Abu Dhabi's Food Safety Authority has warned consumers against storing large quantities of fresh and frozen food at home during the month of Ramadan, emphasizing that "a home refrigerator is not designed for long-term food storage, but rather for short-term preservation before consumption." The authority outlined six health, economic, and community rules for the optimal handling of leftover food during the holy month, the most important of which is that cooked food can be safely stored in the refrigerator for between two to five days.
Additionally, they encouraged contacting the nearest center or organization for donating edible leftover food to help those in need, rather than throwing it away. In detail, the authority launched a campaign under the hashtag #SaveItFirst, urging families and community members to properly handle excess food. They advised quickly cooling leftover food after Iftar and placing it in the refrigerator, reheating it thoroughly before consuming it during Suhoor, and trying to avoid reheating the same food item multiple times.
Through the informative campaign, six health, economic, and community rules for managing leftover food were identified to yield the best benefits:
1. Cooked food can be kept in the refrigerator for two to five days.
2. Tags should be placed on the food to indicate the date it was put in the fridge to track storage duration.
3. Foods should be reheated thoroughly before consumption (depending on the type of food).
4. Contact the nearest center or organization to donate edible leftovers to those in need, instead of discarding them.
5. Consumers can benefit from excess soft fruits by turning them into juices or jams instead of wasting them.
6. Extra vegetables can be utilized to make soup rather than letting them spoil.
The authority urged consumers to quickly dispose of food if there are doubts about its safety, as the cost of health issues that may arise from consumption far exceeds the financial value of the food. They stated, "Leftover food stored in the refrigerator should be checked daily to eliminate spoiled items, which can be detected by noticeable changes in appearance or smell, or even just feeling uncertain about the food's safety."
They also called for attention to be paid to the labels on food packages to understand how to store them properly, as manufacturers often provide the best storage instructions. Consumers were encouraged to store eggs in their original packaging in the refrigerator, rather than in the door, where temperatures can be higher. The campaign promotion also highlighted the importance of washing hands before handling ready-to-eat foods to avoid potential contamination.
Furthermore, it was highlighted that the home refrigerator is not intended for long-term food storage, and thus, consumers should avoid purchasing excessive quantities of food above their actual needs. It is also important to head home directly after shopping to prevent food from being exposed to conditions that may compromise its quality and shelf life, especially for perishable items like meat, poultry, and fish. They suggested using cooler bags for transporting such items.
The "basic rule" for home food storage focuses on quickly storing perishable foods and setting the refrigerator temperature to 40°F (5°C) and the freezer to 0°F (-18°C), ensuring the refrigerator operates within the appropriate temperature range. They noted that non-frozen meat and poultry can be kept in the fridge for one to two days, provided they are wrapped in plastic to prevent juices from contaminating other foods, and it's important to ensure that food is securely sealed before freezing, as air in the freezer can cause undesirable changes in the food.
