Finding spoiled food in your refrigerator is never fun, whether it’s a forgotten bundle of spinach that has turned slimy or last night’s leftovers. It’s a significant source of food waste and a drain on your budget, and it can also put your health at risk. Fortunately, you can keep your fridge and pantry stocked without food turning bad. Here are practical ways to prevent food spoilage in your kitchen.
1. Master Your Refrigerator and Pantry
Follow the “first-in, first-out” method when unloading and organizing your groceries. Move older items to the front to ensure they’re used or eaten first. Then, keep fruits and vegetables in airtight containers to prevent moisture loss that leads to wilting. These storage units also block oxygen, which can slow enzymatic browning and oxidation.
2. Practice Smart Kitchen Hygiene
Of the estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses in America, up to 20% of them are associated with how food is prepared at home. Use separate cutting boards for meat and produce to avoid cross-contamination. Scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after handling raw meat.
Also, sanitize your kitchen sink regularly. Just because you wash your hands and dishes in the sink doesn’t mean that it’s clean. In an experiment that simulated the spread of foodborne illness-causing bacteria, 34% of the participants contaminated the kitchen sink, making it the most infected surface.
3. Decode Expiration Labels
Paying attention to food labels is one of the best ways to prevent food spoilage. These tags can indicate how long something remains at peak freshness and quality or is safe to eat. Consider these common labels:
- Best if used by/before: This date is for flavor and quality
- Use by: The last date recommended for peak quality
- Sell by: The date stores must consider when managing their inventories
Become a food inspector when shopping for groceries. Watch out for the signs of spoilage. Aside from checking the expiration labels, look for changes in color, smell for unusual odors, and check for sliminess and other strange textures.
4. Keep Your Fridge and Freezer at the Ideal Temperatures
The temperature in your food storage units can affect the shelf life of meat products. Say your refrigerator is 40° Fahrenheit or below and your freezer is 0° Fahrenheit or below. Fish can typically last a day or two in the refrigerator and three to eight months in the freezer. Steaks, chops and roasts can usually last up to five days in the refrigerator and four to 12 months in the freezer.
To keep your refrigerator and freezer at the appropriate temperature range, check them regularly with an appliance thermometer. Always double-check instead of relying solely on the built-in dial.
5. Consider Industrial Freezing for Peak Freshness and Quality
Freezing food is like hitting a pause button, as it stops the growth of mold, enzymes and bacteria, which occurs between 40° Fahrenheit and 140° Fahrenheit. The problem is that some foods turn mushy or watery after thawing. This is caused by water crystals.
A standard home freezer drops the temperature slowly, giving the water molecules in food time to form into large, jagged ice crystals. These pierce and shred the food’s cell walls. Water leaks from the damaged cells during thawing, resulting in the loss of flavor and texture.
Many industrial kitchens use blast freezing to prevent the “mushy” problem. This technique uses high-velocity, extremely cold air to freeze food in minutes. It’s faster, safer and more efficient than conventional freezing, and it also retains nutrients and keeps them from deteriorating.
Understanding the Causes of Food Spoilage
Knowing why food turns bad is just as important as adopting ways to prevent food spoilage. Bacteria, yeasts, molds and other microorganisms can drive food deterioration. For example, the sour taste in old milk is due to bacteria producing lactic acid, while the fuzzy spots on bread are visible colonies of mold.
Enzymes, or the naturally occurring proteins within the food, can also accelerate the ripening process and, eventually, decay. When an apple turns brown after being cut, it’s the enzymes reacting with oxygen.
To prevent spoilage, keep cold food at or below 40° Fahrenheit and hot food at or above 140° Fahrenheit. Bacteria can multiply quickly when kept outside these temperatures, making the food unsafe to eat. A common example is a pot of soup left to cool on the stove for several hours. This can allow bacteria to multiply to harmful levels even if it’s reheated later.
Develop Smart Habits for a Healthier Kitchen
Building mindful kitchen habits goes a long way in preventing food spoilage. Keep your refrigerator and freezer at the ideal temperatures, separate and sanitize while cooking to avoid cross-contamination, and rotate your stock to prevent waste. Pay attention to expiration dates and use your senses to identify spoilage. You’ll keep your food fresher longer with the right practices.
Want to unlock greater wellness?
Listen to our friends over at the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast to unlock your best self with Dr. John Lieurance; Founder of MitoZen; creators of the ZEN Spray and Lumetol Blue™ Bars with Methylene Blue.
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