3 Ways To Storing Perishable Food With Packaging Containers
To run a perishable food manufacturing operation and get the most out of your business, it is essential to comprehend the entire facet of how to manage perishable foods.
Perishable foods are known for spoiling quickly and need to be stored effectively to remain fresh and prevent germs from propagating.
From fruits to vegetables, milk products, meat, poultry, fish and pork, many tend to waste perishable foods since they spoil before supplies are used up completely.
To ensure cost-effectiveness and all health guidelines are put in place, it is imperative to use packaging containers appropriately when storing perishable foods.
Make the right container selection
It is important to choose your container wisely. After all, you’ll want to ensure your food still packs a punch even after storing them for hours or days!
It is recommended to use food-grade plastic containers. This is because non-food grade containers contain some chemical components and dyes that may leak into the food and cause contamination. An example of a food-grade plastic would be Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
At the same time, you should avoid re-using containers that are hard to clean or have rigid lids. Although such containers are originally meant to hold food, re-using them may lead to contamination as they are harder to clean.
Ensure proper storage
Unlike most dry foods, you should store perishable foods in a freezer or refrigerator – it’ll help to prolong the shelf-life of these foods!
Still, while it’s a great way to store your food – it’s not the best solution to entirely preventing spoilage altogether just yet. You’ll need to do a little more than just that alone – to extend the shelf-life, you can wrap meat, fish and poultry in aluminium foil while most fruits and vegetables can be placed on ice or in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, some fruits like bananas and vegetables like sweet potatoes will soften and turn brown if stored in the refrigerator. As a walkabout to this challenge, you can store them at room temperature until they’re ready to be cooked!
Similarly, you can also keep fruits and vegetables tightly covered and sealed in storage bags to prevent fruit flies, softening and discolouration. It is essential to check the foods are correctly stored for ensuring food safety.
Pay attention to storage directions
Perishable foods like dairy products are suitable to be stored in colder places. However, some tubers like potatoes and fruits like avocados aren’t suited to be stored in cold conditions. Instead, they are to be stored at room temperature.
On the other hand, some perishable foods have to be stored in specific temperatures for specific periods.
The bottom line here? Make sure to pay attention to different storage directions by reading the packaging information, asking a knowledgeable peer, or doing a simple Google search!
Once you’ve adhered to all storage specifications, you can rest easy knowing that your perishable foods can last for quite a good amount of time.
Conclusion
If you’re running a perishable food operation, it is imperative to ensure you’re aware of all safety precautions of storing these foods. The same applies if you’re using perishable foods to ship up dishes for your F&B or online food business!
Overall, ensuring that you observe all safety precautions that entail food storage is crucial in keeping the food safe and prolonging the shelf-life for your consumers. With that being said, if you’re still looking for safe and durable packaging for your business - Supply Smiths is a plastic containers supplier you can count on. The sizes and shapes vary, so feel free to browse our selection until you find a suitable set of containers for you!