International. Food preservation is nowadays a much more important factor, taking into account the current pandemic and the need for greater consumption of this class of products by families.
Currently, the pandemic has resulted in an average residential refrigerator being fuller as there are more people eating at home throughout the day, compared to normal circumstances. Also, visits to the supermarket will continue to be occasional in order to buy more food volume at each visit and thus avoid crowds. In the same vein, with more people staying home, the frequency at which the refrigerator door opens and closes throughout the day increases.
Faced with this situation, specialists from Nidec Global Appliance, manufacturer and distributor of Embraco compressors, share important recommendations to keep food fresh inside the refrigerator.
In order for the stay in the supermarket to be short and punctual, it is recommended to make a list in advance and only buy provisions for up to 15 days of consumption. This will avoid waste and reduce the social impact caused by food shortages from large volume purchases.
Avoid temperature variations
It is essential to know that the key to the useful duration of food is the variation of the temperature of the refrigerator, since this is what promotes the development and growth of microorganisms, which are responsible for accelerating the process of decomposition of food.
In order to maintain the proper temperature inside the refrigerator, it is advisable to avoid constantly opening the cabinet doors and not to obstruct the internal ventilation filters because it prevents the cold from reaching the different levels of the cabinet. People should also avoid entering food that is still hot, since, not only does it increase the temperature inside the cabinet, it also affects the preservation of food and increases energy consumption, because the refrigerator must work harder to recover the proper temperature.
In these times of pandemic it is not advisable to place milk or egg on the shelves of the refrigerator door, since they are products of rapid decomposition and being subjected to temperature changes compromises their freshness.
"When we talk about preserving and maintaining the freshness of the provisions, the key is in the variation of temperature. Maintaining a constant temperature improves food and beverage preservation," says David Ramirez, Applications Engineer in Technical Support at Nidec Global Appliance.
Cleaning twice a month
An important aspect that contributes to the preservation of food is the cleaning of the refrigerator, at least every fifteen days, since the accumulation of microorganisms generated by spills of milk or juice, as well as any other decomposed food, creates a contamination system that continues to travel inside the refrigerator, accelerating the process of decomposition of other foods.
"We are in a situation that we would never have imagined and it is necessary to change habits and create awareness among all members of the family of the optimal use of the refrigerator, as well as its correct maintenance. Additionally, we must be careful because this moment we live requires us to have our refrigerator at one hundred percent of its capacity since it is an essential equipment that helps prolong the life of what we eat, "said Jorge Romero, Sales Account Manager of Nidec Global Appliance.
For Nidec Global Appliance it is important to develop new technologies that favor the preservation of food, so it maintains a close collaboration with refrigerator manufacturers, in order to meet the demands of consumers and continue to offer efficient compressors that are responsible for regulating the temperature of this appliance.
