Storing Foods to Avoid Food Poisioning
Storing Vegetables
Vegetables should be stored into the vegetable crisper in the fridge. However, keep potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place, but not in the fridge. Tomatoes have better flavour if they are not refrigerated. Once cut, tomatoes should be refrigerated like any vegetable.
Store vegetables in the fridge crisper in the plastic bags to prevent loss of moisture and nutritional values. However, eggplant and capsicums should be stored open into the crisper as they sweat if stored in plastic bags. Put mushrooms in a paper bag (not in a plastic bag) before placing them in the crisper.
Storing Fruits
Apples and berries should always be kept in the fridge for maximum crispness.
Summer stone fruits and melons should sit at room temperature until they are ripe, then go into the fridge.
Grapes and fruits that are not yet fully ripe can be left in a fruit bowl in the kitchen.
Citrus fruits are fine at room temperature unless it is very hot, in which case, put them into the fridge.
Bananas should be kept at cool room temperature. Their skins become black if they are refrigerated, although the flesh is still fine to eat.
Storing Frozen Foods
Pack all your frozen foods together in an insulated container to keep them frozen until you get home. If foods defrost on the way home and you refreeze them in a domestic freezer, large ice crystals will form and can rupture cell membranes in the food allowing nutrients to escape.
Keep frozen foods frozen to maintain quality as bacteria will begin to multiply when the food is thawed.
When storing foods in the fridge, check that the temperature is below 5°C.
Storing other Products
*Do not allow pet foods to come into contact with human foods.
*Pantry items (canned foods, cereals, etc.) should be stored in a dark place like in a cupboard or pantry.
*Keep oils out of direct light.