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Tips for refrigeration to keep food fresh and Lasting
from: PaykelHere are some basic guidelines to get the best out of your refrigerator.
Remember to buy the best quality food possible - food quality will not improve
during freezing and always use food within recommended storage times (best
before or use by date).
Meat, Poultry, Fish and Seafood
- Store meat, poultry, fish and
seafood separately. Store in covered water-tight containers or cover plates with
plastic wrap, waxed paper or foil.
- Do not place raw meat, directly above or
on top of foods that will not be cooked before being consumed. Transfer of
bacteria from the meat can occur, resulting in cross contamination. Thaw
food in your refrigerator rather than on the bench.
- Cover open cans of pet
food with plastic wrap or foil to stop odour transfer. Alternatively, store pet
food in covered containers.
Meat
- Minced/diced or small cuts of meat should only be stored for
1-2 days in the refrigerator, after that they need to be stored in the freezer.
- Larger pieces of meat like roasts can be kept for up to 2 - 4 days in the
refrigerator, depending on how fresh the meat was on purchase.
- Vacuum packed
meat can be stored for longer periods in the refrigerator and freezer, check the
manufactures recommendations for storage recommendations and times.
- Deli
meats should be removed from their original wrapping, wrapped in waxed paper or
foil or placed in covered containers. Deli meats should be used before the use
by/best before date.
Poultry
- Fresh whole birds/poultry pieces should be covered with
plastic wrap, waxed paper or foil to ensure that juices do not leak.
- Poultry
should be stuffed just before cooking. If stuffing remains in the poultry
bacteria may grow and cooking temperatures may not be sufficient to eliminate
bacteria.
- Raw poultry can be stored for up to 2 days and cooked poultry can
be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Fish and Seafood
- Whole fish and fillets should be used on the day
of purchase. They should be refrigerated until required on a plate and covered
with plastic wrap, waxed paper or foil.
- If storing overnight or longer, take
care to select particularly fresh fish. The eyes should be bright and clear.
- Whole fish should be rinsed in cold water to remove loose scales and dirt,
then patted dry with paper towels. Whole, fresh fillets should be placed in a
plastic bag and stored in a covered container with a layer of ice on its base.
Place the bagged fish on this. Cover with a second layer of ice. Before using,
rinse whole fish again in cold water.
- Shellfish and other seafood should
also be covered and chilled. Use within 2 days.
Precooked, Cooked foods and Leftovers
- Divide hot food into smaller
quantities for faster cooling. Hot food should not be left out at room
temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Ideally, place precooked, cooked foods
and leftovers in the refrigerator within 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate and cover
leftovers if you plan to use them within two days, otherwise throw them out.
- Any food left in cans should be transferred to plates/containers/jars and
covered. Food should not be stored in opened cans.
- Reheat leftovers,
especially those containing meat, poultry or seafood until 'piping hot'.
- Stir/mix/turn during reheating to ensure thorough reheating. This is
particularly important when using a microwave oven as heating can be uneven.
Fruit and Vegetables
- Nearly all refrigerators have fruit and vegetable bins fitted with a unique humidity
control system. This seals the fruit and vegetable bins creating a high humidity
environment. Condensation, from the respiring produce, is captured and retained
by the humidity control lid. This prevents the moisture from dripping back down
onto the fruit and vegetables which would cause them to rot. The humidity
control system has a fruit and vegetable setting, which adjusts the humidity
accordingly. Fruit and vegetables should be removed from their plastic bags
before being placed in the fruit and vegetable bins. Some fruit and vegetables
are ethylene producers, such as apples and pears, where as others are ethylene
sensitive, such as lettuce and broccoli. These items should be separated, as a
general rule, separating fruit and vegetables into different bins will help
reduce the effects of ethylene. Fruit and vegetables will last up to one week,
if stored correctly in the fruit and vegetable bins.
- Temperature sensitive fruit and vegetables should not be stored in the
refrigerator for long periods. For example: tomatoes, bananas, citrus fruit,
melon, mango, courgette, eggplant, peppers/capsicum, cucumber, pumpkin, green
beans and pineapple. Temperatures that are too cold can actually cause damage to
the flavour, texture and freshness. Undesirable changes like rotting, browning,
flesh softening and accelerated decay can also occur at low temperatures.
Dairy Food and Eggs
- Cheese can be stored in the covered door
compartment for approximately 1 week. If storing for longer than this, place in
the main fresh food compartment
- Once cheese is opened, place in a sealed
plastic bag/container, or in plastic wrap or foil to prevent cheeses drying out
and picking up any taints. Depending on the type of cheese, it may be necessary
to renew the wrapping every 2-3 days to reduce the chance of mould growth.
- Other dairy products including yoghurt and cream cheese should be stored in
the main fresh food compartment. Store butter in the covered compartment or in a
sealed container, as butter can be easily tainted by strong smelling foods.
Power failure – food safety
- Do not
refreeze frozen foods that have thawed completely. Follow the recommendations
below if you discover food in your freezer has thawed:
visible – food may be refrozen but should be stored for a shorter period than
recommended.
2) Thawed but refrigerator cold – refreezing generally not
recommended. Fruits and some cooked food can be refrozen but use as soon as
possible. Meat, fish, poultry – use immediately or cook and refreeze. Vegetables
– discard as they usually go limp and soggy.
3) Thawed and warmer than 41˚F
(5˚C) – discard all foods.
Do not refreeze frozen foods that have thawed
completely. The food may be dangerous to eat.
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