Meat storage has always been important to us and the previous generations. In the traditional days of old, men and women were aware of the importance of proper food storage in order to ensure the prevention of food spoilage. Meat storage, in particular, is very crucial. People would smoke their meat to ensure that it survives harsh cold weathers. In our present age, we have become aware of the prevention of invasion or proliferation of microorganisms by properly storing our food items at the right temperature. Modern meat such as pork, veal, poultry, and many others solely depend upon refrigeration or freezing in order to prevent spoilage.

Meat comes from animals that carry bacteria which often make us sick. For this reason, storing meat safely to prevent the growth of any bacteria that may be present is crucial. Bacteria can increasingly multiply and cause food spoilage making consumption unsafe. Because of this, keeping meat cold enough to prevent bacterial growth is crucial. Bacteria that cause food spoilage, grows best at environmental temperatures of seventy degrees to a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, your refrigerator should be between thirty-four degrees and forty degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria grow extremely slowly, if at all in this range.

Meat Refrigeration Guidelines

- Store meat in the coolest part of the refrigerator

In most refrigerators, the coolest spot is in the deepest region where the chill prevails even when you open and close the door. Meat should be kept for as little time as possible within the risk span of five degrees Celsius to fifty-seven degrees Celsius. Let meat thaw slowly in the refrigerator.

- Combat Oxygen

Oxygen is the reason for a deterioration in quality when you store meat for longer periods in the refrigerator or freezer. A marinade or thin layer of olive oil protects the meat from spoilage. Any layer of fat also serves this function.

Most Common Meat Refrigeration Guidelines

Pork

You can keep fresh pork in the fridge for up to one day and for up to seven days within a Biofresh Compartment. You can also store pork in the freezer. The meat should be sealed in an airtight, date-marked freezer bag while freezing and should be stored at -18°c. Pork meat is usually stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Veal

Fresh veal can be kept for up to a day in the fridge and can stay for up to 7 days in a BioFresh Compartment. The meat should be sealed in an airtight date-marked freezer bag and stored at -18°C. However, it is better stored in a vacuum sealed bag. Veal can last in the freezer for up to 12 months.

Lamb

You can store fresh lamb in the refrigerator for a day as well. It is however best to dry it with kitchen roll, place it on a plate and then cover it with foil. If your refrigerator has a BioFresh compartment you can store it in it for seven days.

Poultry

Fresh poultry meat should be stored on a grille on a plate and covered with foil or food wrap. It can be kept in a fridge for a day and in a BioFresh compartment for up to six days. Making use of a grille ensures that the meat does not sit on its own juices.

Assuming all meat will have a degree of bacteria that in volume can cause foodborne illness is very important. This is why it is essential to keep meats, steaks, and roast in storage at the right temperatures in order to prevent rapid meat spoilage.