Food waste is an integral part of people’s daily lives, and there are many easy-to-implement, free techniques for limiting it. Food waste not only represents a loss for the household economy, but also contributes to the degradation of our planet and therefore, of our nature. In this article, discover some tips for preserving products to avoid waste.
Opt for better storage depending on product type
To avoid waste, it’s crucial to know the ideal storage method for each product you buy.
Here are some useful tips that you can implement today without spending more:
- Plunge citrus fruits into salted water with a vervain leaf to preserve them better.
- Storing meats in salt, wrapped in cling film, is the best way to preserve their quality.
- Avoid seasoning cooked vegetables, which should preferably be vacuum-packed to enable later use (in gratin, soup or pie).
- Store unwashed fresh vegetables and fruit in the crisper. In fact, washing accelerates ripening and decay.
- Store or buy dairy products in small containers, especially if you don’t consume a lot of them.
🚨 When it comes to storing food in the fridge, it’s important to know how to optimize storage. Fragile foods should not be placed at the bottom of the fridge, as they could be damaged by the wall.
🖊️ Please note:
- Onions, squash, avocados and potatoes prefer to be stored in the open air, away from the sun.
- Fruits and vegetables should preferably be eaten within a week of purchase.
Choosing product dehydration for optimum preservation
Dehydration is an effective technique that removes water from food to prevent the mold process from developing. It’s a low-cost, easy-to-make solution for preserving products.
To do this, simply cut the products to be dried finely. The process consists of drying them in an oven at 65°C for several hours, and then preserving them for 3 to 6 months. As an added bonus, this drying method preserves the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, while evaporating the water they contain.
💡 For aromatic herbs, simply compose small bunches, then hang them by the roots, covering them with a perforated paper bag. All in the shade!
Prefer frozen foods for a longer shelf life
Freezing is an inescapable recourse to avoid throwing away certain foods that have reached their use-by date. Products should be stored in freezer bags or airtight boxes to extend shelf life.
It’s also a handy trick for storing large quantities of ready-made meals or important leftovers. This technique is very effective before you go on vacation, so that when you return, your meals are ready to eat.
🖊️ Please note:
- To preserve the nutritional and taste quality of our products, they must be hermetically sealed.
- Thawing in the microwave or refrigerator should be preferred to thawing at room temperature.
⚠️ Thawed food must never be refrozen.
Know how to preserve products using heat to avoid wastage
This is the most suitable treatment for preserving food over the long term, and there are a number of different processes for achieving this.
Pasteurization
Pasteurization destroys spoilage and pathogenic micro-organisms. This technique subjects food to a temperature of between 85 and 100°C for a set period, followed by sudden cooling. This method preserves food quality and flavor. Pasteurized products should be kept in a cool place, with a best-before date.
Sterilization
Sterilization involves heat treatment at temperatures in excess of 100°C. The aim of this operation is to destroy microbes, so as to guarantee the stability of treated products at room temperature.
UHT (ultra-high temperature) treatment
This method of food preservation is particularly suitable for dairy products. This involves heating the product to a temperature in excess of 135°C for 1 to 5 seconds, followed by immediate cooling.
👉 Next comes aseptic packaging. This technique is suitable for long-term storage at room temperature.
Learn about alternative food preservation techniques to stop food waste
Salting
Salting is simply preserving with salt, which is sprinkled directly on the surface of the food. It is used in particular in the cheese and charcuterie sectors. This method of preserving food with salt is also used to preserve certain species of fish, such as herring and salmon.
Brining
Brining is also a salt-based process, but involves immersing the product to be treated in a salt water solution. The food to be preserved is immersed in a mixture of salt, water, herbs and sugar. In some cases, authorized additives may be incorporated into the device.
Techniques and tricks for preserving foodstuffs are generally very inexpensive and not very time-consuming. On the other hand, they are good for your health, for the fight against waste and for the environment. So, when do you start?
To take effective action against food waste, download an anti-waste app and keep up to date with Freshopp news and our best anti-waste tips on our Facebook page!
⏭️ Read also: Anti-waste practices outside France: what are our neighbors doing?