Temperature and shelf life of food

Shelf life depending on packaging

In Soviet times, enterprises produced canned meat only in tin containers, but now glass jars are common. In the latter case, the consumer has the opportunity to familiarize himself with the product before purchasing - to estimate the amount of fat, the total mass of meat.

However, the shelf life of stewed meat in a glass jar is much lower. Of course, the presence of a sealed container prevents air and moisture from entering the product, but it cannot protect from sunlight.

Attention! The shelf life of such stew is also 3 years, but there is a possibility that during this period the product develops an unpleasant odor. Stewed meat, packed in a tin container, retains all its useful properties for a long period of time.

According to GOST standards, the shelf life of such a product is 3 years, but if the conditions are met, it can be safely consumed even after ten years.

Stewed meat, packed in a tin container, retains all its useful properties for a long period of time. According to the norms GOSTa, the shelf life of such a product is 3 years, but if the conditions are met, it can be safely consumed even after ten years.

Types of sour cream

According to GOST, sour cream is produced from normalized cream, reconstituted cream, recombined and their mixtures. In any case, sour cream is always just cream and sourdough.

The natural product is white or slightly creamy in color and has a glossy surface. For a product with a fat content of 10-20%, a not quite thick, slightly viscous consistency with a slight graininess is allowed.

When buying, pay attention to the marking, it must necessarily contain the word "sour cream", without distorting the shape, that is, not "sour cream" and not "sour cream". Most often, when buying, we pay attention to the fat content

Most often, when buying, we pay attention to the fat content

Sour cream by the proportion of fat can be:

• Lean: 10, 12, 14%;
• Low fat: 15, 17, 19%;
• Classic: 20, 22, 25, 28, 30, 32, 34%;
• Fat: 35, 37, 40, 42, 45, 48%;
• High fat: 50, 52, 55, 58%.

Most often, we find on the shelves a product with a fat content of 10 to 25%.

Expiration date of sour cream

Sour cream is a fermented milk product, the shelf life of which is extremely short. It is used for the preparation of many dishes, it is used as a dressing for soups and salads. The scope of application of sour cream is wide, the product differs in the percentage of fat content: the more fat, the more saturated and thick it is. A variety of sour cream in terms of fat content:

• 40% - amateur;
• 30% - standard;
• 20% - dessert;
• 10% - dietary.

Shelf life of sour cream according to GOST

Sour cream prepared in accordance with the requirements of GOST has a shelf life of 5-10 days in a sealed package. If a longer period is displayed on the package, it means that the product is not made according to GOST or has additional additives. Thanks to artificial ingredients, sour cream products can be stored from two weeks to a whole month.

Expiration date of sour cream in the refrigerator

Closed packaging with sour cream can also be stored in the refrigerator for 5-10 days from the date of production. If the temperature in the refrigerator is kept below zero, the shelf life of the product may increase up to 30 days.

When buying sour cream (and any other fermented milk product), it is imperative to look at the date of manufacture.

The expiration date is usually imprinted next to the date of manufacture, also the date, and not the number of days of storage, which greatly facilitates the choice of a fermented milk product.

Expiration date of sour cream in an open package

The shelf life of sour cream in an open package is sharply reduced to 72 hours.It will need to be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 6 degrees Celsius. You should not exceed the shelf life, for three days you need to eat all the sour cream.

Shelf life of homemade sour cream

Homemade sour cream is much more useful even than the store sour cream that is not pasteurized and does not contain additional thickeners or artificial ingredients.

But the shelf life (and with it the storage) of such sour cream is lower. The maximum period is 3-7 days from the moment of preparation.

It will be stored longer if you put it in a temperature below zero, but it is still recommended to use only fresh sour cream.

How to store sour cream

Purchased sour cream must be kept in the refrigerator. The recommended storage temperature is 3-6 degrees. For a longer shelf life, it can be kept in places with temperatures below 0.

If the sour cream has expired

Expired product is not recommended to be eaten: you can get poisoned. You can taste it and, if it hasn't gone bad, feed it to animals or use it in baked goods, but don't eat it yourself.

Shelf life of seaweed salad

In the case of seaweed salad, no rules apply, even when it comes to a ready-made dish. The main thing is to carefully read the rules of use and the date of manufacture of the product, recommendations for storage temperature. It is strongly not recommended to purchase formulations with preservatives, seaweed fibers do not need them. Such components do not so much extend the shelf life of products as they neutralize useful components.

Opened or prepared with the use of a dried component, seaweed salad must be consumed within 3 months. At the same time, it is better to store it in the refrigerator at a temperature of 3-4 ° C. Before opening, the canned composition should be kept at room temperature, the preserves should be kept in the refrigerator. After opening in both cases, the seaweed dish must be consumed within two days. Freezer storage can extend this period up to 1 month.

How to choose sour cream. Expert Council. Video

Of course, it is not recommended to use expired sour cream for food for yourself or for animals if you do not want to get an eating disorder. If it is mildew-free and the expiration date is negligible, you can use it, for example, for baking.

In any case, the health benefits are the main, and only fresh products bring them.

In order to prevent sour cream from spoiling, buy it in the amount that you can use within the terms indicated on the package, and also pay attention to the shelf life of the sour cream or sour cream product, the longer it is, the more likely it is above them. Technologists "conjured" and the further they are from naturalness

You will also be interested to know how much is stored cottage cheese in the refrigerator, since this product is most often used in the daily diet with sour cream.

What can be in the composition of yogurt

Yoghurts, like fermented baked milk, can be produced using reservoir and thermostatic methods. A thermostatic yogurt will have a clot, but a regular yogurt will not.

Yogurt, like fermented baked milk and sour cream, contains lactic acid microorganisms - at least 1x107 CFU / g. However, in yoghurts enriched with bifidobacteria, they are also present in an amount of at least 1x106 CFU / g. This yogurt is definitely healthier.

Be aware that food additives (food flavors, food colors, sweeteners, flavoring agents, consistency stabilizers, thickeners, antioxidants and other chemicals) are allowed in the composition of yoghurts. Read the label carefully.

How to choose

The classic technology for making sour cream is to add special lactic acid bacteria to fresh cream, resulting in a product with the following characteristics:

• homogeneous thick milk-colored consistency;
• glossy surface;
• sour taste.

When buying a product, you should carefully inspect the packaging and make sure that it is completely sealed and not damaged. Then you need to look at the release date and check the shelf life, which determines the time during which the beneficial bacteria will meet the norm. The shelf life of sour cream starts from the end of its production process.

If the storage time of the goods is not limited to 2 weeks, you should carefully study its composition. Perhaps, in front of you is not a natural product, but a surrogate with a high content of preservatives. In this case, the shelf life can be more than 30 days.

You can also understand whether a surrogate is in front of you or not by its name. If the packaging says, for example, "Sour cream" - this is not a natural product. Only the name "sour cream" complies with GOST standards. All other names are a marketing ploy.

The number of lactic acid bacteria in a quality product should not be less than 107 per 1 g. Therefore, the package must be labeled with a CFU 107 indicating this.

The shelf life of sour cream cannot be more than 2 weeks from the date of manufacture. And if its surface is not glossy, but matte, the product is not natural. This effect is a consequence of the use of special food thickeners and preservatives.

If the fat content of 10 - 20% is indicated on the package, then the presence of a slightly viscous consistency with a slight crumbling effect is permissible.

How to choose

Unfortunately, not every manufacturer adheres to the state standard in the manufacture of canned meat.

Therefore, when buying them, you need to pay special attention.

It is imperative to familiarize yourself with the composition of the product and make sure that it complies with GOST 32125 - 2013. There should not be any other name other than "canned meat" on the label.

The product must contain meat of animal origin. Moreover, it must belong to the agricultural group. Also, the composition may contain spices, salt and water.

Images and inscriptions on the label must be clear and legible. The date of manufacture should be especially visible. Better if it is laser applied or embossed on the lid.

The presence of traces of corrosion or damage to metal containers (glass jar lids) indicate improper storage of stew. This may indicate low quality of the product or complete unfitness for consumption.

Homemade products are usually the biggest danger. Therefore, their use is possible only with complete confidence in the quality of the product.

The container for the stew can only be made of glass or tin (aluminum). Other options are not allowed.

How to keep longer

Oxidation of metal containers is the main reason for the decline in the quality of canned meat. They are also badly affected by sudden changes in temperature, high levels of humidity, exposure to light (for glass containers).

To store the stew at home as long as possible, you should check the status of your stocks as often as possible. In this case, any center of corrosion is eliminated by careful processing with sandpaper.

Those who decide to create large food stocks can be advised to first make sure that the cans are tight. To do this, they are placed in a container with water, and then they are watching what is happening. The appearance of air bubbles in any part of the container will indicate its leakage.

If the cans of stew have passed the "test with water", before storing them, they must be wiped dry with a cloth, then dried additionally under natural conditions and only then treated with some kind of lubricant (grease, lithol 24).Wrapping with parchment paper, which prevents the grease from drying out, will not hurt.

Features of storing vegetable and fruit salads

Salads made from fresh fruits or vegetables are stored least of all. Ideally, they should be consumed immediately after preparation. Despite this, there are several nuances, the observance of which will slightly extend the freshness of the components:

1. You can only cook from carefully dried ingredients without the slightest sign of moisture. The mixing container and tools must also be completely dry and cool.
2. Ingredients such as boiled eggs and various preservatives should be added to the dish last, just before serving. They need to be cut quite large.
3. If there is a need to hold the finished dish for a short time, then it is recommended to lay its bottom with a paper towel. The finished composition also needs to be covered with a paper product and lightly pressed to the surface. Then we wrap the container with foil and cover with a lid.
4. Dressing can also be prepared in advance, but will need to be stored in an airtight container.
5. If the time of consumption is delayed, then every three hours the container with the salad must be checked. We change wet towels, mix the components.
6. In the case of fruits, it is recommended that you first put each component in a colander to drain off excess juice.
7. Sprinkle citrus juice on chopped apples, pears, and other browning-prone ingredients. This will not only preserve their attractive appearance, but also add a subtle scent.
8. The dish will have a pleasant and crisp texture if the ingredients (fruits or vegetables) are soaked in ice water for a few minutes.

Compliance with the recommendations for the preparation of fruit and vegetable salads allows you to increase their shelf life from several hours to 5-7 days without the risk of loss of taste.

How to store sour cream

The shelf life of this fermented milk product is extremely short. Any sour cream, whether homemade or purchased, should be kept in the refrigerator. At room temperature, this product can deteriorate in just a few hours.

Earlier (and even now in the villages), clay jugs with the same lids were used to store sour cream. To prolong the life of this product, as well as to preserve the smell and taste, a sugar cube was dipped into the pot.

In order to enjoy a delicious product to the maximum, there are several simple rules for use and storage:

• crumbs and other food that may be in it with a spoon should not be allowed to enter the container with sour cream - it must be clean and dry;
• only a clean spoon, previously scalded with boiling water, can be immersed in a container with sour cream;
• the only materials suitable for storing sour cream are glass and ceramics, plastic and metal are unsuitable for this;
• the best place in the refrigerator for sour cream is the middle shelf of the refrigerator;
• sour cream should be taken out of the refrigerator for a short time, when the product is at room temperature for a long time, it may deteriorate;
• foreign objects (spoons, for example) should not be left in a container with sour cream;
• if whey begins to separate, then you need to use such sour cream as soon as possible, as this means that it will soon deteriorate.

How and where to store veal correctly?

Storing meat Comments: 0

Veal has a high moisture content, so its shelf life does not differ in duration. This type of meat is stored for the longest time in the freezer, and in all other cases it is better to eat it as soon as possible.

Nuances of storing veal:

• during storage, veal must be wrapped in cloth or polyethylene (such a nuance is necessary for maximum moisture retention);
• if ice is used when storing veal in the refrigerator, then the meat must be wrapped with cling film or cloth and only then placed in ice;
• veal can be stored in ice water (the meat is poured with the coldest liquid possible and placed in the refrigerator);
• it is not recommended to wash veal before storage (the liquid can provoke the release of juice and provoke rapid evaporation of moisture);
• you can preserve the juiciness of veal using foil (meat wrapped in foil should be stored exclusively in the refrigerator);
• foil during storage of veal can be replaced with thick paper or oilcloth;
• it is impossible to expose veal to repeated freezing in any case ;;
• if the veal has not been eaten within two days, then it can be frozen (if you freeze the veal after three days of storage or more, then its taste and structure may be disturbed);
• if the surface of the veal has become sticky, then it is not recommended not only to store it, but also to eat it (such meat begins to deteriorate due to improper storage);
• sudden changes in temperature have a negative effect on the structure of the meat (veal can become coarse and fibrous);
• in the refrigerator, veal can be stored in a closed container, but it should be eaten as soon as possible;
• at a temperature of +4 degrees, veal in the refrigerator can only be stored for a day, so the place for it must be chosen as cold as possible (the lower shelves of the refrigerator are not suitable for this);
• minced veal cannot be stored in the refrigerator in an open form (the workpiece must be placed in a container, plastic bag or wrapped in foil, oilcloth or cling film);
• if polyethylene is used when storing veal, then it is worth considering the fact that the meat will be stored less (polyethylene should be used only if absolutely necessary);
• You can store only high-quality veal (if the meat was bought after improper storage conditions or was chosen as low-quality, then even the correct temperature regime will not be able to return the original taste characteristics to the veal);
• defrosted veal can be stored for no longer than 2 days in the refrigerator.

You can extend the shelf life of veal by several days by placing it in any marinade. The most commonly used mixture is water, onions and vinegar. Any meat marinades are suitable for veal, so you can choose their compositions at your discretion.

It is not recommended to store veal for a long time in any way. Even after freezing this meat, you should eat it as early as possible.

Due to the increased juiciness, it quickly loses its taste properties and becomes tough, therefore, the longer the veal is stored, the more dramatically its structure will change.

The average shelf life of this type of meat in the freezer is a maximum of 10 months.

Temperature-to-shelf life ratio of veal:

• from 0 to +1 degrees - 3 days;
• from +1 to +4 degrees - 1 day;
• from +1 to +2 - 2 days;
• at room temperature - maximum 8 hours.

Minced veal is stored in the refrigerator for an average of 8-9 hours. After this time, the process of changing the structure will begin. The moisture will evaporate and the minced meat will be dry.

How to store cooked and marinated meat

Meat marinated for barbecue must be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of no more than +5 ℃. The shelf life depends on the selected marinade. If the meat is marinated in mayonnaise or kefir, then it can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours. When using a marinade that includes vinegar or lemon juice, the kebab can be stored for up to 3 days.

Seasonings that have an antibacterial effect can extend the shelf life of meat. Just add onion, garlic, pepper or iodized salt to the marinade

The storage time for weighed pickled kebabs is 24 hours. The product sold in vacuum containers must be consumed before the expiration date indicated on the package.

It will not be possible to keep pickled meat for a long time without a refrigerator, especially in the heat of summer.The maximum shelf life of a product in nature, taking into account the road, is 2 hours, and with a refrigerator bag - up to 6 hours. In this case, it is advisable to make a fire and fry a barbecue as early as possible, since in finished form it has a longer shelf life.

How much to store smoked meat

The shelf life of smoked meat depends on the cooking method. Cold smoked product can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Hot smoked meat cannot be stored for more than 7 days.

To preserve the taste, aroma and useful properties of the product, wrap it in foil or parchment paper for storage. This will prevent chapping, odor and bacteria growth.

Smoked meat can be stored in a vacuum sealed packaging. However, observe the manufacturer's expiration dates.

Shelf life of jerky meat

Duration of storage of jerky and dry-cured meat depends on its location and packaging:

• in the refrigerator, the shelf life of the product is 6 months;
• in a cool and dry place (sealed) - 30 days;
• in the freezer - up to 12 months.

You can keep the meat at home for a long time by freezing it. To preserve the taste and useful properties, observe the temperature regime and monitor the expiration date.

Choice

Homemade sour cream from a farmer is considered natural. Such a product will have a creamy aroma, delicate texture, high fat content. But the latter property is not entirely suitable for those who follow the figure. However, there are no additives or preservatives in your own products, which cannot be said about store products.

The stores offer a large assortment. Products differ in fat content, additives and cost. Before fermentation, the cream is brought to the required fat content. Calorie content does not always indicate naturalness, that is, 12% sour cream will be suitable. Whatever the fat content, the product should not be liquid. A sign of quality is a homogeneous consistency. If there are grains, then the manufacturing technology was violated or the storage conditions were inappropriate.

But even if the consistency is good, this is not an indicator of naturalness. To improve it, manufacturers often add stabilizers and thickeners to products. Sour cream products are also sold in stores, which have a vegetable base - palm oil. Nutritionists do not recommend consuming something like this.

Consider the prefix "bio" in the name. It indicates that sour cream is enriched with bifidobacteria and probiotics. These substances are considered beneficial for digestion. All information about the composition and storage should be on the package.

It is important that the GOST marking is present, as this indicates naturalness and compliance with the cooking technology. If the products are made according to technical conditions, then sour cream does not necessarily have a harmful composition.

Probably, the classic sour cream was diluted with additives, for example, bifidobacteria. Remember that it is important to choose this dairy treat carefully, as well as follow the rules for its storage.

How much sour cream can be stored

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, sour cream is a fermented milk product produced by fermenting cream with or without the addition of dairy products using fermenting lactic acid microorganisms. Mass fraction of milk fat in sour cream is at least 10 percent.

Composition of natural sour cream: cream and sourdough.

On the sour cream packaging there should be an inscription: “The number of lactic acid microorganisms - not less than 1x107 CFU / g”. Moreover, this norm is indicated at the end of the shelf life. To be honest: in my experience, their quantity does not always correspond to the norm at the end of the shelf life - lactic acid bacteria are very capricious and die during storage of sour cream.Therefore, at the stage of making sour cream, manufacturers add these beneficial microorganisms with a large margin - up to 1x1010 CFU / g, or even more.

If you want to please your gastrointestinal tract with beneficial microorganisms - buy freshly made sour cream.

After buying, at home, pay attention to the organoleptic characteristics of the sour cream. Externally, sour cream is a homogeneous thick mass with a glossy surface

With a mass fraction of fat from 10% to 20%, an insufficiently thick, slightly viscous consistency with a slight graininess is allowed. If you feel powdery, this may indicate that starch was added to the sour cream to obtain the desired consistency.

How to determine if starch has been added to sour cream and other lactic acid products? Here is the simplest and most well-known method. Add a drop of iodine to a tablespoon of sour cream and stir. If the sour cream turns blue, then starch is present in the product, if it turns yellowish, then the product is natural. This home starch detection method can be applied to all dairy and fermented milk products.

The color of high-quality sour cream is white with a cream shade, uniform throughout the mass, and in no way yellow. Even sour cream with a fat mass fraction of 40% or more should not have a yellow color - otherwise it contains either dyes or vegetable fats.

Although, in accordance with GOST, the shelf life of sour cream from the end of the technological process is set by the manufacturer, personally I believe that it is optimal to store sour cream for up to 14 days in the refrigerator. Do not forget about the shelf life after opening the package.

Avoid sour cream, which has a deformed packaging, its integrity is violated - it is teeming with microbes. Buy sour cream in those chains where the temperature storage conditions are observed.

Signs of spoilage in a dairy product

If the expiration date has ended, sour cream is allowed to be used for another 3 days for making the dough. The effect of high temperature helps to neutralize pathogenic bacteria.

The following manifestations indicate complete deterioration of the product:

• intense sour smell;
• heterogeneous consistency;
• slimy texture;
• bitterness in taste;
• yellowish or gray spots;
• musty smell.

Even if one sign is revealed, the consumption of sour cream will have to be abandoned. Otherwise, there is a risk of severe deterioration in health. Sour cream storage has a number of features. Thanks to strict adherence to the recommendations of specialists, it is possible to avoid undesirable consequences for health.

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How to understand that the stew has gone bad

Eating an expired product or stewed meat with damaged packaging can be deadly, since in both of these cases, poisons accumulate in the jar.

Despite the fact that most of the canned food is edible and after the expiration date indicated by the manufacturer on the package, it is best to avoid it if possible. In the process of storage, store sellers or the consumer himself could violate some of the rules, which could lead to product spoilage.

When purchasing stew, you should pay attention to the tightness and integrity of the container. Even if there is one spot of corrosion, it is worth giving up the purchase, as this may indicate the ingress of moisture into the product, which leads to deterioration of the product

Watch a video on how much stew can be stored

Shelf life of homemade sour cream

Homemade sour cream is much more useful even than the store sour cream that is not pasteurized and does not contain additional thickeners or artificial ingredients.

But the shelf life (and with it the storage) of such sour cream is lower. The maximum period is 3-7 days from the moment of preparation. It will be stored longer if you put it in a temperature below zero, but it is still recommended to use only fresh sour cream.

Storage rules and periods

To preserve sour cream, you must follow a number of recommendations. This allows for excellent results.

In fridge

To store sour cream for a long time, it should be kept in the refrigerator. It is permissible to put a closed container on the middle shelf. It is placed away from the back wall. It is recommended to store open sour cream differently:

• take a dry and clean jar;
• move sour cream out of a glass or bag - this is done with a clean and dry spoon;
• close the jar with the washed lid and move it to the refrigerator for storage.

If you put the product in a glass container, it is allowed to store it for 2-3 days. Usually, the packaging contains information on how much sour cream is allowed to be stored after opening the container. Usually it is recommended to eat it a day.

Without refrigerator

At + 8-10 degrees, sour cream will turn sour after 5-6 hours. In an open container, it will deteriorate after 1 hour. The warmer it is in the room, the faster the product will turn sour.

To increase the shelf life to 1 day, you can do the following:

1. Transfer the product to a dry and clean glass or ceramic jar.
2. Fill a saucepan with cool water.
3. Lower the container with the fermented milk product and cover it with a damp cloth. It must be natural. The edge of the material must be immersed in water.
4. Place the pot in a cool place. It should not be exposed to sunlight.

If it is possible to move the container to the cellar, the shelf life of the sour cream will increase. In this way, it will be possible to maintain its freshness for up to 2 days.

Freezing

If necessary, it is permissible to freeze sour cream for up to 3 months. The product does not deteriorate at low temperatures. However, it should be borne in mind that its taste deteriorates, and the consistency becomes liquid. Sour cream that was in the freezer can be used for baking. It is also allowed to make sauces and ice cream from it. Before freezing, experts recommend whipping this product well. Thanks to this, it will be possible to achieve an even distribution of moisture and obtain a dense consistency.

In a vacuum container

This storage method helps to increase the shelf life by 3-5 times. This is ensured by the absence of oxygen in the container and by preventing the development of microbes.