Which fruits and vegetables should be stored together and which should be stored separately? How to make a shopping list? The Protect Your Food Campaign, initiated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Ministry of Agriculture, brought together a series of practical suggestions to prevent food waste.
While it is important to store the products correctly to prevent food waste, fruits such as apples, apricots, grapes, peaches, nectars, melons, figs that emit ethylene gas, bananas, pears, plums, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers and green beans affected by this gas. must be kept separate.
Within the scope of the Protect Your Food Campaign carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), awareness of consumers about food waste will be increased.
Suggestions for consumers were made in the said campaign documents. According to the information compiled by the AA correspondent, unplanned shopping should not be done because “more is cheaper”, “there is a free product with it” or for reasons not directly related to the need. For this reason, it is important to list the needs before going shopping and to buy as much as needed.
While it is recommended to buy the foods that should be kept cold at the end of the shopping in order to shorten the time they will spend outside the refrigerator, it is recommended to read the food labels carefully and to store the products in the conditions specified on the label.
Food Must Be Stored Correctly
Some of the recommendations in the documents, which emphasize the importance of preserving food in the right conditions in order to prevent waste, are as follows:
“Some foods should be stored in the refrigerator to slow down the growth of microorganisms and keep them fresh and safe for longer. If raw meat, chicken and fish are not to be consumed in a short time, they should be frozen at -18 degrees.
Rice, flour and bulgur should be stored in cool, dry and dark environments. Root vegetables such as potatoes, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes and pumpkins should not be stored in the refrigerator. These vegetables and fruits should be stored in perforated containers in a cool environment without exposing them to direct sunlight.
Since some fruits such as apples, apricots, grapes, peaches, nectars, melons and figs secrete ethylene gas, known as the ripening hormone, vegetables and fruits such as bananas, pears, plums, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, green beans can be affected by this gas and rot faster. . Therefore, products in these two groups should not be stored together.
When storing food in the refrigerator, the “first in, first out” rule should be applied, and the first product should be consumed first. Raw products should be placed on a separate shelf under cooked and ready meals.
It should be ensured that there is an air inlet and outlet in the cellars or cabinets and that there is no humidity.
Food should be stored at a distance of 15 centimeters from the floor and, if possible, from a wall. Food should be stored in sturdy and durable containers that cannot be damaged by water or insects.”
Food Must Be Cooled Quickly
It was stated that the longer it takes to cool the food, the more the number of microorganisms in the food will increase. It tells consumers that “large quantities of food should be divided into smaller portions and smaller containers for rapid cooling. Meals that have been waiting at room temperature for more than 2 hours should not be consumed.” The following was noted in the recommendation:
“The leftover foods must be used within two days. Food that has been heated but not consumed should not be stored again. Leftover food stored in the refrigerator should be quickly heated to cooking temperature before being consumed again. Liquid food such as soup should not be heated until it boils.” .
Reminding that most of the prepackaged foods have either an “expiry date” or “recommended use date”, “Some foods may look intact even after the expiration date, but this does not mean that it is safe to consume that food. Microorganisms that are invisible to the naked eye may be present. For this reason, foods past their expiration date should never be consumed.” has been warned.