Storing Food And Saving Energy - Electrolux ICON series Use & Care Manual

20

Storing Food and Saving Energy

Ideas for storing foods
Fresh food storage
• Keep the fresh food compartment between
34°F and 40°F with an optimum temperature of
37°F.
• Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator shelves,
which reduces air circulation and causes
uneven cooling.
Fruits and vegetables
• Store fruits and vegetables in crisper drawers,
where trapped moisture helps preserve food
quality for longer time periods.
• Wash items and remove excess water.
• Wrap any items that have strong odors or high
moisture content.
Meat
• Wrap raw meat and poultry separately and
securely to prevent leaks and contamination of
other foods or surfaces.
• Use the deli drawer or Custom Temp
and set to meat/poultry setting for short-term
storage. Any meat to be kept longer than two
days should be frozen.
Frozen food storage
• Keep the freezer compartment at 0°F or lower.
• A freezer operates most efficiently when it is at
least ⅔ full.
Packaging foods for freezing
• To minimize food dehydration and quality
deterioration, use aluminum foil, freezer wrap,
freezer bags, or airtight containers. Force as
much air out of the packages as possible and
seal them tightly. Trapped air can cause food to
dry out, change color, and develop an off-flavor
(freezer burn).
• Wrap fresh meats and poultry with suitable
freezer wrap prior to freezing.
• Do not refreeze meat that has completely
thawed.
Loading the freezer
• Prior to grocery shopping, activate "fast
freeze" so that on your return you can ensure
your newly purchased food designated for
the freezer will be preserved as quickly as
possible.
• Activating "fast freeze" also will help your
freezer more efficiently maintain the selected
temperature after placing new purchases with
pre-existing frozen foods.
• Avoid adding too much warm food to the
freezer at one time. This overloads the freezer,
slows the rate of freezing, and can raise the
temperature of frozen foods.
• Leave a space between packages, so cold air
can circulate freely, allowing food to freeze as
quickly as possible.
Ideas for saving energy
Installation
• Locate the refrigerator in the coolest part of
the room, out of direct sunlight, and away from
heating ducts or registers.
• Do not place the refrigerator next to heat-
producing appliances such as a range, oven,
or dishwasher. If this is not possible, a section
of cabinetry or an added layer of insulation
between the two appliances will help the
refrigerator operate more efficiently.
• Level the refrigerator so that the doors close
TM drawer
tightly.
Temperature settings
• Refer to the "Controls" section for procedures
on temperature settings.
Food storage
• Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator or blocking
cold air vents. Doing so causes the refrigerator
to run longer and use more energy.
• Cover foods and wipe containers dry before
placing them in the refrigerator. This cuts down
on moisture build-up inside the unit.
• Organize the refrigerator to reduce door
openings. Remove as many items as needed
at one time and close the door as soon as
possible.
• Do not place a hot container directly on a cold
shelf. Remember, such an extreme temperature
change may damage the glass.