Question for the cook: how long can fried and stewed potatoes be stored in the refrigerator or without?

Any prepared product has a limited shelf life. This applies to both fried and stewed potatoes.

It is important to observe the storage time of the finished dish, since it spoils quickly. The place where fried and stewed potatoes are stored plays a role.

There are also ways to briefly extend the shelf life of fried foods.

We will tell you further about how long fried and stewed potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator and without.

Why is it important to respect shelf life?

Storing fried potatoes only within a certain period of time is important for a number of reasons. Among them:

• the vegetable quickly loses its taste during long-term storage;
• loss of a pleasant appetizing appearance due to darkening of the potatoes;
• changing the consistency of the dish and turning it into a homogeneous and inedible porridge during long-term storage;
• an increase in the concentration of harmful bacteria in the vegetable that causes food poisoning.

How long can you store fried?

The rules according to which potatoes and other vegetables must be stored in one place or another are prescribed in a special SanPin. Other storage periods are provided for fried potatoes if, after cooking, they are not placed in a cold place.

In a refrigerator

SanPin 2.3.2.1324-03 specifies the exact period, during which it is allowed to store fried potatoes in the refrigerator. The product can be kept there for 18 hours.

An 18-hour shelf life of fried vegetables in a refrigeration device is only possible at a temperature of 2-4°C.

Also, the product must be wrapped in cling film or kept under a lid. This way it will not absorb foreign odors.

It is not recommended to put fried vegetables in the freezer. Blast freezing can prolong its shelf life for a long time, but will negatively affect its taste. Also, after defrosting, the structure of the dish will be disrupted. It will taste bad.

At room temperature

Outside the refrigerator, fried potatoes can be stored for about 12 hours. But the conditions of its storage play a role. If you keep it in a dark and ventilated place at a temperature no higher than +20°C, it will be suitable for consumption within 12 hours.

Stewed potatoes

Stewed vegetables have their own shelf life. According to the previously stated SanPin, stewed potatoes can be kept in the refrigerator for 18 hours.

Since she is a vegetable, then for its storage the same periods are provided as for other stewed vegetables. The maximum period for which you can keep it in the refrigerator is 24 hours.

It is important to keep the stewed product in the refrigerator only with a lid. The humidity inside should be no higher than 85%. Also, the temperature in the compartment should be a maximum of +6°C.

Outside the refrigeration device, the dish can be stored for 12 hours provided that the room temperature is not higher than 20°C and is not too humid. It is recommended to either consume the product immediately or place it in the refrigerator compartment.

If you keep it indoors, oxidation and fermentation processes will quickly occur. Because of them, the product loses its taste and becomes hazardous to health.

How to extend the shelf life?

Safety of fried product can be extended in the following ways:

1. Leave it in the pan and seal the top with cling film, then put it in the refrigerator.
2. Keep the cooked vegetable in a cool place at all times at the set temperature of 2°C.
3. Ensure good ventilation in the refrigerator compartment so that air can reach the ingredient (cover with a lid with a hole).
4. Store only in a dark place.

You can greatly increase the shelf life by placing everything in a vacuum bag, after pumping out the air from there. After this, the potatoes can be placed in the freezer. There she can lie from a couple of months to six months. But after defrosting, the dish may lose taste. This option is best used to preserve cooked French fries.

Conclusion

The storage time for fried and stewed potatoes in the refrigerator is slightly different. But their total shelf life is no more than 18 hours.

The stew can be kept in the refrigerator for a little longer - one day. Outside the refrigerator, the dish can be stored for 12 hours, but only if the room temperature is low and there is good ventilation.

In the refrigerator compartment, the optimal temperature to ensure long-term preservation of the product is 2-4°C.