If you own a catering business, you understand the importance of food safety. There is some confusion, though, about what foods should be kept cool, and which ones can be left at room temperature. Knowing which is which could mean the difference between your guests having memories of a great meal and having memories of food poisoning at your event. Here are 10 foods you should always keep refrigerated:
1. Meat: Meat that is kept at room temperature offers a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and if eaten, can cause serious food poisoning.
2. Eggs: Once an egg has been refrigerated, if taken out for a long period of time it can ‘sweat’ and cause bacteria growth. Be very careful about storing eggs, as they can be a breeding ground for salmonella poisoning if not stored properly.
3. Condiments: ketchup Horseradish and mustard: Keeping condiments in the refrigerator once they’re opened will help inhibit bacteria growth.
4. Avocados: You can keep them at room temperature until they’ve ripened, and then put them in the refrigerator to keep from over-ripening.
5. Ripe bananas: Once a banana has ripened you can keep it in the refrigerator to prevent over-ripening. The skin will turn dark brown, but it won’t affect the texture or taste of the inside of the banana.
6. Opened red wine: A bottle of red wine will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Take it out and let it warm up to about 65 degrees F. before serving.
7. Milk: This may seem obvious but is worth mentioning; milk left too long at room temperature will go sour
8. Nut and whole wheat flours: Once opened, the wheat germ in these flours can go rancid very quickly and should always be kept refrigerated.
9. Lemons, limes and oranges: Did you know that these will keep up to 4 times longer than if they’re sitting at room temperature? That could save you a lot of money on your catering grocery list.
10. Butter: While it’s ok to leave a small amount at room temperature so it’s easy to spread, it will only last one to two weeks if left out. It’s best to keep the bulk of your butter refrigerated so it will last longer.
If you think this is too much food to refrigerate, contact refrigeration engineers in Devon, who can help you choose the type and size of refrigeration equipment you need.
Refrigeration engineers in Devon at K J R Refrigeration understand the importance of keeping foods cool and safe for consumption. Visit them online for all of your refrigeration needs.
