Can I put warm curry in the fridge?
By
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Anny Manrich PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:
- Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
- PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of Sao Carlos/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
- Bachelor of Food Engineering at the University of Campinas/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
“To solve a problem, global vision and multifactorial understanding are necessary. Therefore, in addition to expertise, one should seek multidisciplinary thinking connected with science and reality” – Dr Anny Manrich, PhD.
Professional Experience:
Dr Anny Manrich’s Experience Joining the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as soon as she completed her doctorate,
Dr Anny Manrich has worked on several projects, including the more than three-year partnership project with BRF, a major food producer in Brazil. As a postdoctoral fellow.
Dr Anny Manrich has also contributed to several business consultancies and research projects of the National Nanotechnology Laboratory System in areas such as food technology, fibres, films and coatings and Nanotechnology; in a very determined way, having a great team relationship, being creative and committed.
Growing concerns about the safe introduction of nanomaterials into today’s life emphasises the need to create regulatory documentation in front of characterising, using and testing them. Dr Anny Manrich worked for two years on a characterization project for nanoscale materials, with the aim of exploring their possible health effects.
Despite not having specific academic training in packaging or polymeric films, Dr Anny Manrich works at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation in areas of edible and biodegradable films produced from agricultural waste and in the development of films with greater resistance to water, having articles published in renowned scientific journals, which demonstrates her multidisciplinary understanding and creativity.
In addition, she worked for four years as a consultant to a food company to develop a line of snacks that are healthy and that add functional ingredients, physiologically active compounds that bring health benefits, made from fruits and vegetables, enabling diet improvement, disease prevention and reduction of nutritional deficiencies.
Dr Anny Manrich participated as a member of the examination board for two Master’s exams and one PhD exam at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Federal University of São Carlos.
Education:
- 2001 Bachelor in Food Engineering at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
- 1999 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
- 2004 Master in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2012 PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2010 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
The main publications of Dr. Anny Manrich are:
Articles
Manrich, A., Moreira, F. K., Otoni, C. G., Lorevice, M. V., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. (2017). Hydrophobic edible films made up of tomato cutin and pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164, 83-91.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H. A., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Correlating emulsion characteristics with the properties of active starch films loaded with lemongrass essential oil. Food Hydrocolloids, 100, 105428.
Norcino, L. B., Mendes, J. F., Natarelli, C. V. L., Manrich, A., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Pectin films loaded with copaiba oil nanoemulsions for potential use as bio-based active packaging. Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105862.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: Use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 43.1 (2008): 54-61.
Manrich, Anny; Komesu, Andrea ; Adriano, Wellington Sabino; Tardioli, Paulo Waldir ; Giordano, Raquel Lima Camargo . Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by Multipoint Covalent Attachment on Agarose and on Chitosan Supports. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 161, p. 455-467, 2010.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Neto, A. S., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Mattoso, L. H. C., & Martins, M. A. (2019). Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting. Carbohydrate polymers, 210, 92-99..
Milessi, T. S., Kopp, W., Rojas, M. J., Manrich, A., Baptista-Neto, A., Tardioli, P. W., … & Giordano, R. L. (2016). Immobilization and stabilization of an endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis (XynA) for xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production. Catalysis Today, 259, 130-139.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Manrich, A., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Development, physical‐chemical properties, and photodegradation of pectin film reinforced with malt bagasse fibers by continuous casting. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(39), 49178.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Luchesi, B. R., Dantas, A. P. S., Vanderlei, R. M., … & Martins, M. A. (2021). Thermo-physical and mechanical characteristics of composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) e spent coffee grounds (SCG). Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, 2888-2900..
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Development of quaternary nanocomposites made up of cassava starch, cocoa butter, lemongrass essential oil nanoemulsion, and brewery spent grain fibers. Journal of Food Science, 86(5), 1979-1996.
Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Manufacture and performance of peanut skin cellulose nanocrystals. Scientia Agricola, 79.
Nascimento, V. M., Manrich, A., Tardioli, P. W., de Campos Giordano, R., de Moraes Rocha, G. J., & Giordano, R. D. L. C. (2016). Alkaline pretreatment for practicable production of ethanol and xylooligosaccharides. Bioethanol, 2(1)..
Manrich, Anny, de Oliveira, J. E., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. Physicochemical and Thermal Characterization of the Spirulina platensis. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. B, v. 10, p. 298-307, 2020.
Book Chapter
Terra, I. A. A., Aoki, P. H., Delezuk, J. A. D. M., Martins, M. A., Manrich, A., Silva, M. J., … & Miranda, P. B. (2022). Técnicas de Caracterização de Polímeros. Nanotecnologia Aplicada a Polímeros, 614.
Conference Papers
Ferreira, L. F., Luvizaro, L. B., Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., Júnior, M. G., & Dias, M. V. (2017). Comparação da estabilidade de suspensões poliméricas de amido/tocoferol e quitosana/tocoferol. In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE POLÍMEROS, 14., 2017, Águas de Lindóia, SP.
Manrich, A., Hubinger, S. Z., & Paris, E. C. (2017). Citotoxicidade causada por nanomateriais: avaliação do micronúcleo. In: WORKSHOP DA REDE DE NANOTECNOLOGIA APLICADA AO AGRONEGÓCIO, 9., 2017, São Carlos. Anais… São Carlos: Embrapa Instrumentação, 2017. p. 655-658.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by multipoint covalent attachment on Glyoxyl Agarose Support. The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2009.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Application of immobilized xylanase on hydrolysis of soluble wood hemicelluloses after using microwave and organosolv pre-treatments. The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2010.
You can view some of Dr Anny’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anny-Manrich-2
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23103497100
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Ea9qpr0AAAAJ
Linkedin: https://br.linkedin.com/in/anny-manrich-20693129
In this brief article, we will answer the question “Can I put warm curry in the fridge?” and discuss the consequences of putting warm or hot curry in the fridge. We will also list down some tips on how to store hot food and mention a few types of most preferred curries.
Can I put warm curry in the fridge?
No, you can not put warm curry in the fridge. It is always best to cool down the curry at least to room temperature before storing it in the fridge to avoid it from getting spoiled.
What happens when you put hot or warm curry in the fridge?
All perishable food items should be stored in the refrigerator to avoid spillage. If you made curry in large amounts and wish to store it for a couple of days, you should put it in the refrigerator. The reason why you should not put warm curry in the fridge is because it will take a long time to cool down and during this time, it can serve as a breeding ground for pathogens.
In Australia, the financial impact of foodborne illness was estimated to be $1,249 million per annum. In 2014, 17% of food product recalls in the United States were due to microbial contamination by either Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, or Listeria spp (2).
Studies show that improper cooling of cooked food is the most important contributory factor for frequently identified in outbreaks of staphylococcal food poisoning, salmonellosis, C. perfringens enteritis, Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis, and B. cereus gastroenteritis. Foods that have been stored in large/deep containers in refrigerators have been frequently implicated as vehicles in outbreaks of foodborne diseases. This is an extremely high risk operation. Hazard analyses have also shown that this practice is commonplace. The Food and Drug Administration’s Food Service Sanitation Manual stipulates that cooked foods should be cooled from 60°C (140°F) to 7°C (45°F) within 4 h. It’s difficult, however, to achieve such a rapid decrease in temperature unless either very shallow layers of foods are put into cold environments (such as a rapid-chill refrigerator) or some method of rapid cooling (e.g. ice baths or water baths) is used (1).
Especially if you added chicken in your curry, Salmonella can overgrow quickly. Other pathogens can also get time to overgrow. Some pathogens can survive in the refrigerator as well, so once they have overgrown, there’s no stopping them. Cooling products too slowly will hold microorganisms within its optimum growth temperature for an extended period of time. The cooling of products should not be neglected during the food processing, which should be considered a unit operation of production, as any surviving microorganisms can grow or spores rejuvenate when the products are held at its optimum temperature (2).
Moreover, warm food will make your fridge work harder and mess up its temperature (3). If the temperature in the fridge rises due to the warm food, it can also lead to other food items in your fridge to go bad.
The steam from food can also lead to condensation and form liquid droplets or even form ice on the walls of the fridge. Differences in temperature inside appliances result in condensate formation and thus a relatively constant source of water which holds large quantities of cells of pathogenic microorganisms (4).
How to safely store hot curry
Hot food should not be left out for longer than 2 hours. It should be refrigerated within 2 hours. If, due to any reason, you are short on time, you can use the following tips to store your food, according to the USDA.
- If you made a large portion of curry, split it up and place it in several shallow bowls to allow faster cooling. Small portions also allow even and thorough cooling.
- Place the curry container in a safe and clean spot for it to cool and to protect it from getting contaminated.
- If you have any commitments and do not have enough time to let it sit at room temperature for it to cool down, fill your sink with water and ice and place your container(s) in it to allow for even faster cooling.
- Do not leave the curry out for more than 2 hours.
- Once the curry has cooled down, cover the container with foil or an airtight cover to ensure no contamination occurs. It also helps to keep odors of different food items in the fridge from getting mixed up.
Different types of curries
Curry is a dish of Thai cuisine. Essentially there are three most popular curries that people like: yellow, green, and red. They differ not only in color, but also some ingredients. Let’s have a look (5):
- Green curry: The main ingredient in thai green curry are green chillies. Green chillies mixed with fresh coriander give the curry its vibrant green color. The other ingredients that are usually added are lemongrass, vegetables, and sauces. It is one of the most popular curries. Proteins such as beef, chicken, or prawns are also used.
- Red curry: The main ingredients in red curry are red chillies or red chili powder. It is distinct because of its spiciness from the red chillies. Alternatively, red chili paste can be used. Paprika and cayenne pepper are also used. It is mostly served with chicken or salmon. Vegetables like peppers, onions, ginger, and garlic are added to enhance the flavor and also to add more color.
- Yellow curry: Yellow curry gets its color from ground turmeric. Coconut milk is added to give the curry a nice texture. Fish sauce, curry paste, and chili peppers are also used. Chicken usually goes best with thai yellow curry. Other ingredients like ginger and garlic are also added to further enhance the taste.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we answered the question “Can I put warm curry in the fridge?” and discussed the consequences of putting warm or hot curry in the fridge. We also listed down some tips on how to store hot food and mentioned a few types of most preferred curries.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
Bryan, Frank L. Risks of practices, procedures and processes that lead to outbreaks of foodborne diseases. J food protect, 1988, 51, 663-673.
2.-
Coorey, Ranil, et al. The impact of cooling rate on the safety of food products as affected by food containers. Comprehen Rev Food Sci Food Safe, 2018, 17, 827-840.
3.-
Geppert, Jasmin, and Rainer Stamminger. Analysis of effecting factors on domestic refrigerators’ energy consumption in use. Energ Convers Manage, 2013, 76, 794-800.
4.-
Novak Babič, Monika, Cene Gostinčar, and Nina Gunde-Cimerman. Microorganisms populating the water-related indoor biome. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 2020, 104, 6443-6462.
5.-
Kanchanakunjara, Taddara, et al. Traditional curry pastes during Sukhothai to Ratthanakosin: The subjective experience of the past and present. Asian Cult Hist, 2015, 7, 175.
