The time of yesterday's salads will come very soon. But do you know how much they and other products from the New Year's table are supposed to "live" in the refrigerator in order to remain safe for health?
Before you have time to look back, Hippolyte will already say his famous "what a disgusting jellied fish of yours", and the champagne will sparkle to the chimes. And the fatigue from cooking a lot of salads will disappear along with the firecrackers and fireworks. And the guests will praise the chic table. And in the morning you realize with horror how much has not been eaten …
Do not be afraid, this is not such a horror-horror. In fact, cooked food can be stored for quite a long time. Of course, not all New Year's holidays, but still not a few hours. There are foods that bacteria love especially: sauces, stews, salads, shellfish, egg and cream dishes, meat soups and minced meat. Sanitary norms and rules that were adopted in the Soviet Union, but are still in use, assure us that the shorter the shelf life, the better (see infographic). But these rules regulate the very minimum shelf life.
- The bulk of the products that we purchase for the preparation of holiday dishes are usually sold chilled. This means that the products have been cooled and maintained at the same temperature (in the range from –0.5 to –2.5 degrees). At zero temperature, the reproduction of microorganisms begins on the sixth to eighth day of storage.
This period is taken as the point of no return. Therefore, be especially careful when choosing products for the festive table - you have them even after the New Year. After all, the shelf life of chilled meat and other sausages at home is reduced.
Now let's figure out what will help to extend the life of the stuffed duck and the leftovers of Olivier.
1. Read the passport of the refrigerator.
Hopefully you know which shelf in your refrigerator is colder. If not, look for his data sheet and read. Or measure with a thermometer. What for? It's simple - the coldest zone is always reserved for storing meat products. You need to keep vegetables and fruits at the warmest. And in the middle is everything else - from cheese to salads.
By the way, the temperature in the refrigerator should be + 1 … + 4. Make sure not to above.
2. Pack correctly.
The ideal dish for salads and other ready-to-eat foods such as French meat is a glass bowl with a lid. Instead of a lid, you can stretch cling film over the salad bowl.
Place the rest of the cuts in plastic containers or wrap with cling film.
Wrap uncut sausages and cheeses in parchment paper - it retains freshness best of all.
3. Put it warm in the refrigerator.
The habit of chilling food before putting it in the refrigerator comes from the Soviet past when refrigerators had to be defrosted. Any warm impact threatened the formation of ice stalactites and stalagmites. Modern technology is much more tolerant of warm dishes. Moreover, food is best preserved if it is cooled already in the refrigerator.
Why? The most dangerous temperature at which microorganisms begin to multiply is 35-40 degrees, that is, close to the temperature of our body. Therefore, do not refrigerate ready meals to room temperature. The refrigerator will withstand quite well if you put a warm saucepan in it. Of course, not hot, refrigerate to about 50-60 degrees. This will not harm the refrigerator, and will prevent bacteria from multiplying. The rule applies to boiled vegetables, soups, and baked meat. In general, all that you plan to leave for tomorrow.