Thursday 7 December 2017

Never Put These Foods in the Refrigerator

It is quite natural for all of us to want to preserve and protect the foods we purchase. With that in mind, we always think that the best way to do that is by putting them in our refrigerators. However, there are certain foods which should never be placed in the fridge. Below, we have put together an extended list of such foods. The results and certain entries, may surprise you.

BANANAS

Bananas in the fridge? Because they retain nutrients better outside the fridge, they should never be placed inside the refrigerator. According to Canadian Produce Marketing Association, bananas are better kept on the counter until they ripen. The cold temperatures actually slow down the ripening process of the bananas, while the moisture and darkness of the fridge will only facilitate rotting.

POTATO

Potato Growers of Alberta all agree; spuds should be placed in a cool, dry and dark space. By reason of the cold temperatures of the fridge, it can turn starch into sugar more rapidly. Because of that, keeping tots out of there, is best. It is also recommended that potatoes be removed from plastic or paper bags they may have been placed in. Also, keep them unwashed, as well in a well-ventilated cardboard box.

ONIONS

Placing your onions inside your refrigerator will eventually end up turning them moldy and soft. According to the National Onion Association in the U.S, unpeeled onions should be kept out of plastic bags and fridge. One of the reasons for this is because unpeeled onions require and need air exposure for maximum life. If you have peeled an onion though, then you should keep it in the fridge, in a covered container.

AVOCADO

If you purchased an avocado that’s not ripen, you should not place it in your refrigerator. Since they will need time to ripen, keeping in the cold cooler will deter and impede that process. Also, placing the avocado in your fridge should only be done if the avocado is already ripe and you won’t use it right away.

GARLIC

Believe it or not, placing garlic in your refrigerator will actually cause it to sprout. The garlic will also get moldy and even rubbery. Moreover, inside your fridge, the look of the garlic will rarely change. This means you won’t be able to tell if it’s any good until you finally slice it open.

BREAD

Nothing dries out bread faster than your refrigerator. In the event that you have made sandwiches with the bread, then you can place them in the fridge. The cold temperature will make the bread tough and chewy. Furthermore, the coldness tends to make the bread turn stale and harder, at a faster pace.

COFFEE

Since both ground coffee and beans require cool, dry and dark spots to retain their flavor & freshness, the fridge is not the place for them. Coffee and beans also need an airtight container. If you have large amounts of coffee that you won’t use right away, then you can freeze it. Just make sure to wrap the coffee in airtight bags. This way, you can store it for up to a month in your refrigerator.

TOMATOES

We all love tomatoes for their taste. But putting them in the refrigerator will cause them to lose all of their flavour. Plus, the cold air in the cooler stops the ripening process as well. And as we all know, ripening is what gives every tomato more taste and flavor. The cold temperature of the fridge will alter the texture of the tomatoes as well. Lastly, coldness breaks down the membranes within the fruit walls, according to Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking. For best results, keep tomatoes out, and inside a basket or a bowl on your counter.

HONEY

Providing that you keep it in a tightly sealed place, honey will stay good almost forever. Therefore, storing it in your cooler doesn’t make sense. Honey, is a naturally preserved food so it needs no help from us. Ironically enough, placing honey in your refrigerator will in fact speed up the sugar crystallization process. The result of that will be the honey becoming almost dough-like, in form. Thus, making it harder or nearly impossible to scoop or use.

MELONS

If you haven’t opened your melons, then there’s no need to place them in your fridge. Research has demonstrated that storing melons in room temperatures, will in effect, keep the antioxidants levels the same. The studies were done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Also, melons lost some of their beta-carotene content as well. Keep in mind though, that the research pertained to whole melons. Sliced melons can be placed in the fridge, but should be covered.

PUMPKIN

Charlie Brown loves his pumpkins. But he should never place them inside of a fridge, and neither should you. Pumpkins need to be placed in a well ventilated area. The location also needs to be dark, cool and dry. Basements, are perfect spots for pumpkins, according to the CPMA.

Olive Oil

Since storing olive oil in a fridge will turn it harder and make it condensed, it should never be placed there. Instead, put the olive oil in dark, cool place. Otherwise, you risk turning your olive oil into a butter-like density.


BASIL

The refrigeration cold will wilt basil a lot faster than normal. Also, basil can and will absorb any of the smells from other foods near it. Treat your basil in the same manner you would treat flowers. For best results, keep it outside of your fridge and let it sit in a cup of freshwater. Martha stewart tells us that if you want to store basil for longer periods of time, blanch it first, then freeze it.

PEANUT BUTTER

Nothing goes better with peanut butter than jelly. However, unlike most jams, peanut butter should be kept out of the refrigerator. Placing it inside your fridge, can eventually turn the PB hard and dry. Instead, keep the peanut butter in a cool, dark and dry place, such as your cupboard. This will keep the peanut butter smooth, soft and ready for spreading.

EGGS

It is a long debate whether you should keep eggs inside your refrigerator or not. One study suggests that keeping eggs whether in a refrigerator or not does not change their normal properties, so it can be said that if you keep eggs at room temperature, there should not be any problem. There is another study that reveals that keeping eggs inside the refrigerators spoil the natural taste and flavor of eggs, so it is wise to keep eggs outside of your fridge.

SALAD

Oil or vinegar based salad is capable of being okay for long period of time without refrigeration. Moreover, refrigeration of salad dressings brings bad smell to them. Keep in mind that there are some salads that are mayo or yogurt based should be refrigerated in order to keep them fine. So if you have some salad that has been already dressed, you can keep them away from your fridge without any hesitation.

KETCHUP

Having bacteria deterring acids is a boon for ketchup as you can expect to be okay with your ketchup up to more than years without refrigeration. The preservatives used in ketchup are very helpful in maintaining the quality of it for many days even after opening it. So if you have already opened a ketchup bottle and tensed with its decaying, then you will not have to worry anymore.

CITRUS FRUITS

Chill damage is a common effect of cold temperature to the fruits filled up with citric acid like oranges or lemons. These citrus fruits need natural temperature for ripening, so keeping them inside the refrigerators hampers this process. You will also see some spots as well as dull skin on these types of fruits if kept in the refrigerators.


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