3 habits to avoid when preserving food in the summer

The US Department of Agriculture recommends avoiding leaving cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you are unsure whether the food is still safe to eat, the best thing to do is throw it away, according to the UK health website Medical News Today .

In summer, foods such as leftovers, fruits, vegetables or packaged food for picnics need to be stored properly. People should avoid the following mistakes:

Not paying attention to the temperature

One of the most common mistakes when going to the supermarket is to buy frozen foods first and then buy other items later. Buying frozen products first will cause them to thaw quickly, which creates conditions for bacteria to grow.

So, it is best to buy packaged foods and vegetables first. Frozen meat and fish should be bought last. Once home, these frozen foods should be immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer if not used.

Pay no attention to humidity

Vegetables and fruits are an indispensable part of the daily diet. In the summer, hot temperatures and high humidity will make vegetables and fruits spoil more easily. Therefore, the first thing everyone needs to keep in mind is not to buy too much.

In addition, we also need to have appropriate preservation methods for each type of fruit and vegetable. For example, tomatoes, peaches, plums, melons, papayas and mangoes need to be preserved at temperatures between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius. When they are soft, we can take them out to enjoy without affecting the flavor. Meanwhile, fruits such as bananas, potatoes and pineapples can be preserved well at room temperature.

When storing in the refrigerator, people should limit the contact of humid air with fresh vegetables. The best way is to wrap the vegetables in paper towels to absorb moisture, then put them in a sealed bag or box.

Improper storage of picnic food

In the summer, many people will go on long trips . They often bring food to enjoy. With fresh food, when taken out of the freezer, it should be immediately stored in a cooler with ice. During the move, do not open it frequently to observe because this will cause the cold air to escape, making fresh food spoil easily, according to Medical News Today .