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How long should truly natural products “live”
Homemade. Farming. The present. Colorful food labels mislead us. We buy thinking that it is butter, milk, etc. without preservatives and healthy, and they do not spoil at all in the refrigerator for weeks.
More and more people began to care about what they eat. Perhaps the postulate “You are what you eat” has never been so popular.
Natural products are much more satisfying and tastier. Our body assimilates them better, they contain more minerals and vitamins. In addition, with their help it is easier to maintain the optimal weight for the body.
Today, products labeled “natural” and “organic” in stores are over the roof. But do they always correspond to the declared value and the inscriptions on the labels? Ask our expert.
Head of the Department of General Hygiene and Ecology, Volgograd State Medical University.
“We tend to trust manufacturers when we choose products in supermarkets. We believe that they are made from natural ingredients or grown without the use of “chemicals”. Unfortunately, unscrupulous companies often use our gullibility. They add unhealthy additives to their products to prolong the shelf life of the product, hide poor quality, reduce the cost of production, improve the appearance or increase its weight. “
There are a lot of counterfeit products in stores now. “Fakes”, of course, cannot be poisoned, but a person will not receive the nutrients for which he buys this product. And in the long run, such food is more harmful than good.
About quality signs
Natural products do not contain additives or impurities. This is what makes their shelf life minimal – even in the refrigerator at the appropriate temperature.
The shelf life of natural dairy products does not exceed three to five days.
If they can be stored longer, then there is not so much natural in them. When choosing products in supermarkets, it is very important to pay attention to the composition – to read the small print, and not just the large inscription on the front of the package.
Butter… The main component is milk fat. If a vegetable is indicated in the composition, then such a product is called a spread. Manufacturers are often cunning and indicate “vegetable fat” when adding palm oil. The butter should contain only pasteurized cream. The presence of other ingredients means one thing: this is a fake oil..
Shelf life: 10 – 20 days.
Sour cream, fermented milk, dumplings. The main ingredients are cream and sourdough.
Shelf life: 72 hours.
Curd… When studying the composition of curd, pay special attention to the protein content, as it is the most defining component in this product. High-quality cottage cheese has a protein index of 14-18%.
Shelf life: 36 – 72 hours. Heat treated: 5 days.
Milk consists of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. You should be alerted if the label lists various additives, preservatives, and milk fat substitutes. If components you do not understand are declared, then it is better not to buy such milk.
By the way, now stores have to write on price tags whether a dairy product contains a milk fat substitute or not. The abbreviation SZMZH means a product with additives. BZMZh speaks about the naturalness of “milk”.
Shelf life: 36 hours.
The shelf life of meat and sausage products directly depends on the packaging and cooling conditions.
Meat products that are vacuum-packed or specially wrapped have a slightly longer shelf life. Please note that the packaging must be airtight: any hole can significantly reduce the shelf life.
Chilled meat (pork, beef, lamb): 48 hours.
Minced meat: 24:XNUMX.
Soup sets: 12 hours.
Semi-finished products, finely chopped (shish kebab, goulash) or breaded: 36 hours.
Boiled sausage, sausages according to GOST: 72 hours. The same products, but under vacuum and in a special casing: 7 days.
Where is the best place to buy natural products
Agricultural fairs are now held in many cities. They present customers with a wide variety of farmer-grown products. It is better to buy ecological goods in places where a guarantee of their naturalness and safety is provided.
And…
Try to find “your” seller.
When buying, you should pay attention to the smell and color of the product. Grown in the right conditions without the use of “chemistry”, the product, as a rule, will not look perfectly glossy.
Do not hesitate to ask for certificates of conformity or veterinary certificate for this or that product. Its presence means that it contains only natural ingredients.
Meat products have a certificate that guarantees that the animals were fed with natural feed, and the meat is free of pesticides, nitrates and heavy metals.
There is an opinion that the cost of environmentally friendly goods is 20-50% higher than conventional food. But this is often not the case. A liter of milk bought from a farmer is even cheaper than a store one. And it will bring much more benefit, because nature itself will take care of you.