6
The refrigerator compart-
ment
Fresh food refrigeration
The coldest area of the refrigerator is the lower part,
above the fruit and vegetable drawer.
For the best performance from your refrigerator,
always follow these rules:
■
never put hot drinks or food into the refrigerator,
leave them to cool at room temperature first
■
cover food, especially if strong smelling
■
space out the food so that the air can circulate
freely around it
■
don't block air circulation by covering the gap
between the front part of the shelves and the
back.
To help you use your refrigerator correctly, here are
some more useful hints:
Raw meat (beef, pork, lamb & wild fowl): wrap in
polythene bags and place on top of the salad
crisper.
Meat can only be stored safely in this way for
one or two days at the most.
Fruit & vegetables: these should be thoroughly
cleaned and placed in the bottom salad crisper.
Butter & cheese: these should be placed in special
airtight containers or wrapped in aluminium foil or
polythene bags to exclude as much air as possible.
Milk bottles: these should have a cap and should
be stored in the bottle rack on the door.
The walls of the refrigerator are equipped with run-
ners so that shelves can be positioned as desired.
For greater use of the space, the front of the shelf
can be folded onto the rear of the shelf.
Helpful hygiene tips
■
Always wash your hands with soapy water and
dry them with a clean towel before handling food.
■
Keep work surfaces clean and avoid cross conta-
mination by not using the same work surface for
raw and cooked food without washing it thor-
oughly in between.
■
Use clean kitchen roll wherever possible for
clearing up food. If you use a dishcloth be sure to
boil it frequently.
■
Regularly remove suspect food from your refrig-
erator and clean the interior with a solution of
bicarbonate of soda in warm water (5 ml to 0.5
litre of water). Never allow spills to dry and hard-
en.
■
Regularly check the refrigerator door seal to
ensure that it is clean and free from debris.
■
Make sure that food is used before its «best
before» date.
■
Cool food as quickly as possible but don't place
in refrigerator or freezer until cool. (Leave food in
a place as cool as possible in order that it can be
placed in the refrigerator or freezer without
delay).
■
Do not store food uncovered.
■
Do not mix raw and cooked meat, they must be
in separate containers. Take care not to let the
meat juices drip onto other food. If the meat does
drip, remove everything and clean thoroughly.
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