Why seasonings cannot be stored in the refrigerator, near the stove or on the table: rules for storing spices

A variety of boxes and jars with spices undoubtedly look very nice and add a special atmosphere to the kitchen. However, for these products there are specific storage rules that cannot be violated if you want them not to spoil or lose their taste.

We'll tell you whether it's possible to leave salt and pepper on the countertop, what's wrong with special spice sets, and how to preserve seasonings for a long time.

What seasonings “don’t like”

Yes, sometimes it seems that any storage conditions are suitable for this type of product and they do not spoil at all. Well, what's there? Dry herbs? Why invent something for them... But it turns out that seasonings also require special attention.

So, what are seasonings afraid of:

1. Light. It doesn’t matter at all whether it is solar or artificial, but it is not at all useful for spices. Seasonings can lose color and aroma upon prolonged contact with light, and therefore will very quickly lose their taste and aromatic qualities. In this case, you should be guided by the principle: the less light falls on the spices, the better. Let's conclude: store seasonings in a dark drawer or in a cabinet with a door.
2. Humidity. If spices are exposed to moisture, they can clump together into one solid lump, which is probably not something anyone would like. In addition, damp herbs lose their taste, or even cause mold to appear.Who would want to use such a product when preparing dishes? Of course, no one. Moreover, the finer the herbs are ground, the better they absorb moisture. Place them away from the sink and store them in an airtight container.
3. Temperature. Changes in temperature also do not have a positive effect on spices, so it is advisable to keep them away from the stove. Almost all types of seasonings will easily survive at room temperature, but it is better not to put them in the refrigerator. True, there is only one plant that is too capricious, and therefore it is better to keep it in the cold - saffron. But only in a glass container that closes well. Red peppers can also be refrigerated.

Typical mistakes when storing spices and seasonings

There is a standard list of mistakes that many of us make when storing spices and seasonings. So, what you should never do:

• Leave the product in store packaging. If you opened a packet of seasoning and left it on the shelf, it will very quickly dissipate and become saturated with other aromas that often reign in the kitchen. When there is no alternative, purchase special clips with which to secure the cut edge of the bag so that the spices retain their properties.
• Keep seasonings near the stove or sink. In these cases, three principles of proper storage are violated: light, temperature and humidity.
• Pour them into decorative containers, which are sold as a set. Today in stores there is simply a huge selection of various decorative jars. Most of them act like a carousel - you can spin containers on a stand, choosing the desired spice. The solution is, of course, very nice, especially for open storage.But, as in the case of the top point, the storage rule associated with light requirements is violated.
• Do not close jars where spices are stored. Special jars with holes made in them are convenient and practical, but without tightness, seasonings deteriorate very quickly.
• Add seasonings to your dish straight from the jar. When you pour dry herbs into a pan directly from the container, steam gets into it, and, as we know, this is the same moisture that will definitely not benefit the spices.
• Touch with your hands. This also applies to salt, which we are used to picking up with our fingers. It is better to give up this habit and try to take any spices with an exclusively dry spoon, otherwise you will prepare a dish that will also contain sebum, microdroplets of moisture, dust and microbes.

These rules are quite simple - they can be explained even to a child, but there is so much benefit from such banal actions. And the spices will always be fresh and aromatic.