Fresh Foods Safety Issues

Submitted by Loring A. Windblad on January 27, 2010

Fresh Foods Safety Issues

Fresh food is always the best for the body, be it vegetables, fruits, meat, or fish. This fact holds true despite all the preserving processes known to man. However, with the world becoming a global village, we are tempted to eat foods products available all across the world. This means that the foods that we consume have been processed and preserved and transported from one country to another. Today, there is nothing that is considered exotic in one place and not in another, for it can be obtained freely wherever we are.

With improvement in science, there are various ways by which foods are kept fresh for a longer period of time.

Foods preserved by means of refrigeration or cold storage and in brine and vinegar fill our kitchen cabinets. Most of us do not have the privilege of eating fresh foods all the time; hence, it is important that we find ways to keep food fresh as much as we can. When it comes to storing edibles in the refrigerator, it is essential that we know what goes where.

Meat, fish, or poultry need to be kept in the freezer and stored in airtight containers.

This does not mean that you can store it for ever. It is best to keep them stored for not more than 3 to 4 months.

Dry foods like rice, spices, pastas, etc. can be stored in airtight containers for about a year.

Be sure to keep them free of bugs. Certain jars need to be kept in the refrigerator once they are opened, and it is important to keep tag of the expiry dates and avoid keeping edibles beyond these dates.

When storing cooked or prepared foods, allow it cool and then store in the refrigerator.

Try eating it within two days. Most often the foods that we buy are thrown away; therefore, it is best to buy and store foods for the shortest time possible. It is better to buy what is essential rather than throw it later and waste money. The lesser we buy, the sooner it is consumed.

Vegetables and fruits normally lose their natural enzymes, vitamins, and nutrients over a period of time. This means canned and stored foods though easier to use might have lost their essential nutrients. As fruits and vegetables contain fiber and vitamins, and are very important in the digestion process. Thus, it is more desirable if these are eaten when fresh.

Remember it is always better to eat fresh foods, because fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, or fish tend to their lose flavor and nutrients over time.