PERISHABLE FOODS: WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW TO STORE THEM?
Perishable foods are those that, due to their characteristics and physical composition, are likely to expire or deteriorate quickly and lose their original properties due to external factors such as humidity, temperature, or atmospheric pressure.
Everyone must know
this information to avoid diseases caused by poor handling, cross-contamination
or poor food storage. Therefore, we invite you to continue reading our article
to learn more about correctly preserving perishable products.
WHAT ARE PERISHABLE FOODS?
Food is composed of
different proportions of water, protein, fat and carbohydrates. When food is in
contact with the atmosphere, chemical-based problems may appear, such as
oxidation reactions and enzymatic reactions, which can cause a degradation of
the physical and commercial properties of the food until its total
deterioration.
Perishable foods play
a determining role in bacteria and fungi, the microorganisms capable of
destroying these foods. In addition, fresh foods contain enzymes that promote
degradation and alter their texture and flavor.
What are perishable foods?
Food derived from
animals, such as meat or dairy, are some of the main perishable products. Next,
we will see each of them:
- fresh meats
- dairy
- Eggs
- Fruits and vegetables
- Food that has been cooked
- fish and shellfish
- Perishable foods that have already been uncovered or
removed from their original packaging
- Desserts and pastries
- sausages
- butter
Differences with non-perishable food
The main difference
between perishable and non-perishable foods is that the latter are kept much
longer than the former. That is, they have a much faster decomposition.
These products and
foods are characterized by their freshness but tend to deteriorate a little
before their time due to temperature, humidity and pressure conditions.
How to properly store perishable products?
There are different
ways to prevent food from spoiling. However, preserving them could be a
challenge if they are not handled and stored properly in the best, safe and
hygienic conditions:
- Refrigeration or Freezing: Perishable foods need to be refrigerated at 5ºC or
below or frozen at -18ºC or below to slow or stop the growth of bacteria,
which occurs rapidly in foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy
products when not in use. are stored properly.
Canned or
vacuum-sealed goods that include meat or dairy products once opened, should be
considered perishable and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Proper packaging:
Correct chilled packaging helps reduce these problems but cannot completely
prevent them. This makes it necessary to set an expiration date for each
product depending on its nature and the packaging and storage conditions.
Proper storage is
essential to reduce the chances of contamination and growth of microorganisms
that can alter the product and, therefore, your safety and that of your family.
TIP: If you want to buy any kind of protective
packaging then we will
recommend you to get in touch in Britwrap, as it is the best packaging
company all over the UK.

Comments
Post a Comment