[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The dawn of the old-world refrigerator myths has already come to an end. From the what ifs to the what nots, refrigeration technology has always been full of unraveled mysteries and, well, also low-key hoaxes and fallacious beliefs – but not anymore!
You can now say goodbye to those bizarre fridge superstitions. Here, we will narrow them down and courageously debunk the uncanny.
Myth: Avoid refrigerating food when it’s still hot
We have been told countless times to allow the food cool down first before storing it inside the fridge. Well, who would’ve even thought that this will make it on top of our list?
Food, when allowed to sit on the tabletop for a long time, primarily increases the potential risk for bacterial contamination. It is best advised to store newly cooked meals in food containers as quickly as possible.
Unbeknownst to us, the normal room temperature of 23 °C (average) plus the amount of time we leave food sitting outside actually encourages bacteria to thrive. Just to be safe, simply follow the 2-hours rule and store food immediately before exceeding that time frame. We do not want Salmonella for dinner, do we?
Myth: Take the frozen goods out of the fridge to thaw
What does your mom normally tell you after a long day in school or at work? – get the chicken out of the freezer. Before a sumptuous meal, what we usually do is leave the frozen meat on the tabletop for hours and hours so that the ice build-up will thaw before throwing it into the skillet. This is quite wrong from a microbiologist’s standpoint, per se.
The same with our previous entry, letting meat thaw in the open invite unwanted bacteria to the dinner party. So how can we handle our frozen meals then? Simple. Take them out of the freezer and thaw inside the fridge. A microwave will also do if you have one. The sample principle also applies when marinating meat. All must be done inside the appliance.
Myth: Baking soda for unwanted odors
Some may have already debunked the myth and if we have the same thing in our minds you’re quite right. Instead of using baking soda, why not use activated charcoal?
Activated charcoal helps neutralize unwanted odors for our fridge. It helps eliminate bad odors brought about by molds. And one thing, it costs cheaper.
Myth: Just put the food anywhere, it doesn’t matter!
If you may think about it, refrigerators are built with numerous shelves that can be used to accommodate food. Normally, what we would do is forcefully stuff food in any of the available shelves we want, given that it suits our convenience. Regardless if it’s the top shelf or the bottom drawer, who would care where do we place our food.
To tell you frankly, it’s about time to work on your sorting skills because this kind of practice will no longer work. Place foods that have a quicker spoilage time in the bottom part of the fridge. Remember why our grandmothers would usually place the vegetables below and leave the top part for the sweets and desserts. Items that are spoil-resistant, on the other hand, should be arranged behind the door.
Myth: You can keep your leftovers edible for weeks as long as they’re inside the fridge.
This is definitely a big NO! No leftover that is older than 4 days should be allowed to dwell inside your fridge. Immediately throw away food that you’re quite unsure of. We should never the least be attentive about what we eat.
There still a lot of refrigerator myths out there that are waiting to be debunked. May they be pure fallacies or facts, in the end, we only want what’s best for our homes.
Now, do you want to know what’s new in refrigeration technology? You can actually put these myths to the test together with EMCOR. Visit your nearest EMCOR store now or shop online at emcor.com.ph.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]