Less food waste

Fresher and tastier for longer: How to store food

Dopo aver pianificato i tuoi acquisti, prendersi del tempo per conservare correttamente il cibo è decisivo per far si che stia fresco. Ordinare e classificare gli acquisti una volta tornati a casa ti aiutera a mantenere freschi per più tempo prodotti tra frutta, verdura, latticini, pane, pasta e carne. Alcuni cibi hanno bisogno di essere conservati a bassa temperatura, mentre ad altri basta la temperatura ambiente. Abbiamo raccolto alcuni consigli per delineare quando e come puoi conservare il cibo, in modo tale che ogni pietanza stia fresca per più tempo possibile.

Perchè il cibo va a male?

Siano essi caldi o freddi, umidi o asciutti, non tutti gli alimenti sono adatti alle stesse condizioni. Se non correttamente conservato, il cibo perderà tutto il suo sapore e andrà a male più in fretta. Questo è dovuto alle influenze fisiche, biochimiche, chimiche e microbiologiche, e ai cambiamenti ai quali i prodotti sono esposti. Il cibo può essere anche danneggiato da pesticidi e parassiti.

Il deterioramento microbiologico è causato da batteri, muffa e funghi. Questi fanno marcire il cibo, lo fanno fermentare e talvolta sviluppano muffa o altre sostanze patogene. La presenza dei processi appena menzionati e la scadenza degli alimenti dipendono in particolare da condizioni fisiche come il caldo, il freddo e l'umidità.

Inoltre, gli enzimi all'interno del cibo innescano dei cambiamenti biochimici, degradano le vitamine, i pigmenti e gli aromi. Il grasso all'interno degli alimenti diventa rancido a causa di un deterioramento innescato da reazioni chimiche all'interno dei componenti del cibo. I fattori esterni come la luce e l'aria possono accelerare questo processo.

Igiene, refrigerazione e conservazione : parte tutto dalla spesa.

Prima di portare i tuoi acquisti a casa e iniziare a sistemarli nel posto giusto, bisogna assicurarsi già al supermercato che ogni alimento sia fresco e nell giuste condizioni igienico-sanitarie. Punti chiave da ricordare:

Controlla che tutte le confezioni siano intatte
Assicurati che gli alimenti refrigerati rimangano tali prevenendo la moltiplicazione di germi quando i prodotti iniziano a scaldarsi, ad esempio con borse frigo riutilizzabili.
Metti prodotti surgelati e facilmente deteriorabili nel carrello solamente verso la fine della tua spesa, appena prima di pagare. Dopo il pagamento, prodotti delicati e soffici, come uova, banane e uva dovrebbero essere gli ultimi ad essere messi sul nastro trasportatore. Ciò significa che saranno sopra tutto il resto degli alimenti nella tua borsa, e non saranno schiacciati da quelli più pesanti.
Una volta finito di fare la spesa e prima di suddividere gli acquisti a casa, assicurati di esserti lavato per bene le mani per prevenire il diffondersi di germi e batteri.
Mantieni le aree di conservazione degli alimenti come scaffali, dispense ed il tuo frigo pulite, lavandole e spolverandole regolarmente. Il modo migliore di farlo è usare acqua calda con un po' di detersivo. Aggiungere un goccio di essenza d'aceto può prevenire la formazione di muffa.

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Congelare in modo efficace : Come conservare il cibo nel freezer

Se vuoi conservare il cibo per un periodo particolarmente lungo, il tuo freezer o l'omonimo scompartimento all'interno del tuo frigo sono le opzioni migliori. La bassa temperatura e la ridotta attività idrica, infatti, fanno in modo che la riproduzione dei microrganismi sia ridotta significativamente o addirittura eliminata. Fai in modo, però, di pulire, lavare e sbollentare frutta e verdura prima di congelarle. Idealmente, dovresti impacchettare il cibo in piccole porzioni e in modo che ci sia quanta meno aria possibile. È anche buona pratica etichettare i sacchetti indicando il contenuto e la data per tenere tutto sotto controllo. Anche il cibo surgelato, però, non può essere conservato per un tempo indefinito. Frutta e verdura dureranno all'incirca dagli 11 ai 15 mesi, il pesce e le carni più grasse, invece, si manterranno per circa 6-9 mesi, ed il manzo e il pollame per 9-12 mesi.

Freeze first, enjoy later

Turn frozen fruit into delicious smoothies or smoothie-bowls. Our recipe ideas tell you how to.

Rapsberry and goji berry smoothie2go with lime and coconut oil

Recipe

Acai berry smoothie bowl

Recipe

Red fruit and coconut smoothie bowl

Recipe

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Refgrigerare correttamente : Come conservare gli alimenti nel frigo

La maggior parte degli alimenti freschi vanno messi direttamente nel frigo una volta tornato a casa. Un ambiente fresco con una temperatura trai 4 e gli 8 °C all'interno dei frighi aiuta nel mantenere freschi per lunghi periodi gli alimenti facilmente deperibili. Questo perchè il metabolismo delle cellule degli alimenti viene rallentato con una bassa temperatura esterna, impedendo la crescita di microrganismi e arresta il processo di deterioramento chimico e dovuto agli enzimi. Il principio "FiFo", dall'inglese "first in, first out" può aiutarti nel tener traccia di ciò che è fresco e ciò che non lo è. In altre parole : metti gli alimenti appena comprati in fondo al frigo, mentre quelli meno recenti vanno portati nella parte davanti per essere utilizzati.

How to store your refrigerator properly

Fridges have various temperature zones. So, to help foods in the fridge stay fresh for as long as possible, make sure to place them on the right shelf. We set out exactly what belongs where in our fridge tips.

Fridge door

What belongs in the fridge door

The fridge door is one of the warmest areas in a fridge. The temperature here is usually between 8 and 10 °C. It is suitable for storing ready-made sauces, juice, drinks, dressings, milk, butter and eggs

Crisper drawer

What belongs in the crisper drawer

The clue’s in the name: the crisper drawer keeps fresh produce crisp. Crisper drawers are separated from the rest of the fridge, usually by a glass pane, which keeps the temperature at around 9 °C. This is perfect for storing vegetables, salad and various types of fruit. Remember: Produce that is sensitive to cold, such as exotic fruits and vegetables with a high water content, do not belong in the fridge at all.

Bottom shelf

What belongs on the bottom shelf

The temperature of the bottom shelf, just above the crisper drawer, is no higher than 2 to 3 °C. You should store easily perishable food on this shelf, such as meat, fish, poultry and deli salads.

Middle shelf

What belongs on the middle shelf

The middle shelf is usually about 5 °C, making it ideal for dairy products like yoghurt, milk, quark and cream. It’s also the perfect place for cheese and sausages.

Top shelf

What belongs on the top shelf

The top shelf of a fridge is comparatively warm. The temperature here is usually between 8 and 10 °C. You can store butter and jams at this mild temperature. Leftover food you intend to eat soon can also be kept here, as this area is perfect for preserving flavour.

Storing foods at room temperature in the cupboard or pantry

Pasta, rice, canned goods and the like don’t benefit from being stored in the fridge. Instead, it’s fine to store them in a cupboard at an average of 15 to 20 °C. It’s important that food is not exposed to direct sunlight or warmth, e.g. by being kept near a hob or oven. High temperatures and moist air generated when cooking have a negative impact on the storage life of even long-life products. When tidying your cupboards or pantry, remember: put new products at the back and bring older food to the front so that it gets used first. Once you open a packet, seal it securely or transfer the contents to a sealed container. Just like when freezing food, make sure to label containers with dates – so you don’t forget what’s inside.

Storing products in the right place: What food belongs where

Whether warm or cold, moist or dry, not all foods like the same conditions. If stored incorrectly, food will lose its flavour and spoil more quickly. Let’s look at the best place to store different foods so that they stay fresh for longer.

Bread & baked goods

Keeping bread fresh for longer

Keeping bread fresh means preventing it from drying out, such as by storing it in a bread bin or a stoneware container with a lid. Many people store bread in plastic bags. The disadvantage of this is that fresh bread from the baker very quickly turns soft when stored in airtight packaging. For this reason, it’s best to keep crisp baked goods you plan to eat soon unsealed – such as in the bag they came in from the baker.

However, drying out isn’t the only way bread can spoil. If the surroundings are too moist and air cannot circulate, water can accumulate and cause mould to develop, particularly in the case of sliced bread. Any crumbs lying around in a bread bin can also lead to mould growing. Remove crumbs every few days and wipe down the container with some diluted vinegar. In warm, humid weather, you can even keep bread in the fridge if necessary. This protects against mould, especially in the case of white bread. If in doubt, you can always freeze bread and bread rolls before defrosting them at a later date, ideally at room temperature.

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Fruit & vegetables

Apples, carrots, salad etc.: What belongs in the fridge and what doesn’t

Almost all vegetables can be stored in the fridge. Aubergines, tomatoes, potatoes and pumpkins are the only ones you shouldn’t keep cold. Fruit is a little more complicated. Some types of fruit only stay fresh and retain their vitamins when chilled. Others, however, are very sensitive to the cold. As a rule of thumb, you should chill indigenous fruits like apples, cherries and plums. Exotic fruits like mangos, bananas and citrus fruits don’t belong in the fridge. Exceptions to this rule are figs and kiwis, which are quite at home in your crisper drawer.

Over time, some fruits and vegetables develop a ripening gas called ethylene. This causes other fruit and vegetables nearby to age and spoil more quickly. The highest ethylene producers include apples, apricots, plums and tomatoes. For this reason, it’s best to keep them separate.

Dairy products

Yoghurt, butter and milk: How to keep dairy products fresh

Yoghurt, milk and butter should make their way from the supermarket to your fridge at home as soon as possible. Ideally, you should keep them well sealed and in their original packaging: Put butter on the top shelf of the fridge door, and keep yoghurt and milk in the middle of the fridge.

UHT milk only needs to go in the fridge once opened; it can keep at room temperature for several weeks beforehand. You should consume raw milk straight from the farm within 2 to 3 days at most. Pasteurised fresh milk often stays fresh for up to a week when kept sealed and for 2 to 3 days when opened. Due to its high fat content, you can freeze butter before defrosting it in the fridge door when you need it.

Cheese

Cheese is best stored well-ventilated and moist, but cream cheese likes it cool

With the exception of cream cheese, all types of cheese need to be able to breathe and so shouldn’t be kept in an airtight container. It’s best to keep pre-packaged cheese in its original packaging, in special cheese paper or sandwich paper, or in cheese preservers. This stops them from passing on their aroma and prevents edible mould from forming on hard cheese. Another option is cling film, but you should never use airtight plastic containers. Cheese is happiest on the middle shelf of the fridge. Cream cheese, however, should be stored in a much cooler area – on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Wedges of cheese can last up to three weeks in the fridge. Packaged sliced cheese and cream cheese soon dry out once opened and lose their flavour, so it’s best to eat them within a week of opening.

Pasta

The best way to store pasta, spaetzle and gnocchi

You can store dried pasta for up to a year. It’s important to store it at room temperature and keep it dry and well sealed. Why? Well, like other dried goods – such as flour, muesli and tea – dried pasta is particularly susceptible to pests, such as food moths.

Fresh dough-based products like pasta, spaetzle and gnocchi are extremely susceptible to germs. When well chilled, they will keep in the fridge for three or four days. Proper food preparation is a key factor in ensuring that food stays fresh for as long as possible. Simply make sure to cook pasta only until it is al dente – firm to the bite. Spätzle and gnocchi are ready as soon as they start to float to the surface. You can keep leftover pasta on the top shelf of the fridge, where it will stay fresh for one or two days. It’s best to keep cooked pasta in sealed containers so that it doesn’t become hard.

Meat

Things to remember when storing meat

Meat, poultry and sausages are foods that spoil very quickly. If at all possible, you should avoid breaking the cold chain or only do so for a very short time. The best way is to take a cool bag with you to the supermarket. At home, place meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge straight away, as this is the coolest part of the fridge.

If you buy meat in plastic packaging, you should replace this before putting it in the fridge. Remove the meat from the packaging, dab it dry with kitchen paper, wrap it in baking paper and place it in an airtight container to protect against germs. Beef can be stored for 3 to 4 days; veal and pork will keep for 2 to 3 days, but poultry only stays fresh for 1 or 2 days. Take care when it comes to minced meats – if possible, you should eat these on the day you buy them. Always defrost frozen meat in the fridge and remember that this can produce defrost water.

Fish

The best way to store fish

Fish is even more perishable than meat. As a result, it’s best to eat fish straight after you buy it. If you buy fresh fish from the fish counter, don’t leave it in its packaging: store it in a glass or porcelain container, cover it with cling film and ice, and store it in the fridge for 1 day at most.

Store pre-packaged fish from the deep-frozen section in your freezer and keep an eye on the best-before date! The smoking process helps smoked fish stay fresh for longer. You can keep this in your fridge, covered in cling film, for up to around 3 days. Always defrost frozen fish in the fridge and remember that this can produce defrost water.

Little hint: You don’t need to throw away food past its best-before date

Most food has a best-before date (BBD) on its packaging. However, food doesn’t automatically go bad just because this date has passed. This is the date until which the manufacturer guarantees typical product characteristics, such as taste, aroma, consistency and colour.
It’s important to distinguish between the best-before date and the use-by date for perishable foods such as raw fish, mince and fresh poultry. You should not eat products after their use-by date and should throw them away instead.
Take a look, have a taste, smell food for yourself: trust your senses! It’s often easy to tell whether food is still good enough to eat once its BBD has passed.

Did you know?

None of us would ever plan to throw away one-third of the food we buy. However, the statistics show that this is precisely the amount that ends up in the bin, unused. According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), this corresponds to 1.3 billion tonnes of discarded food globally each year. This is an inconceivable waste of food when you consider that there are 690 million people around the world who are starving.

Did you know...

...how to keep your Avocados from browning?

Braun's kitchen hack of the day: after opening an avocado, simply sprinkle some fresh lemon juice on it to keep it from browning. It stays fresh for longer and even tastes good.

Avocado cut in half with citrus juice dripping on it.

…how to keep your Carrots crisp?

We carrot wait to try this hack at home. Place your carrots in a glass of water to keep them fresh and crispy. Do you already treat your carrots like flowers and keep them fresh in a vase?

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…how to keep your Bananas fresh?

Keep calm and go bananas. Did you know that bananas naturally release a gas called ethylene from their stem, and therefore tend to ripen much faster? Try and cover the stem of the bananas with a small piece of leftover foil, and the ripening process slows dramatically. Have you ever heard about this kitchen hack?

en_scs_braun_hack_card-05_Fresh-Banana_1080 × 1080.jpg

…how to keep your Potatoes from sprouting?

An apple a day keeps the sprouts away. Just place an apple in the same rack with your potatoes. With this little kitchen hack you can keep your potatoes fresh, even if you don't use them up all at once. Have you tried this before?

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…why you shouldn't put hot food straight into the fridge?

Keep calm and stay cool. Your leftover food should always be allowed to cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator. This way, you can make sure to maintain a secure temperature in your fridge as well as save energy. Have you been aware of that?

…how to make limp lettuce fresh again?

Don't throw away that limp lettuce just yet! Did you know you can bring it back to life by soaking it in cold water with lemon juice? This simple trick is a real hit for anyone who loves fresh, crisp greens.

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Braun stands for durable products and sustainable design. We believe that, in the struggle to protect the environment and maintain our quality of life, both today and in the future, every action counts – no matter how small.

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Less food waste

Fresher and tastier for longer: How to store food

Perchè il cibo va a male?

Igiene, refrigerazione e conservazione : parte tutto dalla spesa.

Congelare in modo efficace : Come conservare il cibo nel freezer

Freeze first, enjoy later

Refgrigerare correttamente : Come conservare gli alimenti nel frigo

How to store your refrigerator properly

Fridge door

What belongs in the fridge door

Crisper drawer

What belongs in the crisper drawer

Bottom shelf

What belongs on the bottom shelf

Middle shelf

What belongs on the middle shelf

Top shelf

What belongs on the top shelf

Storing foods at room temperature in the cupboard or pantry

Storing products in the right place: What food belongs where

Bread & baked goods

Keeping bread fresh for longer

Fruit & vegetables

Apples, carrots, salad etc.: What belongs in the fridge and what doesn’t

Dairy products

Yoghurt, butter and milk: How to keep dairy products fresh

Cheese

Cheese is best stored well-ventilated and moist, but cream cheese likes it cool

Pasta

The best way to store pasta, spaetzle and gnocchi

Meat

Things to remember when storing meat

Fish

The best way to store fish

Little hint: You don’t need to throw away food past its best-before date

Did you know?

Did you know...

Braun stands for durable products and sustainable design. We believe that, in the struggle to protect the environment and maintain our quality of life, both today and in the future, every action counts – no matter how small.

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