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Nutritional tips.. How to store quickly perishable foods
Most of us build our meal plans and grocery lists with certain perishable and non-perishable foods in mind, whether we realize it or not. In order to balance health, taste, and convenience, most home kitchens are stocked with a combination of both types of foods. Quite simply, they can… Some foods can live in your pantry for months without spoiling, while others may only last a few days, even under ideal refrigerator conditions.
Sometimes it’s obvious when food is perishable. Most of us know not to keep raw meat in the kitchen cupboard and that canned products don’t need to be refrigerated. But sometimes, you might find yourself looking at an item, and thinking, where am I supposed to store this?
Here’s what you need to know about perishable foods compared to non-perishable foods, why that’s important, and how to store them safely, quoted from the Healthy Line medical website.
Perishable vs. non-perishable foods:
In short, perishable foods are those that spoil or “spoil” quickly if not stored at certain temperatures, while non-perishable foods have a longer shelf life and can be stored at room temperature.
What is perishable food?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), perishable foods spoil, decompose, or become dangerous to eat unless you refrigerate them at 40°F (4°C) or freeze them at 0°F (-17°C) or below.
Examples of perishable foods include:
- meat
- Poultry
- fish
- egg
- Dairy products
- Leftover cooked food
- Any fruit or vegetable that has been cut or chopped
Fresh fruits and vegetables are also perishable, as a few can be stored for long periods at room temperature. Most products will last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and should be kept in the refrigerator.
-What is non-perishable food?
Non-perishable or “shelf-stable” foods can be safely stored for long periods of time at room temperature without spoiling or rotting.
Examples of non-perishable foods include:
- Canned food
- Rice
- macaroni
- precise
- Sugar
- spices
- Oils
-Jerky
Prepared foods are in sealed, uncontaminated containers. You can keep these foods in a cupboard or cupboard.
Why you need to refrigerate perishable foods:
Keeping perishable foods cold slows bacterial growth and keeps the food safe to eat longer.
There are two distinct types of bacteria that grow on perishable foods.
Disease-causing bacteria are tasteless, odorless, and invisible, but they can make people sick. Examples of disease-causing bacteria include Escherichia coli, salmonella, and Listeria. These bacteria grow quickly at room temperature, and refrigerating food greatly slows their growth.
Spoilage bacteria are safe to eat and do not make you sick, but their presence can impair the taste, smell and appearance of the food, which may be unappetizing. Refrigeration slows the growth of spoilage bacteria, although they continue to grow in the refrigerator.
Different bacteria grow at different rates and under different conditions. Food safety standards take into account the characteristics of many different bacteria and microbes.
Temperatures for storing perishable foods:
Perishable foods should be stored in the refrigerator at 40 degrees F (4 degrees C) or lower, according to Robert Pawitz, Ph.D., MPH, RS, a sanitary worker and consultant to the Interior Health Board.
Most bacteria that cause foodborne illness grow well at temperatures between 41°C to 135°F (5° to 57°C). This temperature range is generally referred to as the “temperature danger zone,” Pawitz told Healthline.
Bacteria grow rapidly in this temperature range.
“If ‘perishable’ foods are kept in this temperature danger zone for any length of time, disease and spoilage organisms will begin to grow,” Pawitz said. “Once established, they can divide and multiply within 15 minutes.”
As a general rule, perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, cooked foods, and cut foods should not be left in the temperature danger zone for more than two hours.
The danger zone does not apply to most raw, uncut fruits and vegetables, because they do not grow bacteria as quickly as other perishable foods. However, refrigerating these foods is a good idea because it can slow spoilage.
When foods are frozen and kept at 0°F (-17°C) and below, the molecules slow down so much that bacteria cannot grow.
However, once food is thawed, any bacteria present will begin to grow again, and while food can be frozen indefinitely without any safety risks, the quality of frozen food will deteriorate over time due to enzyme activity that slows but does not stop with freezing.
