When it comes to keeping food safe, food storage is a major issue.
Food which is not correctly stored can spoil or become contaminated, which can then lead to making people sick.
Food storage refers to food which is kept it the fridge, freezer, pantry or in some instances a warming receptacle. There are very specific rules regarding the temperatures that food must be stored at, cooked to and reheated to and if not followed, the risk of becoming ill as a result of contamination increases.
General Food Storage
Ensuring that food is properly stored goes a long way towards maintaining a high level of food safety and keeping yourself and others safe. One of the first things to check regarding food which has been stored in the ‘use-by’ or ‘best-before’ dates printed on the packaging.
These dates will give you the most accurate indication of a food’s shelf life, however, when a packet or can is opened, the expiry date almost always changes.
Food should be stored in clean, dry, sanitary containers that are airtight if possible. This will help keep food for longer and reduce the risk of contamination. Food should also be stored off the floor when possible in order to help prevent against pests and other contamination.
Always remember that it is better to be cautious when it comes to food safety and ‘if in doubt, throw it out.’
Refrigerating and Freezing Food
To reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, many foods must be stored in the refrigerator and thus kept below 5 degrees Celsius. These foods are often classified as ‘high-risk foods’ and include – meat, poultry, dairy, seafood, eggs, smallgoods and cooked rice and pasta. This also refers to ready-to-eat foods that have high-risk foods as ingredients and include – casseroles, quiche, pasta salad, pizza, sandwiches and many cakes.
By keeping these high-risk foods under 5 degrees Celsius it stops them from entering the ‘danger-zone’ – temperatures between 5 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius. The danger-zone is the temperature zone which provides bacteria with the perfect environment to rapidly grow and multiply to numbers that cause food poisoning.
By freezing food its longevity is increased because the water content of the food freezes – this prevents bacteria from multiplying and food spoiling. Food should be kept frozen at -18 degrees Celsius; when thawing, it should be stored in a refrigerator that reaches no more than 5 degrees Celsius until it is ready to be prepared.
Fridges and freezers should be equipped with thermometers so that you can easily check and record the temperatures inside to ensure they are working properly and keeping food out of the danger-zone. Use a weekly checklist to ensure that temperature checks are being done twice a day — click here to download a free Fridge Freezer Temperature Checklist.
It's important to remember that freezing food does not eliminate bacteria and when the food thaws, bacteria will begin growing and multiplying again. It is also important to avoid refreezing food which has already been frozen and thawed as food which is frozen for the second time is more likely to have a higher bacteria count.
When refrigerating and freezing food it is important to keep raw and cooked foods separate as well as storing cooked food above raw food to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Cooking and Reheating Food
When it comes to cooking and reheating food, temperatures are just as important as storing food. Even if food has been properly frozen or refrigerated there will still likely be some bacteria present so heating food to a safe temperature will lower the risk of food poisoning.
High-risk food must be heated to at least 75 degrees Celsius in order to reduce the number of bacteria to a safe level of consumption. Once the food has been heated to this temperature it should not be allowed to drop under 60 degrees Celsius until it is served. This goes for both cooking and reheating food and the best way to monitor the temperature is to purchase a food thermometer.
After the food has been cooked to this temperature it should be eaten or refrigerated within two hours. Food which has been kept in the Temperature Danger Zone (between 5 – 60 degrees Celsius) for between two and four hours cannot be put back in the refrigerator and must be consumed. Any food which remains in the Temperature Danger Zone for four or more hours must be discarded.
Hot food which is to be refrigerated or frozen should first be put in separate shallow containers to allow it to cool faster, rather than being left in one container. Also, food that is heated in a microwave should be periodically stirred while heating as microwaves rarely evenly cook food.
- Keep high-risk food at 5 °C or below or above 60 °C to avoid the temperature danger zone and food poisoning.
- Store raw foods below cooked foods.
- Store food in suitable, covered containers.
- Avoid refreezing thawed foods.
- Check and observe the use-by dates on food products.
- Take special care with high-risk foods.
Food poisoning is frequently caused by bacteria from foods that have been incorrectly stored, prepared, handled or cooked. Food contaminated with food poisoning bacteria may look, smell and taste normal. If food is not stored properly, the bacteria in it can multiply to dangerous levels.
Watch this video about storing food safely.
Beware of the temperature danger zone
Food poisoning bacteria grow and multiply fastest in the temperature danger zone between 5 °C and 60 °C. It is important to keep high-risk food out of this temperature zone.
Take special care with high-risk foods
Food poisoning bacteria can grow and multiply on some types of food more easily than others. High-risk foods include:
- raw and cooked meat - such as chicken and minced meat, and foods containing them, such as casseroles, curries and lasagne
- dairy products - such as custard and dairy-based desserts like custard tarts and cheesecake
- eggs and egg products - such as mousse
- smallgoods - such as ham and salami
- seafood - such as seafood salad, patties, fish balls, stews containing seafood and fish stock
- cooked rice and pasta
- prepared salads - such as coleslaws, pasta salads and rice salads
- prepared fruit salads
- ready-to-eat foods - such as sandwiches, rolls, and pizzas that contain any of the food above.
Food that comes in packages, cans and jars can become high-risk foods once opened, and should be handled and stored correctly.
Storing food in the fridge
Your fridge temperature should be at 5 °C or below. The freezer temperature should be below -15 °C. Use a thermometer to check the temperature in your fridge.
Freezing food safely
When shopping, buy chilled and frozen foods at the end of your trip and take them home to store as quickly as possible. On hot days or for trips longer than 30 minutes, try to take an insulated cooler bag or ice pack to keep frozen foods cold. Keep hot and cold foods separate while you take them home.
When you arrive home, put chilled and frozen foods into the fridge or freezer immediately. Make sure foods stored in the freezer are frozen hard.
Storing cooked food safely
When you have cooked food and want to cool it:
- Put hot food into shallow dishes or separate into smaller portions to help cool the food as quickly as possible.
- Don't put very hot food into the refrigerator. Wait until steam has stopped rising from the food before putting it in the fridge.
Avoid refreezing thawed food
Food poisoning bacteria can grow in frozen food while it is thawing, so avoid thawing frozen food in the temperature danger zone. Keep defrosted food in the fridge until it is ready to be cooked. If using a microwave oven to defrost food, cook it immediately after defrosting.
As a general rule, avoid refreezing thawed food. Food that is frozen a second time is likely to have higher levels of food poisoning bacteria. The risk depends on the condition of the food when frozen, and how the food is handled between thawing and refreezing. Raw food should never be refrozen once thawed.
Store raw food separately from cooked food
Raw food and cooked food should be stored separately in the fridge. Bacteria from raw food can contaminate cold cooked food, and the bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels if the food is not cooked thoroughly again.
Always store raw food in sealed or covered containers at the bottom of the fridge. Keep raw foods below cooked foods, to avoid liquid such as meat juices dripping down and contaminating the cooked food.
Choose strong, non-toxic food storage containers
Make sure your food storage containers are clean and in good condition, and only use them for storing food. Cover them with tight-fitting lids, foil or plastic film to minimise potential contamination. Transfer the contents of opened cans into suitable containers.
If in doubt, throw it out!
Throw out high-risk food left in the temperature danger zone for more than 4 hours - don't put it in the fridge and don't keep it for later. Check the use-by dates on food products and discard out-of-date food. If you are uncertain of the use-by date, throw it out.
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