Each household wastes 76 kilos of food per year
With the high summer temperatures, many foods end up in the trash if they have not been treated properly. And is that to have a healthy refrigerator should implement a series of tips to properly store food and avoid food poisoning.
42% of the food that is thrown comes from households
Negligence in the care and cold storage of food causes each Spanish household to throw away a total of 76 kg of food a year, as revealed by data from the Spanish Confederation of Consumer and User Cooperatives (HISPACOP), endorsed by the National Institute of Consumption (INC).
But not all the food that is wasted in the garbage is in poor condition. According to the guide ACES (Association of Spanish Supermarket Chains), Spain is the seventh country in the European Union that more food in good condition throws away with a total of 7.7 million tons per year. Therefore, it is not surprising that, according to ACES, 42% of the food that is wasted in Spain comes from households.
How to have a healthy fridge, also in summer
The summer heat accelerates the deterioration of food and, therefore, it is very important to place each food in its proper place in the refrigerator, since inside the refrigerator there are different levels of cold.
Pedro Caballero, author of the website Amosdecasa.com offers us this list of tips to have a healthy fridge, in relation to criteria of sustainability, balanced diet and energy efficiency. It is convenient to distribute the products by families and temperature areas.
1. The correct packaging and distribution of food in the refrigerator it improves its conservation and reduces waste.
2. Fresh meats and fish They are placed on top of the drawers, the coolest area of the refrigerator. Always packed hermetically or wrapped in a plastic film on a plate.
3. Fruits and vegetables they are best preserved wrapped in plastic. Even if there is a drawer in the fridge for fruits and vegetables, they should be bagged to avoid accelerated maturation by contact. Also, this reduces the smell.
4. Prepared, semi-prepared dishes or sausage it must always be placed on the intermediate shelves, and with a lid. A good harvest is to put them in a taper.
How to organize the fridge on vacation
Many people decide to leave the frigorific emptiness when they leave on vacation, and begin with the foresight to go finishing everything that is stored before leaving. However, the fridge requires special attention before the holidays.
1. Fresh foods They must be consumed two weeks before departure. The food that is left over can be cooked and frozen. Fruits serve for smoothies and vegetables for creams.
2. Preserves, prepared dishes and packaged foods. You can only leave in the refrigerator those whose expiration date exceeds the holiday period.
Cleaning the fridge
If the holidays go longer than one or two weeks, it is advisable to unplug the refrigerator and clean it.
- The drawers and shelves are extracted and cleaned with soap and water, as well as the interior. - The fences or brands of glasses can be rubbed with lemon and salt.
- Clean the joints with a toothbrush, water and white vinegar. Thus, the generation of cracks and breaks that prevent hermetic closure is disinfected and delayed.
Maintenance of the refrigerator or refrigerator
The proper functioning of a refrigerator is established when the temperature of the refrigerator is stable between 5 and 3 ºC and that of the freezer at -18 ºC. These temperatures guarantee the conservation of food and prevent its deterioration.
But, in addition, for food to be kept in good condition longer in the refrigerator avoid not leaving the door open or introduce hot food. When placing the taper, make sure that there is enough space between some products and others for a correct air distribution. And if you do not want bad smells, place half a lemon with a nail on the door or on the intermediate shelves for a natural aromatization.
Marisol Nuevo Espín
