Foods That Can Be Stored Almost Anywhere
Anyone involved in catering understands the importance of keeping foods in their optimum condition. Food needs to be kept in the right condition not just for the sake of taste, but also for the sake of the health and safety of consumers.
As foods go past their best, the inherent bacteria growth starts to multiply rapidly, affecting the appearance and taste, but in many cases the ingestion of these bacteria can cause severe sickness, sometimes with fatal results.
Good food hygiene is an absolute must. Any outbreak of food poisoning is investigated by public health officials, and a caterer found to be at fault can suffer serious business losses – and even go out of business altogether – on the back of negative publicity.
If you’re involved in any form of catering, then it’s important not to skimp on your equipment, particularly when it comes to commercial refrigeration and safe disposal units. Leftover food can attract mice, rats, pigeons and more. Outside rubbish often attracts pigeons and if you do encounter an issue London pigeon control services through www.vvenv.co.uk/pest-control/by-service/bird-control are on hand if required.
Now you need to acquaint yourself with the finer points of fridge management. According to the Home Food Safety website, you may not realise that certain foods such as nuts, tortillas and maple syrup belong in the fridge rather than the cupboard.
Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson has sparked a fierce debate over the correct place to store tomato ketchup – fridge or cupboard? Apparently, thanks to a reduction in the use of sugar and salt which have traditionally been used as preservatives, the current requirement is to keep it in the fridge.
Some foods, however, can be stored anywhere – or just about anywhere. This means you can keep them in the fridge if that’s the way you work, or alternatively you can keep them in the store cupboard, secure in the knowledge that you’re not committing any food hygiene crimes.
Honey
Even the ancient Egyptians knew all about the therapeutic benefits of honey and allegedly the honey buried along with Pharaohs turned out to be edible many centuries later. Changes in temperature can cause the honey to crystallise, but apparently heating it gently can restore the original consistency.
Jam
Most jams have a very high sugar content which keeps them in a state of preservation. Once jars are opened, the surface of the jam is exposed to air, which can cause mould to form. Scrape the layer of mould away or keep in the fridge after opening.
Canned Meats and Fish
If you like your canned tuna cold, then keep the cans in the fridge, but unopened cans keep almost indefinitely in a store cupboard. Once opened, remove contents from the can before storing.
Pickles
By their nature, pickles will keep for ever, but you can keep them cold if you prefer them that way.
Eggs
Experts have failed to come to any sort of agreement over eggs. Some believe they belong in the fridge, whilst others maintain that only room temperature will do. Perhaps the best method is to keep them in the fridge but allow them to reach room temperature before using them in a recipe.