Food Storage in Refrigerator
Food Storage in Refrigerators and Cold Compartments
- Frequent opening and closing of the compartment door, or leaving it open for extended periods, can cause compartment temperatures to rise significantly, reducing food shelf life and leading to spoilage.
- To prevent changes in smell and taste, food should be stored in airtight containers.
- To achieve better and more even cooling, place the food items far apart so that cold air can circulate between them.
- Allow for airflow by leaving a gap between the food and the inside wall. If you place the food against the back wall, it may freeze.
- Allow cooked, hot food to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Then, you can place the lukewarm food on the lower shelves of your refrigerator. Keep lukewarm food away from perishable foods.
- Pay particular attention to ensuring that frozen foods are not mixed with fresh foods.
- Thaw your frozen foods in the refrigerator compartment. This way, you can use the frozen food to cool the compartment, saving energy.
- Storing unripe tropical fruits (mangoes, various types of melons, papayas, bananas, pineapples) in the refrigerator can accelerate the ripening process. This means a shorter storage time, so it is not recommended.
- Onions, garlic, ginger, and other root vegetables should be stored in a dark, cool room, not in the refrigerator.
- If you notice that food in your refrigerator has spoiled, discard it and clean any accessories that came into contact with it.
- To quickly cool down large pot dishes like soups and stews, you can divide them into shallow containers and store them in the refrigerator.
- Keep unpackaged foods away from eggs.
- Keep fruits and vegetables separate and store all types together (for example, apples with apples, carrots with carrots).
- Remove the greens from the plastic bag, wrap them in paper towels or a dishcloth, and place them in the refrigerator. If you wash these types of foods before putting them in the refrigerator, remember to dry them.
- You can create a moist environment while allowing air circulation by storing fruits and vegetables that are prone to drying out in perforated or open-mouthed plastic bags.
- Except in cases of extreme environmental conditions, food in all compartments will stay fresh longer if your product is set to the set values indicated in the recommended set value table.
Food Storage in the Cold Compartment
Store foods in different places according to their characteristics: | |
|---|---|
Food | Location |
Egg | Door shelf |
Dairy products (butter, cheese) | If available, a zero-degree (breakfast) compartment/cold compartment |
Fruits, vegetables and greens | Fruit and vegetable compartment, vegetable drawer. |
Fresh meat, poultry, fish, sausage products, cooked foods. | If available, a zero-degree (breakfast) compartment/cold compartment |
Ready-to-eat foods, packaged products, canned goods, and pickles. | Top shelves or door shelf |
Beverages, bottles, condiments, and snacks. | Door shelf |
Storing Food in the Freezer Compartment
- You can achieve faster cooling by activating the Quick Freeze function 4-6 hours before freezing.
- Allow hot food to reach room temperature before placing it in the freezer compartment.
- Foods to be frozen should be divided into portions large enough for each serving and frozen in separate packages.
- It is recommended to package food before placing it in the freezer.
- To prevent food from going past its expiration date, write the freezing date, storage time, and the name of the food on the package, according to the storage times of different foods.
- Consume thawed food quickly. Thawed food cannot be refrozen unless cooked. It is not safe to consume thawed and refrozen fresh food without cooking it.
- When freezing fresh food, avoid contact between fresh and already frozen foods. Otherwise, the frozen foods will thaw.
Storing Frozen Foods
- When storing food, please follow the storage times specified in these instructions.
- To preserve food quality, try to keep the time between purchase and storage as short as possible.
- Buy frozen foods that are stored at -18°C or lower.
- Avoid buying foods that have ice or similar substances in their packaging. This means the product may have partially thawed and then refrozen. Temperature affects the quality of the food.
- Store food for the time recommended by the manufacturer. Only remove as much food from the freezer as you need.
- Except in extreme environmental conditions, if your product is set to the set values specified in the recommended set value table, food will stay fresh longer in both the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables may partially freeze if the fresh food compartment is set to a lower temperature.
- The 2-star compartment is suitable for pre-frozen food. Ice cream and ice cubes can be stored there.
- Freeze food only in the 4-star compartment.
Meat and Fish |
Preparation Method | Longest storage period (month) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Meat Products |
Veal | Steak | Cut into 2 cm thick pieces and place foil between them or wrap tightly with plastic wrap. | 6-8 |
Roast | By packaging the meat pieces in a freezer bag or wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap. | 6-8 | ||
Flaked | In small pieces | 6-8 | ||
Schnitzel, chops | By placing foil between the sliced pieces or wrapping them individually in plastic wrap. | 6-8 | ||
Mutton | Chop | By placing foil between the pieces of meat or wrapping them individually with plastic wrap. | 4-8 | |
Roast | By packaging the meat pieces in a freezer bag or wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap. | 4-8 | ||
Flaked | By packaging the chopped meat in a freezer bag or wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap. | 4-8 | ||
Beef | Roast | By packaging the meat pieces in a freezer bag or wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap. | 8-12 | |
Steak | Cut into 2 cm thick pieces and place foil between them or wrap tightly with plastic wrap. | 8-12 | ||
Flaked | In small pieces | 8-12 | ||
Boiled meat | By packaging it in small portions using freezer bags. | 8-12 | ||
Mince | Unseasoned, in flat packages. | 1-3 | ||
Offal (parts) | In pieces | 1-3 | ||
Sausage - Salami | Even if it's in a casing, it must be packaged. | 1-3 | ||
Ham | By placing foil between the sliced pieces. | 2-3 | ||
Poultry and game animals | Chicken and Turkey | Wrapped in foil | 4-6 | |
Goose | Wrap in foil (portions should not exceed 2.5 kg) | 4-6 | ||
Duck | Wrap in foil (portions should not exceed 2.5 kg) | 4-6 | ||
Deer, Rabbit, Roe Deer | Wrap in foil (portions should not exceed 2.5 kg, and the bones should be removed). | 6-8 | ||
Fish and seafood | Freshwater fish (Trout, Carp, Pike, Catfish) |
After thoroughly cleaning the insides and scales, it should be washed and dried, and the tail and head should be cut off if necessary. | 2 | |
Lean fish (Sea bass, Turbot, Sole) | 4-6 | |||
Oily fish (Bonito, Mackerel, Bluefish, Red Mullet, Anchovy) | 2-4 | |||
shellfish | Cleaned and in bags. | 4-6 | ||
Caviar | In its packaging, in an aluminum or plastic container. | 2-3 | ||
"The storage times indicated in the table are based on a storage temperature of -18°C."
Vegetables and Fruits |
Preparation Method | Longest storage period (month) |
|---|---|---|
Pole beans | After washing and cutting into small pieces, blanch for 3 minutes. | 10-13 |
Pea | After cleaning and washing, blanch for 2 minutes. | 10-12 |
Cabbage | After cleaning, blanch for 1-2 minutes. | 6-8 |
Carrot | After cleaning and slicing, blanch for 3-4 minutes. | 12 |
Pepper | After cutting off the stem, splitting it in half and removing the seeds, blanch it for 2-3 minutes. | 8-10 |
Spinach | After washing and cleaning, blanch for 2 minutes. | 6-9 |
Leek | After chopping, blanch for 5 minutes. | 6-8 |
Cauliflower | Separate the leaves, cut the center into pieces, and then blanch it in a little lemon water for 3-5 minutes. | 10-12 |
Aubergine | After washing, cut into 2cm pieces and blanch for 4 minutes. | 10-12 |
Courgette | After washing, cut into 2cm pieces and blanch for 2-3 minutes. | 8-10 |
Mushroom | Lightly sauté in oil and squeeze lemon over it. | 2-3 |
Sweetcorn | After cleaning, package them with the cob or in individual pieces. | 12 |
Apples and Pears | Peel the skin, slice it, and blanch it for 2-3 minutes. | 8-10 |
Apricots and peaches | Cut it in half and remove the seeds. | 4-6 |
Strawberries and Raspberries | By washing and sorting | 8-12 |
cooked fruit | By adding 10% sugar to the container | 12 |
Plum, Cherry, Sour Cherry | After washing and removing the stems | 8-12 |
"The storage times indicated in the table are based on a storage temperature of -18°C."
Dairy products | Preparation Method | Longest Storage Period (Months) | Storage Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
Cheese (excluding feta cheese) | In slices, with foil placed in between. | 6-8 | For short-term storage, it can be left in its original packaging. For long-term storage, it should also be wrapped in aluminum or plastic foil. |
Butter, margarine | In its own packaging | 6 | In its original packaging or plastic containers |
"The storage times indicated in the table are based on a storage temperature of -18°C."
"The quantity of fresh food that can be frozen within a specific time period is indicated on the type label."
Freezer Compartment Setting | Cooler Compartment Setting | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
-20°C | 4°C | This is the default, recommended setting. This setting is recommended if ambient temperature is below 30°C. |
-22 or -24 °C | 4°C | These settings are recommended for ambient temperatures exceeding 30°C. |
Quick Freeze | 4°C | Use when you want to freeze your food in a short time. When the process ends, the product’s settings will return to previous position. |
-18°C or colder | 2°C | Use these settings if you believe the cooler compartment is not cold enough due to ambient temperature or frequently opening the door. |
Quick Freezing
- Activate the quick freezing function 24 hours before placing your fresh foods.
- After 24 hours after pressing the button, place your food that you want to freeze on the second shelf with higher freezing capacity.
- Once the quick freezing function is activated, it is automatically cancelled after a period of time.
Freezer Information
According to IEC 62552 standards, for every 100 liters of freezer compartment volume, the product must be able to freeze 4.5 kg of food at 25°C room temperature for 24 hours at -18°C or lower.
Food can only be preserved for extended periods at temperatures of -18°C and below.
You can preserve the freshness of food items for months (in a deep freezer at temperatures of -18°C and lower).
Foods to be frozen should not be brought into contact with previously frozen foods to prevent partial thawing.
To extend the storage time of frozen vegetables, blanch them and drain the water. After draining, place them in airtight containers and put them in the freezer. Foods such as bananas, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, hard-boiled eggs, and potatoes are not suitable for freezing. Freezing these foods will only negatively affect their nutritional value and eating quality. There is no risk of spoilage that threatens human health.
Food Placement
Freezer compartment shelves: Various frozen foods such as meat, fish, ice cream, vegetables, etc.
Refrigerator shelves: Food in pots, covered dishes and covered containers, eggs (in a covered container)
Refrigerator door shelves: Small, packaged food or beverages
Vegetable storage: Vegetables and fruits
Cold compartment: Deli products (breakfast items, meat products to be consumed quickly)