Chill perishable foods promptly

Chilling is an effective means to inhibit bacterial growth in food and is particularly important for cold food which does not require reheating before consumption. Refrigerator is one of the most common cold storage equipment. Do you store your cold food in the right way?

Quiz
Question 1 Which of the following should be stored in the refrigerator?
 
  1. Raw meat
  2. Canned fruit
  3. Ketchup.
Question 2 Bottled milk should be stored in the refrigerator as soon as possible after purchase.
 
  1. True.
  2. False
Question 3 Overstocking the refrigerator with food is not a problem when we pack them tidy in the refrigerator.
 
  1. True.
  2. False
Question 4 Which of the following should be kept in the upper compartment of a refrigerator?
 
  1. Raw poultry
  2. Unwashed vegetable
  3. Pre-packaged sushi

Are you cold storing food correctly? Let's go through all the key points to refresh our memory!

  1. Perishable foods, such as bottled milk, cheese, raw meat, sausages, etc., have a shorter shelf life ranging from a few days to a few weeks. They should therefore be chilled properly to inhibit bacterial growth.
  2. Overstocking the refrigerator with food should be avoided to maintain good circulation of cold air. An overstocked refrigerator may render part of the refrigerator suitable (between 4°C and 60°C) for harmful bacteria to multiply.
  3. Ready-to-eat (RTE) foods should be kept in the upper compartment while non-RTE foods should be stored in the lower compartment of a refrigerator to prevent cross-contamination.