Proper storage of herbs and spices in the house

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

We tell you whether it is possible to leave salt and pepper on the countertop, what is wrong with special sets for spices and how to keep 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 deteriorate at all. Well, what is 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 sunny or artificial, but it is not at all useful for spices. Seasonings are able to lose color and aroma during prolonged contact with light, and therefore 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 box or in a cabinet with a door.
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2. Humidity. If the spices are exposed to moisture, they can stick together into one continuous lump, and this, perhaps, will not please anyone. In addition, damp herbs lose their taste, or even become the cause of mold. Who wants to use such a product in cooking? Of course, no one. Moreover, the finer the ground herbs, the better they absorb moisture. Place them away from the sink and store in an airtight container.
3. Temperature. Temperature fluctuations 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 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 pepper can also be sent to the refrigerator.

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 should never be done:

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

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