This summer abnormally high temperatures are being recorded. The entry of a very warm air mass from Africa has triggered the thermometers, which yesterday reached 43 °C in various parts of the country. Faced with this extreme heat, it is key to drink a lot of water, avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, not expose yourself to the sun at peak hours, stay in cool places and also… hurry on the way home from the supermarket so that the purchase does not get spoiled.
Paying attention to this last tip will help us avoid the dreaded food poisoning, so common at this time of year. We can suffer from them by consuming a food or drink with bacteria, viruses or toxins. “Microorganisms proliferate between 4 and 65 °C, but from 36 °C they multiply faster,” explains Lluís Riera, food technologist and director of the SAIA consultancy.
If it is generally recommended not to leave food that requires refrigeration for more than 2 hours at room temperature, in summer this time is shortened. “When the thermometer exceeds 36 °C, it is recommended that no more than 1 hour and a half pass from when we put the most perishable products in the car until we get home and store them in the fridge,” says Riera. So when we leave the supermarket, we may have between 30-40 minutes left to return home with the purchase.
The foods that should enter the trolley first are those that are stored at room temperature, followed by refrigerator products (yogurts, sausages, cheese, butter…), frozen foods and, finally, fish and meat. “Far from what people believe, frozen foods last a long time before reaching a temperature where bacteria can proliferate,” says the technologist. But if they thaw on the way home -that is, they lose consistency and are soft- the organoleptic properties can be altered. In this case it is recommended to consume them as soon as possible.
To save a little more time and make sure that the most delicate foods will not go bad when we return from shopping, we can use isothermal bags. “If we have a long distance from the store to home, taking refrigerators or cold accumulator plates will help the product to keep well,” says Riera. When the supermarket bags enter through the kitchen door, we must store the products that are damaged beforehand in the fridge without taking too long. Once they are cold, they will be out of danger.
Storing food on the proper fridge shelves will also help it last longer. The most perishable items, such as eggs, should never go in the fridge door: it opens continuously and, therefore, there are many temperature changes that can damage the product. Meat should be kept on the lower shelves of the refrigerator, because the temperature is lower there and, if for some reason it is not well wrapped, it will not drip on other foods.
In the central spaces, we should store those foods that we are going to consume in a short time, such as pre-cooked meals and products that are already open. It is also a good place to store dairy products and sausages. Finally, fruits and vegetables should be stored in the drawers, outside the bag, to prevent them from getting damp.
