Rice is an essential food source for the daily meals of Vietnamese families. However, housewives should pay attention to how to preserve rice properly to achieve optimal efficiency, avoiding mold and common feeding worms, affecting nutrients as well as harming the health of family members.
Store rice in areas with high humidity
This is one of the most common mistakes when many housewives do not pay attention to where to store rice. Corners of the kitchen, under the shelves, or near water sources, moisturizing walls will make bacteria and mold more likely to multiply, and rice grains will be eaten by termites.
In addition, the hot temperature from the kitchen can also change the structure of the rice grains, affecting the flavor and flexibility when cooked into rice.
To best preserve rice, housewives should choose a dry, cool place, avoid direct sunlight and keep it away from heat or water sources.
Unsuitable rice boxes and bins
storing rice in containers or using buckets and pots without a sealed lid will make the rice susceptible to air, moisture and insects passing in. At the same time, plastic or paper packaging is not easy to store rice for a long time and safely.
Instead, you should choose specialized rice containers such as plastic bins with closed covers, jars of tournament, porcelain or glass.
These items not only help prevent air and moisture but also protect rice grains from the invasion ofants and other insects.
Put rice near smelly foods
Rice has strong odor-absorbing properties, so storing rice near sticky foods such as fish sauce, shrimp paste, durian, or detergent will make the rice bad.
This loses the natural aroma and affects the quality of the rice when cooked into rice. Therefore, the rice storage area needs to be kept clean and separate from other fragrant products.
Mixing new and old rice
When buying new rice, some housewives often mix new and old rice together. This habit will cause the rice to become moldy andanth. This is also one of the main reasons for rice's rapid spoilage as well as affecting the quality of rice.
When keeping the rice properly, you should use all the old rice in the bins before putting the new rice into storage, while cleaning and drying the bins periodically.
Buying and storing too much rice
Many housewives often buy large amounts of rice to store for a long time. However, the longer the rice is preserved, the more the nutritional content and deliciousness decrease.
Excessive storage also increases the risk of early damage to rice grains due to not being stored in ideal conditions. It is best to buy enough rice to eat for about 1 - 2 months.
