12 Kinds of Food That Don't Need to Be Stored in the Refrigerator--"12種不需要放進冰箱冷藏的食物"

There's really much to learn, which makes life intriguing.

http://health.udn.com/health/story/7426/894932

潘懷宗／12種不需要放進冰箱冷藏的食物

2015-05-12 13:30:00

潘懷宗

冰箱已是時下每個家庭必備的家電用品，現代人利用低溫冷藏減緩細菌生長的速度，藉以保持食物的新鮮。一般人習慣什麼東西買來都丟進冰箱，不過呢，並不是所有的食材都適合放進冰箱裡，有的食物放到冰箱中冷藏，不僅會降低品質和風味，甚至喪失養分，還可能會加速變質，潘老師並不建議將它們放進冰箱裡冷藏： 

1.麵包 bread

麵包放進冰箱，再拿出來吃的時候已經變得乾硬，如果麵包預計會在3天內吃完，那麼放在常溫下保存即可，但如果無法在3天內吃完，最好將麵包裝進容器內，再放入冷凍室儲存，以保持其水分，待食用時再拿出來解凍。

2.蜂蜜 honey

蜂蜜開封後有人會認為放進冰箱，可以延長保存期限，其實根本沒有必要，只要每次用完後把蓋子栓緊，蜂蜜在一般室溫下是不會變質的，放在低溫環境中保存反而會讓有些蜂蜜結晶，大大影響口感。

My comments: I learned this from a honey seller around four years ago.

3.番茄 tomatoes

因為在低溫環境中，番茄成熟的過程會被強制停止，導致其失去鮮味，而且冷氣還會讓番茄的細胞壁受損，造成質地改變，甚至出現黑斑，所以番茄在室溫下避光儲存就可以了。

My comments: I got to know this when visiting a tomoto farm around 5 years ago. Besides leaving tomatoes at room temperature, I also learned not to take the leaves off the tomatoes before they are to be tasted.

4.洋蔥  onions

冰箱裡濕潤的環境不僅會讓洋蔥清脆的質地變得軟爛，還會加速發霉，所以建議各位放在涼爽乾燥且通風的地方就好，不過切記，千萬不要把洋蔥和馬鈴薯放在一起，否則兩種食材的品質都會快速下降。

5.馬鈴薯  potatoes

將馬鈴薯放進冰箱中，不僅無法保鮮，反而還會讓澱粉更快轉變成糖分，導致食用時較甜。所以最好還是將它們放進"紙袋"中，然後在櫥櫃等陰暗乾爽的環境中儲存，不過，不要裝在塑膠袋內，因為其透氣度不如紙袋。

6.大蒜   garlic

大蒜最適宜放在通風乾燥而且涼爽的地方保存，如果你把它丟到冰箱裡，那麼很快就會發芽發霉。

7.黃瓜 cucumbers

貯存黃瓜的適宜溫度在10~12度之間，如果將黃瓜放在冰箱中，只需三天，表皮便會被凍傷，並失去黃瓜特有的風味，變得軟爛不脆口。

8.青椒 green peppers

青椒的最適貯存溫度為7~8度，也不宜在冰箱中儲存。冷藏時間稍長，放在冰箱裡的青椒就容易被凍傷，變得又黑又軟。

9.酪梨 avocados

必須等到外皮轉為黑色才算熟透，如果在綠皮時就放進冰箱，酪梨會因為低溫寒害（chilling injury）而持續處於未熟狀態，就算從冰箱取出移至室溫，口感不僅變得不好，而且很快就容易腐爛。

10.熱帶水果 tropical fruit

倘若將香蕉、荔枝、火龍果、芒果、龍眼、木瓜、紅毛丹等熱帶水果放入冰箱，過不了幾天果皮就會凹陷，並出現黑色斑點，這就表示水果凍傷（也就是低溫寒害）了。水果凍傷後不但營養成分被破壞，還很容易變質。倘若一定要將熱帶水果放入冰箱，也應置於最下層溫度較高的蔬果槽中，且保存時間不要超過兩天。未熟成的水果，更不能放進冰箱，應該避光、在陰涼通風處貯存。

11.咖啡豆  coffee beans

咖啡豆放進冰箱不僅會導致其香味流失，還容易吸收冰箱裡其他食材的味道，所以最好還是放在涼爽陰暗的地方儲存。

12.中藥  Chinese herbs

中藥不宜放在冰箱裡，一來是可能受潮影響藥性，二來與其他食物混放後容易引起細菌孳生。中藥的藥材，如果要長時間保存，最好放在乾淨的玻璃瓶中，並置於陰涼通風處即可。

很有趣的是，也有一些大家認為不需要放進冰箱冷藏的食物，其實是非常需要的，例如：開了封的堅果、以及失去真空包裝的米。學會甚麼東西應該放進冰箱，甚麼東西不應該放進冰箱，是進入廚房的第一堂課，潘老師希望大家都能夠及格過關。

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An online article deals with nine food that don't belong in the refrigerator:

http://www.organicauthority.com/9-food-storage-tips-what-not-to-refrigerate/

When the home refrigerator was invented in 1913, it was a big step forward for humanity’s food storage system. People were finally able to keep dairy products, meats and produce fresh for much longer than before. But did you know that there are many foods that shouldn’t go in the refrigerator?  Check out these food storage tips for the details.

9 Food Storage Tips

The cold, moist air in your fridge can actually damage some food items, causing them to lose flavor and texture – and to go bad before their time. Keep all your groceries fresh by making sure these foods don’t go in the refrigerator.

1. Coffee – Many people keep their coffee in the fridge, or even in the freezer. But coffee beans are the seeds of a fruit, whose cell walls can be damaged by moist, cold temperatures. Your coffee will taste freshest if you store it inside a cabinet in an airtight container.


2. Tomatoes – Unless you like mushy, mealy tomatoes, keep them out of the refrigerator. Water expands when it is cooled, and tomatoes have a very delicate cell structure that is easily damaged. The colder temperatures cause the water inside the tomato to expand, which harms the cell wall membranes and leads to mushy fruit.


3. Bread – When dough is baked into bread, the heat changes its chemical composition. Its molecules expand and become the fluffy, starchy substance that we love so much with butter. As it cools, the molecules slowly revert back their hardened state. Extra cool air will just exacerbate this process, and bread in the fridge will become stale six times faster than a loaf on the cabinet.


4. Potatoes – Potatoes are made of starch, which gets converted into sugar in the refrigerator. This process changes the flavor of the potato. It also shortens its shelf life, and causes the potato to sprout. Instead, store your potatoes in a cool, dark place – like the bottom shelf of the pantry.


5. Hot Sauce – Like many foods, hot sauce tastes better when it’s at room temperature. And with so much vinegar as the main ingredient, it will stay fresh in your pantry for two to three years without going bad.


6. Garlic – Like potatoes, garlic will sprout faster when it’s stored in the refrigerator. It also loses flavor and becomes rubbery. Keep your garlic in a dry, dark place instead.


7. Honey – The moist, cold interior of your refrigerator will cause honey to become crystallized, which affects its viscosity and quality. Keep it sweet by storing your honey in a tightly closed container in the cabinet.


8. Onions – Thin-skinned onions are sensitive to changes in temperature and moisture. Your chilly, humid refrigerator will encourage the growth of mold and make your onions mushy. Store them in the dark pantry instead.


9. Avocados – Putting delicious avocados in the refrigerator slows the ripening process and delays your guacamole. Keep them at room temperature until they are cut open. Then, you can store uneaten avocado in the fridge to stop it from ripening too much. Store the seed inside if at all possible for best results.