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Food Sustainability: Part 2: Preserving Shelf Life of Stored Food
When storing food it is necessary to verify how we are going to manage the shelf life of our food. Looking for the right conditions is essential to keep it in edible conditions so we stay healthy also during the time we consume this food.
When choosing your food for storage make sure that is in good quality conditions. When choosing the place you should follow the following steps, so your food last longer:
1) Quality of Food - Be sure that you are buying or storing fresh food or food that is in good conditions
2) Rotate: Food that was stored first should be the food consumed first (First In First Out) or the one the one that expire first
3) Low Temperature: Try to low the temperature as much as you can in the area of storage since every increase of 18 degrees F cut by half the live of the food. Try to store in an area above 32 deg F and below 72 deg F.
4) Minimize humidity:
a) Minimize humidity as much as you can
b) Use moisture proof packages
c) Ideal humidity level is 15%.
d) Keep food off the floor and walls
5) Protect from oxygen: Can use vacuum sealed bags
6) Keep away from light or place containers in a cardboard box to protect from light
Performing the right steps when storing food and the act itself of food storing bring us security and peace since we are assuring our food supply.
