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Food storage

 
Inappropriate storage of foods is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. You should always check food labels for storage instructions, and put perishable food in the fridge as soon as possible, especially in the summer as most bacteria grow quickly at temperatures above 5°C.

Always keep raw and ready-to-eat food separate. Make sure you keep raw meat, poultry or fish in a leak-proof container at the bottom of the fridge, below any ready-to-eat foods, and protect the salad tray from any drips from the raw foods.

Cold foods

  • The coldest part of your fridge should be kept between 0°C and 5°C (32 to 41°F.) Use a fridge thermometer to check the temperature regularly.

  • Don’t overload your fridge. The cooling air circulating within the fridge needs to flow freely in order to keep your food at the right temperature.

  • Keep the fridge door closed. Leaving the door open raises the temperature.

Hot foods

  • Throw away any perishable food that has been standing at room temperature for more than a couple of hours. Throw away all food scraps and leftovers.

  • Store other leftovers in clean, covered containers in the fridge. Eat within 48 hours.

  • Cooked foods that need to be chilled should be cooled as quickly as possible, preferably within an hour. If you need to cool some cooked food down, don’t put it in the fridge while it is still hot, as this will raise the temperature of the whole fridge. To cool hot food quickly, put it in the coolest place you can find – often not in the kitchen.

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