Food Safety: Are You Storing Your Food Correctly?

1 in 6 Americans fall ill from contaminated food or beverages every year, the CDC reveals. Correct food storage plays a key role in food safety and preventing common foodborne illnesses like E. coli, salmonella, and botulism. So, whether you’re putting food away in the refrigerator, the freezer, or your kitchen cupboard, there’s fortunately many things you can do to prevent or slow bacterial growth, and keep your kitchen as safe and hygienic as possible.

Fresh produce requiring refrigeration should be stored away in your refrigerator right away. Abide by the “two-hour rule”: never leave food that’s meant to be refrigerated out at room temperature for longer than two hours (or, one hour if the room temperature is higher than 90 ° F). Also, be careful not to pack your refrigerator too tightly; it’s important air is free to circulate.

If, on the other hand, you want to keep some pieces out in a fruit bowl, that’s fine, just remember to keep the bowl covered. Pests like rodents, fruit flies, and mosquitos are particularly drawn to fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only will these unwanted pests eat up all your produce, but they’ll also spread harmful bacteria.

If you have food leftover from dinner and want to store it in the refrigerator, make sure not to put it in while it’s still warm – doing so can increase the temperature of your fridge above the recommended maximum (40° F). However, it’s also important to be mindful not to leave the food out on the counter for too long; otherwise, you risk giving bacteria the opportunity to multiply. So, let your food cool out on the counter just for two hours after cooking before storing it in the fridge or freezer.

If you want to accelerate the cooling down process, simply place the food in a plastic food-safe container and place it on a baking tray filled with an inch or so of cold water.

Just like your fresh produce, it’s just as important to store your canned goods correctly. So, first, check all your cans for any damage – this may look like punctures, holes, swelling, significant rusting, or denting/crushing that’s changed the shape of the can and prevents it from being stacked as normal. Leaking cans or cans sticky on the outside are other potential problems to look out for. If you recently purchased cans with signs of damage, take them back to the store for a refund or exchange (if that’s not possible, you’ll have to throw the cans out instead).

The correct food storage plays a key role in preventing the growth and spread of harmful bacteria in the kitchen. By refrigerating fresh produce straight away, cooling leftovers before storing, and storing your canned goods correctly, you can keep bad bacteria at bay and protect your loved ones and yourself from food poisoning.