Dacor Integrated IF36BNDFSF - Food Storage Tips

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fo o d st o r a g e ti p s
fr e s h fo o d st o r a g e
• Thefreshfoodcompartmentofarefrigeratorshouldbekept
between34°-40°F(1°-4°C)withanoptimumtemperatureof
37° F (3° C). To check the temperature, place an appliance
thermometer in a glass of water and place in the center of the
refrigerator.Checkafter24hours.Ifthetemperatureisabove
40°F(4°C)adjustthecontrolsasexplainedonpage3.
• Avoidovercrowdingtherefrigeratorshelves.Thisreduces
the circulation of air around the food and results in uneven
cooling.
Fruits and Vegetables
• Storageinthecrisperdrawerstrapshumiditytohelppreserve
the fruit and vegetable quality for longer time periods (see
page 5).
• Sortfruitsandvegetablesbeforestorageandusebruisedor
soft items first. Discard those showing signs of decay.
• Alwayswrapodorousfoodssuchasonionsandcabbageso
the odor does not transfer to other foods.
• Whilevegetablesneedacertainamountofhumidityto
remain fresh, too much humidity can shorten storage times
(especially leafy vegetables). Drain vegetables well before
storing.
• Waittowashfreshproduceuntilrightbeforeuse.
Meat and Cheese
• Rawmeatandpoultryshouldbewrappedsecurelyso
leakage and contamination of other foods or surfaces does
not occur.
• Occasionallymoldwilldeveloponthesurfaceofhard
cheeses (Swiss, Cheddar, Parmesan). Cut off at least an
inch around and below the moldy area. Keep your knife or
instrument out of the mold itself. Do not try to save individual
cheese slices, soft cheese, cottage cheese, cream, sour
cream or yogurt when mold appears.
Dairy Food
• Mostdairyfoodssuchasmilk,yogurt,sourcreamand
cottage cheese have freshness dates on their cartons for
appropriate length of storage. Store these foods in the
original carton and refrigerate immediately after purchasing
and after each use.
fr o z e n fo o d st o r a g e
• Thefreezercompartmentofarefrigeratorshouldbekeptat
approximately 0° F (-18° C). To check the temperature, place
an appliance thermometer between the frozen packages and
checkafter24hours.Ifthetemperatureisabove0°F(-18°
C), adjust the control as described on pages 3.
• Afreezeroperatesmoreefficientlywhenitisatleasttwo-
thirds full.
Packaging Foods for Freezing
• Tominimizedehydrationandqualitydeteriorationuse
aluminum foil, freezer wrap, freezer bags or airtight
containers. Force as much air out of the packages as
possible and be sure they are tightly sealed. Trapped air can
cause the food to dry out, change color and develop an off-
flavor (freezer burn).
• Overwrapfreshmeatsandpoultrywithsuitablefreezerwrap
prior to freezing.
• Donotrefreezemeatthathascompletelythawed.
Loading the Freezer
• Avoidaddingtoomuchwarmfoodtothefreezeratonetime.
This overloads the freezer, slows the rate of freezing and can
raise the temperature of frozen foods.
• Leavespacebetweenthepackagessocoldaircancirculate
freely, allowing food to freeze as quickly as possible.
• Avoidstoringhard-to-freezefoodssuchasicecreamand
orange juice on the freezer door shelves. These foods are
best stored in the freezer interior where the temperature
varies less with door openings.
Refer to the Food Storage Chart on pages 11-12 for approximate
storage times.