An estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food is thrown away in the UK each year which is a staggering amount considering the amount of food banks which are located across the country.
The statistic has thereby made the nation the highest producer of food waste in Europe.
This is according to the UK’s leading waste management company, Business Waste. They also found around 60 percent of the nation’s food waste comes from households.
Salah Sun, head of product management at Beko UK, said: “You will be surprised by how much you can reduce your food waste by storing food properly.
“From avoiding cross-contamination of products to rotating soon-to-expire food items to the front of the fridge, there’s a lot you can do to help.”
There’s plenty more that you can do to better organise your refrigerator including putting the right ingredients on the correct shelves.
What goes where in the fridge
Different foods need to be stored in different parts of the fridge to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and food poisoning. Additionally, proper organisation can help prevent spoilage and make items easier to find.
But do you know which foods should go on each shelf of your fridge?
Top shelf:
Foods that don’t need to be kept too chilled or are ready to eat should be stored on the top shelf of a fridge, as this part of the appliance is typically less cold than other compartments.
Store these foods here:
· Deli meats
· Desserts
· Dips
Middle shelf:
The middle shelf of the fridge is cooler than the top shelf but not as cold as the bottom shelf, making it the ideal place to store dairy products.
Store these foods here:
· Cheese
· Yoghurt
· Butter
· Eggs
· Milk
Some fridge freezers feature a dedicated dairy compartment. This drawer is specially designed to keep butter, yoghurt, and cheese fresh by maintaining an optimal temperature of zero degrees Celsius.
Bottom shelf:
As the bottom shelf is the coldest part of a fridge, this is where individuals should place any raw food. Keeping these products here will prevent juices from running down and causing cross-contamination.
Store these foods here:
· Raw meat
· Poultry
· Fish
Drawers:
Also known as crispers, the drawers in the fridge are designed to increase humidity and alter airflow, creating ideal conditions for storing fruit and vegetables.
Just ensure these two types of produce are kept separate, as certain fruits emit ethylene that can speed up the ripening of vegetables, causing them to decay prematurely.
Store these foods here:
· Fruit
· Vegetables
· Salads
· Fresh herbs
