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SHELF-HELP GUIDE

Ten foods you’ve been storing wrong your whole life from eggs to cheese

IT’S crunch time for apples – if you keep them in the fridge, that is.
They last 70 days longer than if left out in a fruit bowl, says food charity Wrap.

So what else have we been storing incorrectly? SUSAN HILL reveals the best places to keep everyday foodstuffs.

We reveal the ten foods you've been storing wrong your whole life from eggs to cheese
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We reveal the ten foods you've been storing wrong your whole life from eggs to cheeseCredit: Getty

TOMATO SAUCE: Fridge or cupboard

KETCHUP makers recommend that once opened, it should be stored in the fridge. But dietitian Dr Sarah Schenker reckons there is no need to, because the high vinegar content and acidity of the tomatoes preserves it

EGGS: Fridge

To avoid getting ill, the Food Standards Agency recommends storing eggs in the fridge
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To avoid getting ill, the Food Standards Agency recommends storing eggs in the fridgeCredit: Alamy

THE biggest risk with eggs is salmonella, a bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

So to avoid getting ill, the Food Standards Agency recommends storing them in the fridge.

MAYONNAISE: Fridge

THE fresh eggs and cream in mayo can spoil easily so it should always be kept in the fridge.

Dr Lisa ­Ackerley says: “It can become ­rancid if kept at room temperature.”

CHOCOLATE: Cupboard

Keeping chocolate in the fridge can lead to sugar bloom, a white coating caused by condensation dissolving the sugar
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Keeping chocolate in the fridge can lead to sugar bloom, a white coating caused by condensation dissolving the sugarCredit: Alamy

REFRIGERATING chocolate can lead to sugar bloom, a white coating caused by condensation dissolving the sugar.

Chocolate also absorbs odours, so it could end up smelling and tasting odd.

BUTTER: Fridge or cupboard

EVEN though it’s a dairy product, butter won’t go bad if left unrefrigerated for a ­couple of days.

The cream used to make it is pasteurised, which repels bacteria. But keep it covered in a dish.

MARMITE: Cupboard

Keeping Marmite in the fridge makes it rock-solid and impossible to spread
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Keeping Marmite in the fridge makes it rock-solid and impossible to spreadCredit: Alamy

LOVE it or hate it, Marmite should never be kept in the fridge. Doing so makes it rock-solid and impossible to spread.

It contains so much salt – a preservative – that it will almost never go off.

JAM/MARMALADE: Cupboard

KEEPING preserves in the fridge can cause condensation to form under the lid, creating the perfect environment for mould.

Jam and marmalade are naturally acidic, inhibiting bacterial growth.

CHEESE: Fridge

Cheese is high in protein, which bacteria feed off, so it’s prone to going off.
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Cheese is high in protein, which bacteria feed off, so it’s prone to going off.Credit: Alamy

CHEESE is high in protein, which bacteria feed off, so it’s prone to going off.

Soft types such as mozzarella and goat’s cheese have the shortest shelf life as they also have low salt levels.

BREAD: Cupboard

Bread in the fridge goes stale faster, it's always best to keep it in the cupboard
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Bread in the fridge goes stale faster, it's always best to keep it in the cupboardCredit: Alamy

PUTTING bread in the fridge dries it out and makes it go stale faster.

So it’s always best to keep it in the cupboard. Although you can also freeze bread to make it last longer.

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