High temperatures in summer can quickly damage fresh fruits and vegetables, but they can also accelerate the growth of microorganisms responsible for food poisoning, especially in meat and fish.
As a general rule, meat can NEVER be left out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, but in summer, when temperatures are very high, we must refrigerate as soon as possible. At temperatures of 30ºC, microorganisms multiply rapidly.
If the outside temperature is high, we must think that inside a parked car this temperature is even much higher, so here are some recommendations to keep buying food during the car trip:
- Plan your orders. If you have to do the shopping and other tasks, the order in doing these tasks is very important, especially in summer. Make sure shopping for perishable food is the last thing you do before heading straight home.
- Park in the shade. Staying out of direct sun can help maintain the vehicle’s temperature.
- Use bags with thermal insulation. You can purchase bags with thicker liners to keep food colder longer, but remember that they have a limited shelf life.
- Buy food in a planned way. Make perishable products (meat, fish…) the last items you buy so that they are out of the fridge or freezer for as little time as possible.
- Take special care with meat and fish. Meat and fish have microorganisms and an increase in temperatures will allow them to multiply.
- Prepare the bags considering the temperature at which the food must be kept. This means putting food that needs cold together and food that doesn’t need it in other bags. Put meat and fish separately from other foods to avoid cross contamination.
- Avoid the trunk. When you put the purchase in the car, try not to leave the most perishable foods in the trunk since it is the hottest place in the car. Instead, the best place is on the floor of the seats, out of the sun, and with air conditioning so they stay cooler if air circulates between them.
- Don’t forget the food you haven’t eaten from the restaurant. Treat them the same as fresh groceries. Follow the safety tips for taking uneaten food home from the restaurant .
- And when you get home, put your groceries (and leftovers) in the fridge as soon as possible!
