Importance of Setting Your Refrigerator Temperature

Article published at: Jun 13, 2024 Article author: -MilaDurbl
Importance of Setting Your Refrigerator Temperature
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Ensuring your refrigerator is set to the right temperature is critical to food safety and quality. Durbl recommends setting your refrigerator to 0°F (-18°C), which inhibits bacterial growth and keeps food fresh and nutritious.

Why 0°F?
This temperature inactivates harmful bacteria and slows enzyme activity, keeping food safe for longer.

Maintaining Your Optimum
Keep it Full: A full refrigerator will keep it colder than an empty one, and empty spaces will be filled with water bottles when necessary.
Freeze quickly: Freezing food prevents ice crystals from forming, protecting food quality.
Package correctly: Use airtight containers like Durbl sandwich bags to prevent freezer burn and keep food fresh.


Food Safety and Freshness
Freezing effectively extends the shelf life of food and preserves its nutritional value. When freezing meat, poultry, and vegetables, be aware of the effects of enzymes, and low-acid vegetables should be blanched first.

Optimal Freezer Temperature
The optimal freezing temperature for keeping food fresh and safe is 0°F (-18°C). This temperature effectively slows or stops the growth of harmful bacteria, ensuring that the nutrition and texture of the food are not significantly affected.

Enzymes in meat, poultry and fish are not harmed when frozen, while the acid in fruit neutralizes the enzymes. Low-acid vegetables must be blanched, partially cooked and quickly cooled before freezing. Different vegetables require different blanching times, so refer to the relevant guidelines before you begin.


Nutrition and quality of frozen foods
Unlike other food preservation methods, freezing has little effect on nutritional content. Frozen foods are generally as nutritious as fresh foods.

Freezing slows down the activity of enzymes, but it does not eliminate them, so some pre-treatment steps before freezing are essential.

Tips for freezing foods
Keep the freezer about 75% full: it helps keep cold air circulating.
Freeze foods quickly: prevents frostbite from forming and affecting food quality.
Pack food properly: use airtight containers or silicone bags to prevent frostbite.
Less open the door during a power outage: keep the refrigerator warm and ensure food safety.
Place high-risk foods in the back of the refrigerator: ensure consistent temperatures and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.


Conclusion
By setting the refrigerator temperature correctly and packaging food appropriately, you can extend the shelf life of food and ensure food safety and quality. Need food storage containers or reusable ziploc bags? Durbl offers a variety of eco-friendly, beautiful options to help you live sustainably. Visit the Durbl website to learn more.

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