Home Best Recipes.com |

Foods can be classified as perishable, semi-perishable, and non-perishable. Perishable foods are those that spoil easily unless there is some means of preserving them. Milk, meat, fish, and juicy foods like mangoes and tomatoes are perishable. Semi-perishable foods keep for a limited time. They do not spoil readily and can be kept for several months by common storage methods. Foods of this class are mature potatoes, beets, carrots and garlic. The non-perishable foods are foods which can be stored for an indefinite lenght of time. These include rice, oatmeal, dried beans such as mongo, and bulgur wheat.

Perishable foods keep best at low temperatures usually just above the freezing point. However, if refrigeration is not available, then these foods should be bought only as needed. The semi-perishable foods are best kept in a dark, dry, cool place. A dry atmosphere keeps bacteria and other microorganisms from growing, while low temperature and exclusion of light prevents growth among such foods as potatoes and onions. Non-perishable foods should be stored in a dry, airtight containers so that bugs and insects cannot get in.

By using the proper storage methods, no food will be wasted and your food money will have been spent wisely.

Canned foods are not used very often here in the Philippines, but they are used often enough to make it necessary for us to know how to purchase them.

The best and most complete guide to buying canned goods is the label on the can. The labels tell you the brand name, the contents, the address and name of the manufacturer, the weight or liquid measure of the contents, and the ingredients. Occasionally, recipes using the contents are given. The label also gives the style or form of the canned product. For example, it tells whether the pineapple is crushed, sliced, diced or cubed; if corn is whole kernel or cream style.

The large economy size in canned products is economical only if you can use the entire amount at once or in the very near future. Once out of the can, the food is subject to spoilage.

A bulging or leaking can is a sign a that the food inside is damaged. However, slight dents or stains on the label of the can will not harm the contents.

Read the rest of this entry »