Food which should not be
stored in a refrigerator
Not all food is suitable for refrigeration.
This includes:
–
Fruit and vegetables which are
sensitive to cold, such as bananas,
avocado, papaya, passion fruit,
aubergines, peppers, tomatoes and
cucumbers
–
Fruit which is not yet ripe
–
Potatoes
–
Some hard cheeses, e.g. Parmesan
When shopping for food
The freshness of food when first placed
in the appliance is an important factor
in determining how long it stays fresh,
and how long it can be kept in the
refrigerator. Time out of the refrigerator,
e.g. during transportation, should be
kept to a minimum. For example, do not
allow food to stay in a hot car for too
long. Once food has started to
deteriorate, this process cannot be
reversed. As little as two hours outside
the refrigerator can cause food to start
deteriorating.
Storing food correctly
Food should generally be stored
covered or packaged in the refrigerator
(there are some exceptions to this rule
in the PerfectFresh zone - see below).
This will prevent food smells from
affecting other foods, food from drying
out, and also any cross-contamination
of bacteria. The growth of bacteria,
such as salmonella, can be avoided by
setting the correct temperature and
maintaining good standards of hygiene.
Unpacked meat and vegetables
Unpackaged meat and vegetables
should be stored separately. To avoid
any microbiological cross-
contamination, these foods may only be
stored together if they are wrapped.
Using the refrigerator efficiently
20