Storage rules for salads subject to terms and conditions

The shelf life of ready-made salads is significantly affected not only by the conditions of the dish, but also by the approach to the preliminary processing of the ingredients. If, according to the standards at public catering establishments, a seasoned mixture of components can be stored, both at room temperature and in the refrigerator, for no more than half an hour, then at home, slightly different indicators are used.

Regardless of the composition of the dish, the maximum shelf life does not exceed a day, and if the mixture is seasoned with mayonnaise or other sauce, then the bill will go by the clock. The only exception is seaweed salad, which can retain its freshness for months and not pose a health risk.

How to Store Salads in the Refrigerator - Highlights

Some housewives consider refrigeration units a salvation from all problems and fearlessly cut whole basins of salads or their components, leaving them without dressing. In fact, in dishes such as olivier and herring under a fur coat, not only mayonnaise acts as a perishable component, but also eggs, cucumbers, peas, fish. Even the potato darkens after a few hours, and in all components the rapid reproduction of pathogenic microflora begins.

To reduce the risk of poisoning or indigestion to a minimum, the following rules must be observed when storing ready-made salads or their components in the refrigerator:

1. A dish of products that have not undergone heat treatment or preservatives, seasoned with oil, can be removed in a glass jar, covered with a lid and put on the top shelf. Then the salad will retain its freshness and original appearance for 2-3 hours. It is also recommended to do with components intended for olivier or herring under a fur coat. Manipulation will extend the freshness and shelf life of the components up to 12 hours.
2. In summertime, not dressed salads, even in the refrigerator, it is recommended to keep no more than 6-12 hours. Environmental conditions are such that although the components do not turn sour during this time, the activity of pathogenic bacteria will be quite high. This is enough to cause indigestion in a child or an elderly person.
3. To store components or ready meals in the refrigerator, it is recommended to use glass or plastic dishes. In some cases, you can do with stainless steel products. In this case, aluminum is categorically not suitable; it reacts with products, causing them to spoil.
4. In the winter months, salads such as mimosa, olivier and herring under a fur coat can lie in the cold for up to a day. Refilled product - no more than 18 hours.
5. Meat and fish dishes, provided that they have not been seasoned with mayonnaise, are stored for no more than 16-18 hours at a temperature not exceeding 4 ° C.

Experts recommend abandoning the habit of keeping the product on a balcony with minus temperature. Such an approach will indeed significantly extend the shelf life of the composition, but will negatively affect its taste and decorative properties. Juicy components are completely frozen, and when thawed, they will give a liquid that can spoil the texture and appearance of the mixture.

How much and how can I store a salad with mayonnaise, sour cream, olive oil?

Despite the fact that on average the shelf life of salads with various dressings is approximately the same, some points can affect how much and where to keep the product:

• Sour cream, even natural, begins to turn sour after half an hour at room temperature. In the refrigerator, this period does not greatly increase. For this reason, olivier, herring under a fur coat, and even fresh vegetables with this ingredient can only be seasoned after the harvest is laid out on plates. Whatever the period of use on the product packaging is indicated, after opening the container, it is reduced to 6-10 hours, and when shifting the sauce into a new container - up to 3 hours.
• In the case of mayonnaise, the terms are slightly increased, but still do not exceed 6 hours. The mass can be stored for longer without any risk to health, but its taste properties will noticeably suffer.

Tip: Even professional chefs and nutritionists believe that it is more appropriate to use ready-made mayonnaise with preservatives to fill salads, rather than a natural home-made product. This will slightly extend the storage time of olivier or herring under a fur coat.

• Olive and other unrefined vegetable oils are a good preservative, but not in the case of salads. Reacting with the chemical constituents of the components, such refueling only accelerates the process of their destruction. Store salads seasoned with vegetable oil-based sauces are generally not recommended. At room temperature it is better not to keep them longer than 1-2 hours.

To assess the quality of the salad, you need to inspect it, move it to one side of the container. If the appearance, smell and texture have not changed, and no liquid has appeared on the empty part of the container, you can try and serve the dish.

Shelf life of seaweed salad

In the case of seaweed salad, no rules apply, even when it comes to the finished dish. The main thing is to carefully read the rules of use and the date of manufacture of the product, recommendations for storage temperature. It is strongly not recommended to purchase compounds with preservatives; seaweed fibers do not need them. Such components do not so much extend the shelf life of products as they neutralize useful components.

Opened or personally prepared using a dried component seaweed salad must be consumed within 3 months. At the same time, it is better to store it in the refrigerator, at a temperature of 3-4ºС. Before opening, it is correct to preserve the preserved composition at room temperature, preserves in the refrigerator. After opening in both cases, a dish of seaweed must be consumed within two days. Storage to the freezer can extend this period up to 1 month.

Features storage of vegetable and fruit salads

Salads made from fresh fruits or vegetables are least stored. Ideally, they should be consumed immediately after preparation. Despite this, there are several nuances, compliance with which will slightly extend the freshness of the components:

1. You can only cook from carefully dried ingredients without the slightest sign of moisture. Mixing container and tools should also be absolutely dry and cool.
2. Ingredients such as boiled eggs and various preservatives should be introduced into the dish last, just before serving. They need to be cut quite large.
3. If there is a need to briefly hold the finished dish, then it is recommended to lay its bottom with a paper towel. The finished composition also needs to be covered with a paper product and lightly pressed to the surface. Then wrap the container with film and cover with a lid.
4. Refueling can also be prepared in advance, but it will have to be stored in an airtight container.
5. If the time of use is delayed, then every three hours the container with salad needs to be checked. We change wet towels, mix the components.
6. In the case of fruit, it is recommended that you first lay out each component in a colander so that excess juice drains.
7. Sliced ​​apples, pears and other ingredients prone to darkening should be sprinkled with citrus juice. This will not only preserve their attractive appearance, but also add a subtle aroma.
8. The dish will have a pleasant and clear texture if the components (fruits or vegetables) are pre-soaked for several minutes in ice water.

Compliance with the recommendations for the preparation of fruit and vegetable salads allows you to increase their shelf life from several hours to 5-7 days without the risk of loss of taste.