There are a number of guidelines that need to be followed in order to ensure you are storing food in your fridge & freezer in a safe manner, and to also increase the lifespan of the food. We have outlined some of the main points you will need to consider.

Follow these guidelines!

•    Aim to keep the coldest part of the fridge between 0°C and 5°C.

•    The temperature of a household freezer should be set at a steady -18/-19°C, and industrial freezers should be set at around -21/-22°C

•    Keep a fridge thermometer in the coldest part of the fridge and check the temperature regularly.

•    Freezing food stops the growth of bacteria, it does not kill it. So if the freezer gets too warm bacteria can start to grow again. Let the freezer reach its optimum temperature before use.

•    Transport chilled and frozen food as quickly as possible and put them in the fridge or freezer straight away.

•    If frozen food has been taken out of the freezer it should be allowed to defrost and should not be re-frozen.

•    Wrap or cover all raw or uncooked foods so that they can’t touch or drip on to other foods and contaminate them.

•    Don’t overload the fridge: the cooling air that circulates to keep the fridge cold gets blocked and pockets of warm air form.

•    Don’t put hot food in the fridge – let it cool first.

•    Empty any part-used Can into a bowl and cover it before putting it in the fridge, otherwise the tin may contaminate the food.

•    It’s important not to overload your fridge. Unlike freezers, which work more efficiently when packed with food, fridges should not be overloaded.

•    Remember to keep the door open for as short a time as possible. Opening the fridge or freezer door warms up the air inside.

•    Remember although water freezes at 0 Celsius most foods require much lower temperatures to freeze.