3. Food Storage Tips

Tips on Storing Fresh Food

Make sure that foods, which have been cooked and require chilling, are at room temperature before placing them into the appliance. Make sure that these foods are stored in suitable containers.

Foods stored in the refrigerator should be cleaned and dried before storing.

Before foods are put into the refrigerator, it is recommended that the foods should be pressurised, so that the water cannot vaporise, and the fruits and vegetables keep fresh and food smells will not mix.

Stored foods can be marked in bags.

Foods eaten daily should be stored at the front of the shelf.

Make sure that foodstuffs are stored systematically (raw meats with raw meats, dairy with dairy) to avoid flavour transfer and cross contamination. Raw meats should be stored towards the bottom of the appliance to prevent the possibility of it dripping onto uncooked food. Other foods should be stored above raw meat.

When storing food in the fresh food section always ensure there is adequate space for airflow circulation. This helps to maintain the shelf life of the food.

When storing food in the refrigerator make sure that foods are not too close to the rear wall to avoid the risk of freezing.

It is suggested for radishes and other root vegetables to trim the leaves. This keeps the nutrition in the root and not absorbed by the leaves.

Put frozen foods into the fresh food area to let them defrost. The low temperature of the refrigerator reduces the formation of bacteria and extends food life.

Some foods like onions, garlic, bananas and root vegetables are better stored at room temperature than in the fridge.

Melon, pineapples and bananas can go directly into the freezer after preparing, for storage over a longer period.

Packaging fresh foods properly, using the correct temperature and taking into account food hygiene will enhance the quality of fresh foods stored within this appliance.

Use plastic bags, aluminium foil or other food wraps to cover fresh foods not in packaging to prevent flavour transfer and prevent contamination.

Before storing items in multi-packs (i.e. yoghurt) remove any excess packaging.

NEVER store anything that is flammable, volatile or explosive inside the appliance.

Beverages with high alcohol content should be stored vertically in tightly sealed bottles.

Delicate foods should be stored in the coolest part of the appliance.

Try not to open the door too often.

Set the thermostat to make sure that foods remain suitably cold; try to avoid freezing within the fridge. Using a thermometer will help you to judge how cool the appliance is. Place it into a glass of water and leave it inside the appliance for several hours to get a reliable reading.

Some foods contain natural oils and acids (e.g. citric acid) which can damage plastics if spilled – make sure these foods are suitably contained.

Unpleasant odours inside the fridge are a sign that something has spilled and cleaning is required. Using warm water with bicarbonate of soda will clean the interior of the appliance and remove most spillages (see ‘Cleaning your appliance’).

Always remember to remove perishable foods from this appliance before taking prolonged trips of holidays.

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Rangemaster U109923 - 05 manual Food Storage Tips, Tips on Storing Fresh Food