Refrigerating food by placing it in the designated container, for the recommended amount of time, and the ideal temperature can go a long way. This ensures that the products retain their flavor, nutrients, and quality. The chances of suffering from food poisoning drop significantly if the food is refrigerated properly. The benefits of smart refrigerating can help in saving money because good food will not have to be replaced often.

Listed below are some basic tips that everyone can follow to store food securely and efficiently in the refrigerator.

1. Temperature considerations
The temperature inside the refrigerator must be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The stream of bacteria that is known to spoil food grows at a fast pace. If the temperature is less than 40 degrees, it hinders the growth of such bacteria. While refrigerating leftovers, make sure the temperature never crosses 40 degrees. Purchase a refrigerator thermometer to monitor the temperature inside the fridge. All food must be wrapped or sealed. If the seal is open or the packaging is torn, it must be re-wrapped to avoid loss of moisture.

2. Don’t stuff the fridge
Avoid storing the refrigerator with products to its maximum capacity. The circulation of cool air is essential for the long and healthy life of the food.

3. Check-ups
A manual check-up of the refrigerator once every seven days is highly recommended.

4. Rearranging
Rearrangement to make space (for air circulation) and throwing out of potentially spoiled food must happen every once in a while.

5. Moldy food
In the case of moldy food, the food must be covered before it is thrown out. Additionally, the fridge must be cleaned. Any other products that may have touched the moldy food need to be checked to see if they have been affected as well.

6. Eggs
Rather than keeping eggs in the egg tray that comes with the fridge, keep them in the carton they come in. It is ideal to use all eggs within three to five weeks.

7. Colder areas
The posterior region of the refrigerator is the cooler. It is advisable to store highly perishable items such as meat, fruits, and dairy products there.

8. Leftovers
Keep a track of the date and day when you store leftovers. Discard them all within 96 hours. Storing leftovers in a pet of the fridge that can be spotted easily will make them more accessible.

9. Meat considerations
Keep containers of raw meat, fish, and poultry in a separate fixture. Keep them on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. If it is uncovered and placed on any shelf other than the lowermost one, it risks the fluids (that ooze from the meat) flowing down onto other products. Fish, poultry, and meat that have a sticky, slimy or discolored surface must be thrown out immediately.

10. Air tight containers
If storage bags are being used, they must contain as little air as possible. This keeps the food fresh for a longer period.

11. Milk considerations
If milk is separated from the original container, it must never be poured back into it again. The original package is susceptible to being contaminated with microbes and can cause food poisoning.