75
votes
Accepted
Can meat spoil outside the fridge if it's baked into bread as a filling?
There are two differences between your buns and a tin can.
First, your buns were heated to a core temperature of under 100°C. Yes, your oven was probably set way higher, but the water content in your ...
- 60.5k
62
votes
Why is putting hot milk in a thermos not recommended?
The cleaning is one thing (there are flasks without hidden crevices that can be easily cleaned), but there’s also another point to consider:
A thermos flask that is doing its job will keep food warm, ...
- 60.5k
62
votes
Accepted
Is there a reason to not grate cheese ahead of time?
You should only grate cheese as needed, particularly the cheeses you mention. When you grate cheese you create more surface area. That is more surface exposed to air and oxidation, which will ...
- 77k
62
votes
I accidentally put my canned tuna in the fridge
It is perfectly safe. You've got a pasteurized product that is shelf stable while the can remains sealed. All you did was make it colder for a few hours. This is not a safety issue at all.
- 77k
39
votes
Why store food in an airtight container when it's in the fridge?
Airtight packaging doesn't slow down bacteria growth. There are a few myths about them which don't apply in practice:
Bacteria are not kept out, despite popular belief – the air within the container ...
- 140k
35
votes
Accepted
How to know if blackberries are safe to eat?
As soon as you get them home, inspect for damaged berries & discard any that are not perfect. Wash the rest in a colander or sieve under cold running water. Drain well.
Spread on dry paper towel ...
- 29.9k
32
votes
Accepted
Repackaging shelf-stable products
Exposure to germs is the problem, once you open these they are exposed and the clock starts. If you vacuum seal you are vacuum sealing the germs in with the food, and not taking steps to kill the ...
- 77.2k
32
votes
Can you store frozen dinners in the refrigerator for up to a week before eating them?
I wouldn't recommend it for a couple of reasons:
Food in general degrades much faster in the fridge than in the freezer, so you risk spoilage during that time. Most prepared foods are not ...
- 81.6k
27
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to store dry food products under the sink?
Your concerns would be moisture, insects and/or rodents. Simply put your products in airtight containers. You'll be just fine. (By the way, my mom always stored onions and potatoes under the sink).
- 77k
25
votes
Accepted
What is the best practice storage method for flour to avoid bugs?
Based on my personal experience of living in a 100-year-old apartment building, where both pantry moths and flour beetles were basically chronic:
The freezer will prevent bugs more effectively than ...
- 65.5k
25
votes
What is the best way to store potatoes?
Potatoes last best when stored in a cool, dry place between 45°F/7°C and 55°F/13°C, so a basement is often your best shot if you have one. Keeping them dry and giving them airflow is important so they ...
- 77.2k
23
votes
Can meat spoil outside the fridge if it's baked into bread as a filling?
I don't know about chicken specifically, but pork filled baozi (steamed buns) need to be stored in the refrigerator. Bread crust isn't exactly non-porous after all (squeeze a bun, the air doesn't ...
- 1,897
21
votes
Mothballs in food cabinets
Mothball is a mild poison. msds
Contamination via vapor to food may only be mildly toxic but not a good idea.
You can keep food in unopened cans and air tight glass containers. Wipe them down ...
- 6,308
21
votes
Accepted
How do I store ready-to-eat salad better?
I agree that it's very likely the fridge. Beside it swinging too wildly, there can be another problem though: too cold.
I've seen people, especially Americans, turning fridges down as cold as they ...
- 140k
21
votes
Does the volume of air in an air tight container affect food shelf life?
Yes, but it’s not so much about mold and bacteria, but about oxygen.
Oxygen availability results in deterioration of some foods via chemical reactions. Some packaged foods, especially those intended ...
- 81.6k
20
votes
Is there a reason to not grate cheese ahead of time?
While you don't want to grate the cheese and store it in the fridge, as moscafj's answer says, there is a way you can grate all the parmesan, store it, and use it as needed - just keep it in the ...
- 425
19
votes
How can I keep large packs of ham fresh longer?
The only sensible way is put them into the freezer:
Shortly after purchase, package it into lots that are suitable for eating within a couple of days of thawing. Place packets into a freezer and thaw ...
- 16.2k
18
votes
Is there a reason to not grate cheese ahead of time?
Short answer: Grated cheese goes moldy quickly.
Long answer: We regularly grate cheese and pack them in vacuum bags in larger quantities. They usually go moldy within a week or two, even in the fridge....
- 281
16
votes
Accepted
Why is putting hot milk in a thermos not recommended?
It depends on the design. Some can't be washed properly, and milky liquids are much harder to clean off by rinsing than water or most water-based drinks
My genuine Thermos brand flask wouldn't be a ...
- 45.2k
16
votes
Soda water first stored in refrigerator and then at room temperature
If it's unopened it will stay perfectly fine, cold or warm, until the Best Before date printed on it.
It doesn't need refrigerating until opened - unless, of course, you want to drink it cold ;)
- 29.9k
16
votes
What is the best way to store cucumbers? Do I refrigerate or not refrigerate?
For maximum life, refrigerate them wrapped in a dry paper towel inside a plastic produce bag, in the produce drawer. If you have more than 3 cucumbers, ideally store every 3 cucumbers in separate ...
- 65.5k
15
votes
Accepted
How does sunlight degrade cooking oil?
The main enemy of oil is oxidation, which is the reaction of the constituent molecules with oxygen. How fast oxidation occurs will depend on the type of oil you consider. For example, unsaturated fat ...
- 2,155
15
votes
Why store food in an airtight container when it's in the fridge?
In addition to keeping odors contained and limiting the possibility of cross-contamination, oxygen degrades the quality of food. Oxygen also supports aerobic spoilage organisms. So, limiting air ...
- 77k
15
votes
Accepted
Is it advisable to cook cilantro or mint leaves and store them, instead of blanching them?
No, it is certainly not advisable.
Cooking reduces the fridge life of plants. If you cook your herbs, they will only last 3 days in the fridge. Besides, you will also change the taste, and not for ...
- 140k
15
votes
Should I refrigerate or freeze unopened canned food items?
If you can keep the temp below 85 °F (30 °C) you should be fine. There is no harm in placing your cans in the refrigerator, and I think this would be your best bet if you have the space. I would not ...
- 77k
14
votes
Mothballs in food cabinets
Even if it safe, it is unlikely to be anywhere near palatable.
Throw the food out, clean the cupboards, ventilate them well for a few days, then don't put food back in until all smell of mothball has ...
- 2,425
13
votes
Is ok to have boxes of raw chicken stacked on top of each other
This should be fine if there is no other food below the chicken wings. What you don't want is for the chicken to be in a position to contaminate other foods.
General food service guide lines include:
...
- 5,458
11
votes
Accepted
Do spice containers need to be hermetic?
Based on my understanding of physics I would say: Opaque over airtight.
Things you don't want in a spice container are:
convection. An open container is essentially an invitation for the spices to ...
- 326
11
votes
Accepted
Freeze or refrigerate bread?
Methods, from best to worst (assuming the bread is in a sealed plastic bag):
Freezing
Room temperature
Refrigerating
According to the FAQs for Dave's Killer Bread, which does not use preservatives:
...
- 1,102
11
votes
Store raw broccoli
If the broccoli come wrapped in plastic, leave them wrapped until you consume them.
As can be read in this interesting blog (in Italian), broccoli are among the veggies with the highest gas exchange ...
- 1,546
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible