge is to soak and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute on each side. Similarly, when chopping meat, fish and vegetables, it is recommended to use a different table for each type of food, and to use a boat with a lid so that the food remains are not exposed to insects.