Introduction
As temperatures rise, food becomes more vulnerable to spoilage. Bacteria multiply faster, proteins get easily contaminated, and vegetables and fruits wilt or ferment within hours. Heat, humidity, and sugars create the perfect cocktail for microorganisms causing foodborne illnesses. In this season, properly preserving what you eat is not a luxury or obsession but a public health necessity.
Chef Mariana Orozco Shares Essential Food Preservation Tips
Chef Mariana Orozco, author of the zero-waste cookbook “Cocina mucho, desperdicia poco y ahorra más” and an ambassador against food waste, offers guidance to avoid common mistakes that could lead to costly consequences during hot weather.
“The real culprit isn’t what’s inside the fridge; it’s how long you leave food outside before refrigerating,” she explains. “People often underestimate the impact of two hours of heat on a hot pot.”
Maintaining the Cold Chain: Often Overlooked
Even though refrigerators maintain temperatures between 4 and 5 degrees Celsius, food deterioration begins before it reaches the fridge. From market to home, poultry and seafood can only be left unrefrigerated for 30 minutes. “After 30 minutes, poultry starts to spoil,” Mariana states. “For seafood, the margin is only 20 minutes.” Therefore, she advises purchasing proteins last while ensuring immediate refrigeration without delays.
Structural Issues: Lack of Ice and Refrigerators
The absence of ice at market stalls and refrigerators in poultry shops poses a structural problem. “As consumers, we should demand safe conditions for the food we consume,” Mariana suggests. “For instance, only buy chicken from stalls with ice both underneath and on top to maintain a proper temperature and prevent spoilage.” She also encourages freezing as much as possible, cooking only what’s needed, and regularly checking the condition of food at home.
Can Hot Food Be Stored in the Fridge?
Yes, but there’s a trick. While hot food itself doesn’t suffer, changing the internal thermal balance can ruin already stored items. The solution: quickly cool cooked food before refrigerating.
- Divide portions: Separate large quantities into smaller containers for faster cooling.
- Use ice baths: Place containers in an ice water bath to accelerate cooling without compromising safety.
- For soups: Introduce a resealable silicone bag with ice into the liquid to lower temperature without diluting it.
Freezing: A Valuable Ally
“Congelation is the most effective home preservation method,” Orozco asserts. “Almost anything can be frozen: soups, stews, blanched vegetables, chopped fruits, raw doughs, and even tortillas.” Key points to remember:
- Cool before freezing. Never freeze something hot.
- Use proper containers. Avoid filling containers to the brim to allow for expansion.
- Remove air. In airtight bags, removing air prevents freezer burn.
- Portion by portions. Freeze in individual or family-sized portions, so you only defrost what you’ll use.
When defrosting, never do it at room temperature. Move items from the freezer to the refrigerator a day ahead or use the microwave’s defrost setting if immediate is required.
Key Summer Preservation Tips (Beyond the Fridge)
Buy less, but more frequently. Plan meals well and avoid large purchases that could spoil before use.
Preserving fruits and vegetables: Classify them by ripeness level and water content. High-water content items (like strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce, or zucchini) should be refrigerated immediately and consumed soon. Products like potatoes, onions, or carrots last longer and can be stored outside the fridge in a cool, dry place. Mariana Orozco recommends storing fresh herbs like flowers: in a glass with water, covered with a bag in the refrigerator. And one final tip: never wash fruits and vegetables before storing; do it only before consumption. Moisture accelerates decomposition.
Cooked food: The habit of “letting them cool to room temperature” can be dangerous. “Two hours in these temperatures are enough for a pot of beans to become a health risk,” Mariana affirms. Thus, she recommends speeding up the cooling process, refrigerating as soon as temperatures drop, and never leaving leftovers out overnight.
She also invites rethinking what we consider normal: “We’ve become so accustomed to bad practices that some believe chicken always smells bad or that everything must be overcooked to avoid getting sick. In reality, we’re correcting mistakes made from the purchasing stage.”
