The fridge isn't always the best place to store food. While cold temperatures can slow the spoilage of many foods, they can cause others to lose flavor, change texture, and even deteriorate faster.
Nine commonly used foods are better stored outside the fridge, nutritionists and food technologists told People magazine.
According to Joan Salge Blake, a registered dietitian and professor of nutrition at Boston University, refrigeration usually doesn't pose a safety issue, but it can significantly affect the taste. While berries, leafy greens, and mushrooms need to be refrigerated, other foods retain their characteristics better at moderate room temperature.
1. Honey
Honey is one of the products that does not need to be stored in the refrigerator. Thanks to its high sugar content and low water content, it can be stored for a long time under appropriate conditions.
However, low temperatures accelerate its crystallization. The glucose in honey begins to form crystals, causing the product to thicken, become cloudy, and take on a grainy texture.
According to Rosemary Trout, a food technologist at Drexel University, this does not mean that the honey has spoiled. Crystallized honey remains edible, but becomes more difficult to use.
The best place for it is a well-sealed container stored in a dry place at a moderate temperature.
2. Coffee beans and ground coffee
Storing coffee in the refrigerator is a common habit that does not always bring the expected benefits.
Coffee easily absorbs odors from the environment, and moisture and temperature fluctuations can negatively affect its aroma.
Dietitian Skyler Griggs recommends keeping coffee in a tightly closed container, in a cool, dry and dark place.
This limits its contact with air, moisture and foreign odors, which gradually change its taste characteristics.
3. Olive oil and vegetable oils
Olive oil, sunflower oil and other vegetable oils also do not need to be stored in the refrigerator under normal home conditions.
Under the influence of low temperatures, some of the fats in them begin to crystallize. As a result, the oil may become cloudy, thicken, or partially solidify.
This does not mean that the product has spoiled. After returning to room temperature, it usually restores its original consistency.
A bigger problem for the quality of vegetable oils is heat, light, and prolonged contact with oxygen. Therefore, the most suitable place to store them is a closed kitchen cabinet, away from the stove and direct sunlight.
4. Bread
Contrary to popular belief, the refrigerator is not the best way to keep bread fresh.
Low temperatures accelerate the process of starch retrogradation – a structural change that causes bread to lose its softness and become hard.
As a result, it can appear old and dry, although it is not necessarily spoiled.
For short-term storage, experts recommend that bread be kept at room temperature, well-wrapped and protected from excessive moisture.
If it will not be consumed soon, the better option is freezing. It slows down the processes that lead to loss of freshness.
However, it is important to distinguish between drying out and mold. In a warm and humid environment, bread can mold more quickly, even though it remains soft.
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are among the products in which refrigeration can noticeably change the taste.
At low temperatures, the ripening processes are slowed down, and the formation of some aromatic compounds is disrupted. This can make the tomatoes taste less flavorful and alter their characteristic juicy texture.
According to Joan Salge Blake, unripe tomatoes should be left at room temperature to reach their natural ripeness.
There is an important exception, however. If the tomatoes are already fully ripe and will not be eaten soon, short-term storage in the refrigerator can slow their spoilage.
For better flavor, it is recommended to leave refrigerated tomatoes for some time at room temperature before eating.
6. Onions
Whole onions are best stored in a dry, dark, and well-ventilated place.
Moisture in the refrigerator can contribute to softening and mold growth, especially if the onions are placed in improper packaging.
In addition, it releases strong aromatic substances that can easily be absorbed by other foods.
However, there is an important clarification here: chopped or peeled onions should be stored in the refrigerator, in a tightly closed container, and used promptly.
7. Potatoes
Potatoes also react to low temperatures.
When stored in the cold, some of their starch turns into sugars. This can change their taste and consistency, making them sweeter.
The change also matters during heat treatment. The increased content of reducing sugars can lead to more intense browning when frying and baking at high temperatures.
The most suitable place for storing raw potatoes is a cool, dark, dry and ventilated room.
Prolonged exposure to light should not be allowed, as this can cause greening and accumulation of unwanted substances.
8. Chocolate
Refrigeration can change the appearance and texture of chocolate.
With temperature fluctuations, the fats in it can undergo structural changes, resulting in a whitish coating on the surface.
This phenomenon is known as fatty graying of chocolate and does not in itself mean that the product is unsafe to eat.
Low temperatures and humidity can also affect the way chocolate melts in the mouth, as well as the feeling of smoothness.
It is best to store regular chocolate in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and strong odors.
In high summer temperatures, refrigeration may be necessary, but then it is important that the chocolate is well packaged to avoid condensation.
9. Unripe bananas
Bananas need the right temperature to ripen naturally.
At room temperature, enzymes gradually break down the starch in the fruit into simpler sugars. It is this process that makes ripe bananas sweeter and more flavorful.
Refrigerating green bananas slows down ripening and can lead to unwanted changes in texture.
That is why it is best to leave unripe fruits outside the refrigerator.
Once they have reached the desired ripeness, however, refrigeration can help slow down their further softening. The skin may darken, but this does not necessarily mean that the inside is spoiled.
When is a refrigerator still necessary?
Experts emphasize that proper storage depends not only on the type of food, but also on its ripeness, the method of processing and the conditions in the home.
During the hot months, for example, some products can spoil much faster on the kitchen counter than in a cool room.
It is also important to distinguish between whole and cut fruits and vegetables. After cutting, many products need refrigeration, even when they can be stored whole outside the refrigerator.
The basic rule is simple: low temperature is not a universal solution for preserving freshness. For some foods, it is necessary for safety, while for others it can deteriorate their taste, aroma and texture.