Attaining the nirvana of fresher food, less wastage, and better cooked meals can be a lifelong journey. In today’s article we look at maintaining the freshness of meat and poultry…
At home, the bottom shelf of your fridge (not freezer) is regarded as the best place to store your meat and poultry. Kept in its original packaging / store wrapping because re-wrapping could expose the food to harmful bacteria. Poultry will stay moist and ready-to-be-cooked for up to two days. Red meat is usually good to store for three to five days before cooking.
Cryovac or vacuum-packed meat has a longer fridge life. Pork and poultry can last for five to six days, while vacuum-packed lamb can be stored for up to two weeks and freeze more efficiently than meat in standard packaging. Not only does vacuum-sealed packaging prevent freezer burn, but it also makes the defrosting process faster. If you’re freezing for several months, it’s best to wrap pieces individually in plastic before bagging; this will make them less vulnerable to freezer burn.
On the commercial side of things, cold storage is an incredibly important part of any food based logistics planning. Low humidity and a temperature just above freezing point are the ideal storage conditions for meat, good cold food storage facilities will provide this type of climate and keeps it constant at all times. Also important that they are Fully HACCP Accredited.
Is your commercial enterprise in need of better cold storage? How would you rank your home setup for meat and poultry?
