UK Catering Forum

Did you know that overstocking your fridge means there is more chance of cooked food being contaminated with microbes from raw meat etc. Apparantly storing food in plastic bags increases the speed of decay.
Also that ideally a home freezer should chill food down to -18C and you should bear in mind and adhere to maximum storage times.

sheffy wrote:Did you know that overstocking your fridge means there is more chance of cooked food being contaminated with microbes from raw meat etc. Apparantly storing food in plastic bags increases the speed of decay.

The overstocking means microbes are more concentrated and multiply quicker. Plastic bags make food sweat, even if you cannot see it and this means there is more room in the cells of the food for oxygen to absorb into. Oxygen in food is the food for microbes and the reason vacuum packing units are so effective.

OOoooh interesting! no more plastic bags for me then!

A lot of the supermarkets sell the lunch boxes with the little breather flap in the top. This is ideal to put left over warm food in to stop it sweating. I'm pretty sure you can use them in the microwave as well.

Brian wrote:A lot of the supermarkets sell the lunch boxes with the little breather flap in the top. This is ideal to put left over warm food in to stop it sweating. I'm pretty sure you can use them in the microwave as well.

Hmmm now your going to have me aimlessly wandering around Tesco looking for these haha! I know it will happen on the next shopping trip lol!