Comments on: Home food storage patterns in Japan

By: flicky

flicky — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:12:46 +0000

I’m British, and I *have* heard that rule before, but it isn’t mentioned very often. I think my grandmother told me once, and that was it.

I don’t think many people take any notice of it any more, though. Most people put fruit & vegetables in the little sliding drawer you get at the bottom.

By: Ken Y-N

Ken Y-N — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:54:20 +0000

Oh. It must be a uniquely British rule then. I’m busy trying to rack my brains to think where I first heard it, but nothing really springs to mind…

By: Durf

Durf — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:59:08 +0000

Yet another “never heard of that while growing up in Oregon, USA” type comment to add to the pile.

By: PeterD

PeterD — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:29:03 +0000

I have never heard of that rule (no meat over veggies)before, so I guess it isn’t part of the local lore for the US. Even worse, our refrigerators usually have a drawer at the bottom which is controlled better for temp & humidity and made for storing veggies. No way to not put meat without it being above it.

By: Janne

Janne — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:26:02 +0000

I’ve never heard that rule in Sweden either, so it’s not just Japan. Besides, it’s not like things really can drip from one shelf to another (unless you have one of those ancient refrigerators with wire-mesh instead of real shelves).

Also, you do know that the main reason to keep meat and fish, and vegetables apart is not because you contaminate the vegetables, but that you contaminate the meat. Meat and fish is very nearly completely bacteria-free - a healthy animal isn’t running around with bacteria-infected muscle tissue. And unless minced, you aren’t picking up much from the environment.

But vegetables have lots of bacteria, fungi and other stuff on them; unlike the muscle tissue of animals, those leaves, fruits and tubers have been constantly exposed to the environment. And whereas a bit of salmonella or other bacteria isn’t going to make you sick (the amount isn’t large enough, and they usually can’t grow quickly on plants), if those bacteria comes onto your meat or fish (especially if finely cut or minced), they suddenly have a great growth medium, and can cause you problems.

You want to protect your meat from your vegetables more than the other way around in other words.