Jenn-Air JFD2589KEP Use & Care Manual

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19FOOD STORAGE TIPSFresh Food Storage• The fresh food compartment of a refrigerator shouldbe kept between 34°-40° F (1°-4° C) with anoptimum temperature of 37° F (3° C). To check thetemperature, place an appliance thermometer in aglass of water and place in the center of therefrigerator. Check after 24 hours. If the temperatureis above 40° F (4° C) adjust the controls as explainedon pages 9-11.• Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator shelves. Thisreduces the circulation of air around the food andresults in uneven cooling.Fruits and Vegetables• Storage in the crisper drawers traps humidity to helppreserve the fruit and vegetable quality for longertime periods (see pages 12-13).• Sort fruits and vegetables before storage and usebruised or soft items first. Discard those showingsigns of decay.• Always wrap odorous foods such as onions andcabbage so the odor does not transfer to other foods.• While vegetables need a certain amount of humidityto remain fresh, too much humidity can shortenstorage times (especially leafy vegetables). Drainvegetables well before storing.• Wait to wash fresh produce until right before use.Meat and Cheese• Raw meat and poultry should be wrapped securelyso leakage and contamination of other foods orsurfaces does not occur.• Occasionally mold will develop on the surface ofhard cheeses (Swiss, Cheddar, Parmesan). Cut off atleast an inch around and below the moldy area. Keepyour knife or instrument out of the mold itself. Donot try to save individual cheese slices, soft cheese,cottage cheese, cream, sour cream or yogurt whenmold appears.Dairy Food• Most dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, sour creamand cottage cheese have freshness dates on theircartons for appropriate length of storage. Store thesefoods in the original carton and refrigerateimmediately after purchasing and after each use.Frozen Food Storage• The freezer compartment of a refrigerator should bekept at approximately 0° F (-17° C). To check thetemperature, place an appliance thermometerbetween the frozen packages and check after 24hours. If the temperature is above 0° F (-17° C),adjust the control as described on pages 9-11.• A freezer operates more efficiently when it is at leasttwo-thirds full.Packaging Foods for Freezing• To minimize dehydration and quality deterioration usealuminum foil, freezer wrap, freezer bags or airtightcontainers. Force as much air out of the packages aspossible and be sure they are tightly sealed. Trappedair can cause the food to dry out, change color anddevelop an off-flavor (freezer burn).• Overwrap fresh meats and poultry with suitablefreezer wrap prior to freezing.• Do not refreeze meat that has completely thawed.Loading the Freezer• Avoid adding too much warm food to the freezer atone time. This overloads the freezer, slows the rate offreezing and can raise the temperature of frozenfoods.• Leave space between the packages so cold air cancirculate freely, allowing food to freeze as quickly aspossible.• Avoid storing hard-to-freeze foods such as ice creamand orange juice on the freezer door shelves. Thesefoods are best stored in the freezer interior where thetemperature varies less with door openings.Refer to the Food Storage Chart on pages 20 and 21 forapproximate storage times.