On this day, when Ms. Li was cleaning up the refrigerator, she found an unopened jar of honey in the corner of the refrigerator. Looking at the production date, it was almost two years ago.
Ms. Li scratched her hair and couldn't remember when she bought this jar of honey, but after 2 years, it was probably expired, so Ms. Li planned to pack it up and throw it away. It happened that her husband saw it and quickly stopped Ms. Li: "It's a good jar of honey. Why throw it away?"
"It's been almost 2 years and I'm afraid it has gone bad."
"Oh! Honey won't go bad. "Besides, you haven't opened it yet, it's well preserved, feel free to eat it..."
Listening to her husband's words, Ms. Li was even more puzzled: Is there food that will never spoil?
In fact, Ms. Li My husband is right. The shelf life of many foods is actually very long. Some foods have a shelf life that is even "permanent." Only by recognizing these foods can we avoid wasting them as much as possible in our daily lives.
The shelf life of these four foods is: "permanent", don't throw them away
The first type : high-concentration, high-quality honey
The reason why honey will not go bad is because it contains ultra-high concentration of honey. Whether it is sugar or salt, as long as the concentration is too high, creating an environment with high osmotic pressure, no matter it is bacteria or microorganisms, there is no way to survive in honey.
Lack of bacteria and microbial decay processes, honey can naturally have a "permanent" shelf life. However, it should be noted that the prerequisite for the "permanent" shelf life of honey is high concentration and high quality. If it is diluted honey water, or non-pure honey, there is still a possibility of short-term deterioration, so pay attention to avoid ingesting expired food.
The second type : edible vinegar
such as white vinegar, mature vinegar and so on. On the one hand, vinegar itself has evolved through further fermentation, and there is no possibility of secondary deterioration; on the other hand, vinegar contains acetic acid, and the acidic environment further inhibits the growth of bacteria and microorganisms, so it basically does not deteriorate.
The third type : Liquor
Friends who are familiar with wine know that the longer the wine is stored and the higher the degree of fermentation, the more fragrant and mellow the flavor will be. And because of the presence of alcohol, it is also difficult for bacteria and microorganisms to reproduce in it.
However, not all wine will not deteriorate. Generally speaking, only when the alcohol content exceeds 15% can it have a sterilizing effect.
Therefore, for example, cocktails, wine, beer, etc., all have the possibility of spoilage. If the wine deteriorates more, there will be more turbid sediments in it. If you find a similar situation, it is better to throw it away in time.
The fourth type : salt, sugar condiments
For example, single condiments such as salt and sugar have a simple sugar environment or salt environment inside. As mentioned above, it is difficult for bacteria to survive in them. Therefore, sugar and salt condiments also have a "permanent" shelf life.
According to the food labeling method promulgated on September 1, 2008, it is clearly stated that table salt and white sugar do not need to be marked with a shelf life . As long as there is no water or other special circumstances, you can eat it with confidence.
To sum up, the shelf life of the four kinds of food can be called "permanent". If you accidentally see these things hidden at home in the future, don't throw them away casually. But having said that, the "permanent" shelf life also has a prerequisite, that is, the storage environment must meet the standards. Even food that does not spoil will still be at risk of spoilage if placed in a humid or dirty environment.
Therefore, the concept of properly preserving food is very important. To extend the storage time of food, you should also follow some storage techniques
To extend the storage time of food, you might as well try these three methods
Method 1: Isolate the outside world as much as possible
Food spoilage The main reason is bacterial and microbial contamination. Being isolated from the outside world as much as possible can ensure that there are fewer bacteria and microorganisms remaining on the food surface, and the shelf life of the food can naturally be extended.
For example, putting a layer of bags on top of uneaten food, or covering it with a layer of fresh-keeping film, are both good choices.
Method 2: Low-temperature refrigeration
is also commonly known as "putting it in the refrigerator". The reproduction of most bacteria and microorganisms will be inhibited in a low-temperature environment. Therefore, low-temperature refrigeration is the simplest and most direct way to extend the shelf life.
However, this does not mean that no bacteria can survive in the refrigerator. For example, Listeria , Aspergillus flavus , etc. can still reproduce at a normal speed in the refrigerator. Once ingested, it is easy to cause poisoning and even cancer risk. Even if the food is taken out of the refrigerator, it is necessary to observe whether it has spoiled before using it.
Method three: isolates oxygen
also uses the growth characteristics of microorganisms and bacteria. Reproduction requires oxygen. When preserving food, try to empty the air in the bag, or use a special vacuum machine to drain it. The lack of oxygen inside the storage space also prevents microorganisms and bacteria from multiplying.
In short, not all foods have a clear "shelf life". The correct approach is to store and select according to the type to avoid blindly throwing away waste. In daily food storage, you can also extend the shelf life of food according to the growth patterns of bacteria and microorganisms, which can also make life more convenient and health more secure.
Reference:
[1] Ruan Guangfeng. These 7 foods have no "shelf life", the longer they are stored, the better?. 2021.
[2] Michal, Hala?ka, Roman, et al. From farm to fridge: Milk carton 'sell-by' dates may become more precise[C]// International Conference on Computer & Information Sciences. 0.
