Food Storage
A:
Food safety is essential in protecting individuals from bacteria and parasites that can be passed through food consumption. By practicing safe food handling, illnesses and fatalities can be prevented.
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Q: How long can you keep leftover Chinese food?
A: Chinese food leftovers are safe when stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. After four days, throw the leftovers out to prevent the risk of foodborne illness. Additionally, it is important to refrigerate leftovers within two hours of eating to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. -
Q: What is the difference between freezer paper and wax paper?
A: The difference between freezer paper and wax paper is that wax paper has a thin paraffin coating that freezer paper does not have. This coating makes wax paper useful for a variety of culinary applications involving liquids and sticky ingredients that ruin ordinary freezer paper. Wax paper is also a popular item for several craft applications. -
Q: How do you keep fudge fresh?
A: Keep fudge fresh for up to 2 weeks by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or storing it in an airtight container and keeping it at room temperature. If properly wrapped, fudge can be stored in the freezer for several months. -
Q: Does butter need to be refrigerated?
A: Butter does not have to be refrigerated. Butter can spoil, but it takes longer to spoil than milk. Butter is made from pasteurized milk, which helps to limit bacterial growth. -
Q: Is hamburger meat still good if you cooked it and left it out overnight?
A: Cooked or uncooked, hamburger meat left out overnight is not safe to eat. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends placing cooked food in a refrigerator within two hours of cooking. -
Q: How do pasteurization and canning help preserve food?
A: Both pasteurization and canning work to kill dangerous microorganisms in food, including bacteria, yeast and mold. Pasteurization boils the food directly, most often milk, whereas the canning method requires the food to be placed in an airtight container before boiling it in either a water bath or pressure canner. -
Q: How long does fresh whipped cream last?
A: Fresh homemade whipped cream lasts for approximately two to three days when refrigerated and two to three months when frozen. Fresh whipped cream tends to lose its consistency within one hour when left out at room temperature. -
Q: How long does cold cut meat last in the fridge?
A: Depending on the type of meat that is being used, cold cut deli meats can last anywhere from 5 days to 4 weeks. Meats that have been opened will not last as long as meats that have not been opened or disrupted. -
Q: How long can you keep vacuum-packed food?
A: The length of time between preparation and use of vacuum-packed food depends upon pH, nutritional composition, temperature, oxygen, age and condition of the food and moisture content. However, vacuum-packed foods kept at 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit last three to five times longer than refrigeration alone. -
Q: How long will mussels keep in the fridge after being cooked?
A: Once cooked, mussels can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. After cooking the mussels, it is important to place them in an air-tight container and refrigerate them within two hours of cooking. If the mussels cannot be consumed within four days, they can be frozen for up to three months. While foods frozen at 0 degrees Fahrenheit remain safe indefinitely, this time frame ensures that quality remains intact. -
Q: How long will potato salad keep in refrigerator?
A: Potato salad keeps for an average of three to four days in the refrigerator. This time can vary based on other factors, including what type of mayonnaise was used and whether the potato salad was kept without refrigeration for any length of time. -
Q: What keeps things colder: plastic wrap or aluminum foil?
A: Aluminum foil keeps food colder than plastic wrap when food is removed from the refrigerator or freezer. In both cases, food must be wrapped tightly with no holes. Aluminum foil is also better for keeping in oxygen and moisture. -
Q: How long do bagels keep?
A: Bagels can be kept in a pantry for one to two days. They are best eaten within three months after they are stored in a freezer. -
Q: How do you keep apples from turning brown?
A: Coating apple slices with highly acidic juice, such as pineapple or lemon juice, helps deter browning. Apples brown when they come into contact with air and oxidize. Acidic juices slow down the oxidation process because they contain antioxidants. -
Q: How does aluminum foil keep things cold?
A: Aluminum does not keep things cold, but does act as a barrier to oxygen and vapor, which can transfer heat to the frozen food when it is exposed to air. It also prevents germs, odors and flavors from escaping or entering the packaged food. Aluminum is known for being a good conductor, but it is also a good insulator, as it reflects the radiation of heat back to its source. -
Q: Does margarine need to be refrigerated?
A: Most manufacturers recommend storing margarine tubs in the refrigerator promptly after use. If it is not refrigerated, soft margarine loses its shape, flavor and texture and eventually becomes rancid. -
Q: How long does salsa last in the refrigerator?
A: An unopened jar of salsa stays fresh in the refrigerator for one to two months. The salsa stays fresh for the same amount of time once the jar has been opened. -
Q: Do you have to refrigerate olives?
A: According to "Hints From Heloise," as posted in the Washington Post, one should store opened olives or olives from an olive bar in the refrigerator. This keeps the olives fresh for at least two weeks. -
Q: How could food labels be revised to be more useful to consumers?
A: As of 2014, the FDA is in the process of evaluating several proposed changes to the nutrition facts labeling system that would provide more valuable information to consumers. These changes include information about added sugars, declarations regarding the amount of potassium in the product and updated serving-size requirements. -
Q: How long can cheesecake last in the refrigerator?
A: A freshly baked homemade or bakery cheesecake can stay fresh for five to seven days in the refrigerator. To preserve its quality it should be loosely covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and stored within two hours of baking at a minimum of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. -
Q: Are you supposed to refrigerate lemon meringue pie?
A: Lemon meringue pie can be refrigerated, but the dessert does not keep well in the freezer. The pie can be refrigerated for two to three days.
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