There are some foods that we would never have thought of putting in the fridge: and instead, fresh food is a way to preserve taste and quality
Less than half an hour: this is the average time needed for microorganisms to start growing on salmon or steak if you leave them at room temperature: Bacteria are living microorganisms that feed on humidity and heat. Since its appearance in our kitchens back in 1926, the refrigerator has made it possible to slow down this proliferation of germs on food and to limit the fermentation of products. If perishable foods such as meat, fish and dairy products must be kept fresh for our health, other foods also deserve this attention. Let’s see which ones together with the expert.
Odorless or dried fruits and vegetables
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The overall appreciation of a food is due to a combination of smells and tastes. “Scientific studies have shown that if for the majority of vegetables the refrigerator allows for ideal conservation, keeping theirs unaltered organoleptic properties for others, more fragrant, such as tomatoes or tropical fruitsthe cold can damage the pulp making it lose its aroma and fragrance – he explains Flavia Bernini, biologist, nutritionist -. If, on the other hand, the product has been dried, the aromatic molecules disappear with difficulty. Thus dried tomatoes or dried aromatic herbs find a second life in the refrigerator together with the grinded coffeestored in an airtight box, or loose leaf tea to be stored in blotting paper”.
Eggs sensitive to temperature variations
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Should you put eggs in the fridge or not? This question has fueled the debate for years. “The egg must avoid temperature variations at all costs. If the temperature is constant, the chemical reactions are stable. For this reason, from transport to display on supermarket shelves, eggs must remain outside the refrigerator in order to avoid sudden changes in temperature and the formation of condensation while we take them home. From then on the best choice is to keep them in the refrigerator in one of the central shelves, not on the door, where they would undergo continuous movements and sudden changes in temperature”.
Chocolate in the fridge yes or no?
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“Also the chocolate is subject to temperature variations. “When it is badly closed and too exposed to the air, its sugars and fats crystallize and whiten the surface; its taste is altered. The best temperature for storing chocolate varies between 10 and 18 degrees“. In the summer when the heat is so hot, we keep the bars in the fridge, wrapped in aluminum foil inside an airtight container, to prevent the chocolate from absorbing odors and humidity.
Oils and spices away from the light
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Temperature changes are also among the worst enemies of condiments, especially oils that are very sensitive from this point of view. “The refrigerator door is an ideal place to house them because the temperature is around 10°C, compared to other parts of the refrigerator where too low temperatures could compromise its conservation. We always remember to store them in bottles dark glass and to close them well so as to reduce oxidation processes to a minimum”.
Know your fridge to manage it well
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You need to use it well. It is made up of areas, more or less cold. “The topmost shelf can go up to 8°Cwhile as you go down the temperature drops to 2°C of the shelf located immediately above the vegetable drawers. This is where we will put perishables like meat and fish. The bottom drawers, on the other hand, can reach i 10°C and host the vegetables and fruit which could be damaged at lower temperatures. We tend to overload the vegetable drawer: remember that in order to refrigerate food, the air must circulate well. Good packaging also guarantees better preservation of food”. “We wrap fruit and vegetables in food paper, to maintain humidity and let the products breathe. In contrast, the condiments, such as oils and spicesmust be protected from any form of condensation. Let’s keep them in an inert and hermetic box or bottle, in smoked glass or metal”.
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