Rules for storing salads, taking into account terms and conditions

The shelf life of ready-made salads is significantly influenced not only by the conditions of the dish, but also by the approach to pre-processing the ingredients. If, according to the standards at catering establishments, the seasoned mixture of components can be stored both at room temperature and in the refrigerator for no more than half an hour, then at home slightly different indicators are used.

Regardless of the composition of the dish, its maximum shelf life does not exceed a day, and if the mixture is seasoned with mayonnaise or other sauce, then the clock will count. The only exception is seaweed salad, which can maintain its freshness for months without posing a health risk.

How to properly store salads in the refrigerator - main points

Some housewives consider refrigeration units to be a salvation from all problems and fearlessly chop up entire bowls of salads or their components, leaving them without dressing. In fact, in dishes such as Olivier salad and herring under a fur coat, not only mayonnaise, but also eggs, cucumbers, peas, and fish act as a perishable component. Even potatoes turn dark after a few hours, and pathogenic microflora begins to multiply rapidly in all components.

To reduce the risk of poisoning or indigestion to a minimum, when storing prepared salads or their components in the refrigerator, you must adhere to the following rules:

A dish of foods that have not been heat-treated or preservatives, seasoned with oil, can be placed in a glass jar, closed with a lid and placed on the top shelf. Then the salad will retain its freshness and original appearance for 2-3 hours. It is recommended to do the same with components intended for Olivier or herring under a fur coat. The manipulation will extend the freshness and shelf life of the components to 12 hours.
In the summer, it is recommended to keep undressed salads even in the refrigerator for no more than 6-12 hours. Environmental conditions are such that although the components will not turn sour during this time, the activity of pathogenic bacteria will be quite high. This is enough to cause indigestion in a child or an elderly person.
It is recommended to use glass or plastic containers to store ingredients or prepared dishes in the refrigerator. In some cases, you can get by with stainless steel products. Aluminum is absolutely not suitable in this case; it reacts with products, causing them to spoil.
In the winter months, salads such as mimosa, Olivier salad and herring under a fur coat can remain in the cold for up to a day. Refilled product – no more than 18 hours.
Meat and fish dishes, provided that they have not been seasoned with mayonnaise, are stored for no more than 16-18 hours at a temperature not exceeding 4ºC.

Experts recommend giving up the habit of keeping the product on the balcony with sub-zero temperatures. Such an approach will indeed significantly extend the shelf life of the composition, but will negatively affect its taste and decorative properties. The juicy components will freeze completely, and when they thaw, they will release liquid that can ruin the texture and appearance of the mixture.

How long and how can you store salad with mayonnaise, sour cream, olive oil?

Despite the fact that on average the shelf life of salads with different dressings is approximately the same, some points may affect how much and where to store the product:

Sour cream, even natural, begins to sour after half an hour at room temperature. In the refrigerator this period does not increase much. For this reason, Olivier salad, herring under a fur coat, and even fresh vegetables can be seasoned with this ingredient only after the preparation has been laid out on plates. Whatever the consumption period is indicated on the product packaging, after opening the container it is reduced to 6-10 hours, and when transferring the sauce to a new container - to 3 hours.
In the case of mayonnaise, the time period increases slightly, but still does not amount to more than 6 hours. The mass can be stored longer without risk to health, but its taste properties will noticeably suffer.

Advice: Even professional chefs and nutritionists believe that it is more correct to use ready-made mayonnaise with preservatives for dressing salads, rather than a natural homemade product. This will slightly extend the storage time of Olivier or herring under a fur coat.

Olive and other unrefined vegetable oils are good preservatives, but not in the case of salads. By reacting with the chemical components of the components, such dressings only accelerate the process of their destruction. It is generally not recommended to store salads dressed with sauces based on vegetable oils. It is better not to keep them at room temperature for longer than 1-2 hours.

To assess the quality of the salad, you need to inspect it and move it to one side of the container.If the appearance, smell and texture have not changed, and liquid has not appeared on the vacated part of the container, the dish can be tasted and served.

Shelf life of seaweed salad

In the case of seaweed salad, no rules apply, even if we are talking about a ready-made dish. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions for use, the date of manufacture of the product, and recommendations for storage temperature. It is strictly not recommended to purchase formulations with preservatives; seaweed fibers do not need them. Such components do not so much extend the shelf life of products as they neutralize useful components.

Seaweed salad that has been opened or prepared using dried ingredients must be consumed within 3 months. At the same time, it is better to store it in the refrigerator at a temperature of 3-4ºС. Before opening, it is correct to keep the canned mixture at room temperature, and preserves in the refrigerator. After opening in both cases, the seaweed dish must be consumed within two days. Storage in the freezer can extend this period to 1 month.

Features of storing vegetable and fruit salads

Salads made from fresh fruits or vegetables are stored the least. Ideally, they should be consumed immediately after preparation. Despite this, there are several nuances, the observance of which will slightly extend the freshness of the components:

You can cook only from thoroughly dried ingredients without the slightest sign of moisture. The mixing container and tools must also be completely dry and cool.
Ingredients such as boiled eggs and various preservatives should be added to the dish last, just before serving. They need to be cut quite large.
If there is a need to hold the finished dish for a short time, it is recommended to line its bottom with a paper towel. The finished composition also needs to be covered with a paper product and pressed lightly to the surface. Then wrap the container in film and cover with a lid.
The dressing can also be prepared in advance, but it will have to be stored in an airtight container.
If the time of consumption is delayed, then the salad container must be checked every three hours. We change wet towels and mix the ingredients.
In the case of fruit, it is recommended to first place each component in a colander to allow excess juice to drain.
Sliced apples, pears and other ingredients prone to browning should be sprinkled with citrus juice. This will not only preserve their attractive appearance, but also add a subtle aroma.
The dish will have a nice and crisp texture if the ingredients (fruits or vegetables) are first soaked for a few minutes in ice water.

Following the recommendations for preparing fruit and vegetable salads allows you to increase their shelf life from several hours to 5-7 days without the risk of loss of taste.