Category: Kitchen

Breville BSB530 All-in-One Food Processor

http://youtu.be/9mKWzLakRGg

If you love cooking then chances are you spend a fair amount of time blending, chopping, slicing and mashing. One thing we’d all dread is the amount of different tools we’d need for all those food prep activities. Great thing is, Breville have come up with an all in one answer to all of those food processing tasks. It’s called the BSB530, but also affectionately known as, well… the all-in-one! The whole system revolves around the handyman tool-like control grip, making it easy to stabilise and control your food processing.

So let’s food prep and go through each of the great functions. When you use a hand stick blender, what is one of the biggest gripes you might have? That’s right, suction that causes the blender to stay bolted to the bottom of your bowl. Excess suction means less control, longer blending times and more chance of hot liquid ending up on you or your bench top.

The all-in-one’s hand stick blender has been cleverly designed to reduce suction by up to 80%; without compromising the blending power of that 700W motor. The secret is this patented oval shape, side channels and ribs that all combine to minimise that ‘vortex effect’ that round designs generate. This simple breakthrough provides more control and minimises spills and spits from the saucepan you’re blending in. With hand mixers used primarily for soups, great for those winter dinners, this hand blender makes it easier, safer and quicker to achieve the consistency and blend you’re aiming for.

Next, I want to show you one of the most versatile mashers available in the market today. No matter how you like your mashed potatoes, whether it’s coarse or extra creamy, the twist adjustable head let’s you set your mashing the way you want it. For example, rustic style textures and cooking are really coming back into vogue, and this masher helps you achieve that unique-tasting texture.

The flipside is the aftermath – the masher is extremely easy to breakdown into its parts for easy rinsing or placing in the dishwasher, and can just as easily be reconstructed for use at a moment’s notice.

Slicing individual vegetables on a workbench can be tiresome and let’s face it, a little dangerous for your exposed fingers. Not only that, but most of us probably wouldn’t be able to chop a carrot or cucumber, for example, with consistent thickness all the way through.

So what, I hear you say, why is that important? Well, these days, the concept of plating up and food presentation is high on many cook’s agendas, and this means even the mundane aspects of activities such as slicing or chopping need to result in a product that you’d be proud to place on your guest’s plate. Breville’s adjustable slicer lets you control that action completely – let’s do three different types of hard vegetables now – thin carrots, here we go, thicker cucumbers, straight through the chute, and extra thick onion slices. Now, let’s have a look at that on a plate. Think of the presentation possibilities!

And lastly, chopping. Electric choppers can really make a mess of things by pureeing the bottom layer while not even chopping the rest of your ingredients. Breville’s quad blade chopping system increases the chopping action across two levels and 4 blades, delivering more even chopping in a much quicker time.

The All-in-one doesn’t stop there – the whisk and reversible grating disc also add to your food prep repertoire so you can experiment with countless ingredients and refinements of each process.

And when you’re done, all the components of the all-in-one fit onto this well organised storage unit, ready for your next culinary adventure. Mashing up. chopping up and plating up – the Breville All-in-one has got you covered.

LG Smartwasher with Steam

If you have a big family, then you’ve probably got big washing loads. No matter how big your laundry loads get, the brand new LG front load Smartwasher with steam can be the answer to your regular washing chores.

The first thing you’ll see is the size of this unit. Even though it can handle a massive 10 kilos worth of dirty clothes and linen, this machine manages to stay within a height of 900 millimeters. Why is this important? If you have an integrated kitchen or Laundry with integrated cupboards with room for a front load washer, this LG machine will fit under a standard benchtop height. That’s right, even at 10 kilo capacity this will fit snugly in a smaller apartment or house where space is at a premium. A 10 kilo washer can easily handle bulky items like quilt covers and sheets.

The second thing you’ll notice is the stone silver colour that matches the look of your stainless steel appliances, while it also minimises fingerprints from messy fingers, young and old. The material is also very durable to withstand the rigours of daily domestic use.

Now this is a washing machine with steam, and that’s an important part of this unit’s character. Steam has the ability to puff up clothing material, letting the steam particles react with stains and lift finer dirt. In fact, one drop of water is equal to 1600 particles of steam, and combining water and steam will dissolve detergent quicker, giving your laundry with the most effective wash possible.

The steam function can be used to freshen up clothes as well. Put your previously worn clothes in the washer and select the refresh mode, and in 20 minutes you’ll have reduced creases and odours, giving new life to your previously tired looking garments and saving a wash cycle.

If you like to do your laundry at night time, then you would appreciate LG’s direct drive. Instead of using belts and pulleys, the direct drive fastens the drum directly to the motor, hence the name. This system results in less noise, less vibration and increased durability, something you want in a domestic workhorse like a washing machine. In fact, if you have the washing machine in your kitchen, the silent mode will be your favourite setting, thanks to the direct drive

The nature of the direct drive provides a diverse range of washing movements, resulting in a more natural, almost handwash clean. There’s actually 6 different wash movements, which the washer selects based on your chosen wash program. For example, the swing motion moves delicates smoothly under water.

If you are part of a big family with young kids, you will appreciate the allergy care mode, which combines steam and a customised wash cycle to remove plenty of household germs. And it’s easy to see the progress of your wash with the backlit touchscreen LED.

Finally, two things I want to mention that will give you peace of mind when choosing this LG washing machine with steam. Firstly, LG are so confident about their direct drive motor that they have put a 10 year, that’s right 10 year guarantee on it.

Secondly, if an issue does arise, LG’s smart diagnosis feature will actually emit a 6 second sound that will help their call centre quickly identify what the problem might be. And the LG App available on Apple and Android devices will also provide feedback on the status of your washer.

That’s the LG 10 kilo front load Smartwasher with steam. They stand behind it, and you’ll love using it.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store, or purchase online right now!

Panasonic Steam Double Heater Oven

The Panasonic Steam Double Heater Oven is an amazing piece of cooking technology that we’re going to show you today. Whether you live by yourself, share a small apartment or just want a convenient way to cook and reheat food, then this model is worth looking at.

First up, the it uses flat bed technology, which means no rotating dish is required, so you can utilise the entire space for your cooking – no compromises. And because it’s Panasonic, the inverter technology in the microwave means a much more consistent heating level for the entire cooking cycle.

But this is no ordinary flatbed microwave – it has steam, grilling and oven functions that increase the possibilities for entertaining and restaurant style cooking.

This microwave has two high powered heater areas on the top and bottom to provide oven-like cooking results great for roasts and quiches. You can use the steam function in tandem with the oven for dessert dishes like cakes, cookies, and cream puffs, keeping these dishes moist and cooked to perfection.

Have you tried defrosting food but have found that you have ended up overcooking the the food food is now dry and inedible? By using steam along with the defrost microwaving option, your frozen dishes will be defrosted and still full of moisture.

The grill function is great for crispy dishes like vegetables and fish. Again, you don’t have to turn on your large oven for smaller sized portions, just use your Panasonic microwave.

The grill function actually has a couple of extra features that make it a true cooking companion for single dwellings and smaller apartments.

By combining the grilling function and microwave, you can speed up cooking time by up to 40% on dishes like grilled chicken, with the meat being cooked at an optimum while the skin is browned to a golden colour – impressing your guests and delivering true home-cooked meals.

The double grill function, is a great innovation too. Here, the top grill and microwave are used along with the double grill tray that’s provided. Place your chops or mince patties on the double grill tray, and the top grill will brown the top surface of your food, and the microwave heats the double grill ribs, which delivers that seared bottom surface. The end result? Fast cooking results and no need to turn your food over for grilling via the top elements.

Because the ribbing is raised on the tray, any excess fat and oil will run off, making your dish tastier and healthier.

Speaking of trays, this Panasonic microwave comes with 4 different trays to suit different dishes – the double grill we’ve just mentioned, a metal tray for oven use, a wire rack, and glass tray. And remember, because it’s flat bed, all of these take up the entire space of the microwave to optimise your cooking.

So come on in to your nearest Bing lee store or purchase online right now!

Westinghouse 90cm Oven Range

Superseded by the new new Westinghouse oven range.

The best thing about ninety centimeter ovens is they’re great for baking, grilling, and serving up a feast for family and unexpected guests. Westinghouse’s new ninety centimeter oven range has been designed locally, using experience and knowledge of the Australian cooking family. Not only that, they’re also manufactured right here in Australia as well.

Some of the things you might be thinking about about with such a big oven are heat up time, cleaning and having a oven that’s big enough to cater for everyone. Westinghouse have all those questions, and more, answered with this new 90cm oven range.

The new ninety centimetre ovens from Westinghouse feature touch control and fully programmable timers. This provides much more control when cooking. One of the most noticeable things you’ll notice right away is the size of the oven, with one hundred and twenty liters of gross capacity and one hundred and sixteen liters of usable space, setting a new benchmark for oven capacity.

To give you an idea of how large the oven is, you can comfortably fit up to four roast chicken and vegetable dishes in the oven, or up to 72 mini cupcakes in one go. That’s one huge family gathering or a sports team get together.

These ovens use two fans that rotate in opposite directions, which results in significantly better air flow distribution than a standard one or two fan oven. This is called the twin fan system. The oven is designed to heat up fast. How fast?

Well, on a quick cook setting, it takes only eight and a half minutes to heat the oven to one hundred and eighty degrees celsius. That means you can have the oven ready to cook with very little notice, a great feature if you do have unexpected drop ins.

The ceramic hob, with touch controls, makes it easy to use and also to clean. The fully programmable timer means you can plan your food preparation ahead of time, especially for slow cooked meals.

The oven has a large window for maximum visibility of the food while it’s cooking. It’s built with 3 layers of glass and a special door cooling system which keeps the door as cool as possible. That’s why these ovens don’t require a hot surface warning, so it’s much safer for families with young kids.

This oven is really versatile. It features seven shelf positions and come with catalytic liners. There is also a handy storage compartment, perfect for storing oven accessories and racks, for quick access when you need them. The kick plate also provides an integrated look for your kitchen.

Here, you can see the oven cavity is seamless. There are no awkward joints or dirt traps. The grill trays are actually split into two separate components, so you only need to clean what you use. The oven door is also easy to remove for cleaning, as are the layers of glass. Fingerprint resistant stainless steel means it’s easy to keep the oven looking great.

That’s the Australian made and designed Westinghouse ninety centimetre range, with electronic touch controls, one hundred and sixteen liter usable capacity, an effective twin fan system, fast heat up, triple glazed cool touch door, which easy to clean and maintain, not to mention having its own storage area. That’s definitely an oven made for modern families.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store, or shop online right now.

Kambrook Blitz2Go makes personal blending easy!

Here’s a product that has already flown off our shelves in the few days we’ve had it in stock – and you know it’s a winner when even our staff are clamoring to buy one. It’s called the Blitz2Go, and it’s… well, blitzing our stores even as I write this!

What’s the worst thing about blending something for yourself? I can actually think of a few things, including the washing up of multiple tools, the heavy lifting of the glass blender, and let’s face it, the wasted space of a large blender for a personal amount of ingredients.

These things may discourage you from blending the odd healthy drink now and then, unless you’re gung-ho about your diet and fitness. But for those that just want an easy way to blend fruit, vegies and even icy drinks, the Blitz2Go is a dream come true, for many reasons!

So here’s how it works. You put all of the fruit and perhaps vegies that you want to blend straight into the bottle, use the blender blade and screw it on, then turn upside down so that the bladed lid is inserted into the motorised base of the Blitz2Go. Press the pulse button and before long your ingredients will be blended. Then, you simply lift off the bottle, unscrew the blade lid and replace with the bottle’s drinking lid and that’s it.

I’d say that’s why the Blitz2Go has indeed blitzed it in terms of demand since it was released a few days ago. It’s a simple system without extra washing up – the bottle is the blender container! And you can imagine with a couple of extra bottles, you could make use of the fresh ingredients you bought, prepare a few more bottles’ worth and put them in the fridge for drinking at a later time.

Speaking of ingredients, here’s a recipe from the manual that’s included in the Blitz2Go package. There’s a whole set of different recipes to try; this one is called the Antioxidants Overload.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 strawberries, hulled
  • ¼ cup raspberries
  • ¼ cup blueberries
  • 70g red grapes
  • 125ml cranberry juice
  • 125ml pomegranate juice
  • 3 medium ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice and ice cubes into the 600ml bottle; securely attach the removable blade holder to the bottle.
  2. Secure the bottle onto the motor base and press the ‘PULSE’ button for 15 seconds or until smooth.
  3. Unscrew the removable blade holder and attach the drinking lid on top of the bottle.

Surprisingly simple, right? And with spring in the air and summer only a few months away, this is the best time to get healthy and looking good for the sunny times ahead.

Check out any Bing Lee store or you can purchase the Blitz2Go online right now.

Have a great weekend!

Size Does Matter – The Advantage of a 90cm Oven

An oven and cooktop 90 centimeters in width? It may sound excessive, but for those with large families and who entertain guests on a regular basis, you would never want to go back.

Having an oven space that can handle 4 chickens at once will mean much less time having to prepare one dish, take it out, put another one in, and so forth – until all the dishes for your party or event are ready.

When you consider the cavity size of these ovens, mass production of treats and healthy meals becomes easy. Dozens of cupcakes, many loaves of bread, trays of biscuits – the possibilities are endless.

One of the overlooked benefits of having a wider oven is not just what you can put inside the oven, but what you can put onto the cooktop. Let’s face it, on a standard cooktop it can get pretty squeezed for space once you put a large pot or pan – it becomes a game of pots and pans tetris to get the best configuration.

With a 90cm oven, if you do use larger pots for boiling and pans for frying, you have much more space to spread out your cooking tools – less chance of spitting from one pan to another as well. And you could actually use 4 burners at once, a great help if you’re preparing for a large crowd.

If you love to cook, then the 90cm freestanding oven from Westinghouse could be a great option. And if you’re looking for a wall oven, Westinghouse’s 90cm wall oven counterpart could be the answer to your large family, party and even home baking business.

After all, they do say that the oven is the heart of a kitchen, and a big heart is appreciated by everyone!

Here’s a video segment showing some great features of the Westinghouse 90cm ovens we mentioned above.

A Great Winter Feed with Breville’s All-in-One

As winter starts to really show its arrival with foggy mornings, dew-covered grass and a brisk bite in the wind, many of us would be thinking about warm dinners to fill us up at night. Soups are a great way to huddle in front of the TV or gather around the dinner table, and they can be very easy to prepare.

Soup meals can be a cinch to prepare, and can be as simple or as sophisticated as you’d like – throw in what you have in the kitchen pantry or fridge, or go out and select ingredients to make a specific dish. As with any dish, preparation is the key, and with Breville’s All-in-One, the path to a great tasting soup will be less messy and better textured.

So first, let’s have a quick look at what the All-in-One is all about, and how it can make food preparation easier, more consistent and help produce better cooking results:

http://youtu.be/9mKWzLakRGg

We spoke to Breville this week, who kindly provided a simple but tasty soup recipe – the trusty Leek and Potato Soup, which serves a family of four using the ingredient levels provided.

INGREDIENTS:

40g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced

750g potatoes, roughly chopped

1 litre chicken stock

Salt and white pepper

Chopped chives, to serve

METHOD:

1. Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan, add leeks and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add potatoes and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and allow soup to cool slightly.

2. Place stick mixer into saucepan and blend until soup is smooth. Season to taste.

3. Serve soup topped with fresh chopped chives.

If the soup becomes too thick when cooking or blending add a little extra stock or water. And that’s it, a nice simple meal that you could add some hot bread or toast to for dipping.

But don’t just take our word for it, world-renowned chef Heston Blumenthal has also tried out the All-In-One, and is keen to show you how well the blender performs:

http://youtu.be/TkzchS55FgM

So there you have it – a simple but tasty soup recipe, a great product to help you prepare the dish, and the thumbs up from a famous chef. For more information on the BSB530 from Breville featured here, just click here to see more and even order online.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy your hot soup!

Simple Guide to Convection Cooking

Convection ovens have long been popular with professional bakers because of their ability to cook quickly and brown evenly. That’s why when these ovens were made available for home kitchens, many consumers rushed to get one of their own. If you’re considering a convection oven for your own kitchen, here’s a quick guide to help you make a smart purchase.

How Do Convection Ovens Work?

Convection ovens work much like a traditional oven, but with one important addition. A convection oven utilizes fans to better circulate the air inside the oven cavity. Traditional ovens heat from the bottom or top, creating areas of hot and cold that can lead to undercooked food or burning. Because a convection oven heats from the back and circulates the air more efficiently, the temperature inside the oven is consistent.

Benefits of Convection Ovens

Convection ovens have considerable benefits over traditional ovens. The use of fans to circulate the heat means convection ovens heat up much more quickly than conventional ovens. Also, because the hot air completely surrounds the food and remains at a steady temperature, food browns evenly, cooks faster. Plus, the oven can be operated at a lower temperature. Something else to note is that, contrary to popular belief, you do not need specially designed pans to work with your convection oven. The benefits of convection ovens go beyond cooking. Being able to prepare food faster and at a lower temperature translates directly to energy savings. An oven that cooks faster, better, saves you money, and is better for the environment – it’s a wonder traditional ovens are still used!

Making the Most of Your Convection Oven

So why do people still use traditional ovens? Well, convection ovens take some getting used to. Most recipes are made with traditional ovens in mind which can make using a convection oven somewhat challenging for beginners. However, convection oven manufacturers and chefs have come up with some suggestions to help adjust recipes and compensate for faster cooking times. When cooking meats, such as a roast or turkey, experts suggest reducing the cooking time by about a quarter (think 15 minutes off for every hour suggested). For baking, it’s recommended to cook for the full time indicated in the recipe, but at a quarter of the temperature. For example, if the recipe says to cook at 162 degrees Celsius, you would reduce the temperature to 148 degrees Celsius.

Other Helpful Tips and Tricks

When cooking with a convection oven, remember that it works best when the air can properly circulate. Refrain from overfilling the oven with pans, and use pans with short sides whenever possible. This will allow for the best browning. For the same reasons, avoid using a lid; provided you do not overcook the food, the even browning should seal in the moisture, making a lid unnecessary. Another tip: If you live at a high elevation and normally adjust recipes, you may want to consult your oven manufacturer to find out if further adjustments need to be made.

The Bottom Line

Convection ovens are simply a better than traditional ovens in every way. They cook food faster, more evenly, and are much more efficient in terms of energy use. It will definitely take some time to get used to how they work and alter your recipes accordingly, and you will have to be willing to spend some time learning through trial and error. But once you adjust, you’ll be able to enjoy better-tasting food for years to come.

3 Tasty Recipes to Spice Up the Colder Months

When the temperature drops, it’s time to heat things up in the kitchen and warm your cockles, the old fashioned way – with some spicy comfort cooking. Here are three of our favourite simple recipes from around the globe that are sure to keep you warm this winter.

Spicy Tomato Soup

Serves 4 Ingredients 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 brown onion, chopped 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 1 Habanero chilli chopped* 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbs tomato paste 2 x 400g cans crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed 500ml salt-reduced chicken or vegetable stock Method Preheat your oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat before adding the onion, then cook for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently until the onion is soft. Add the chilli, spices, garlic and tomato paste, and stir for a further minute until ingredients are evenly combined. Add tomatoes, lentils and stock to the pan and raise heat to high to bring the mixture to the boil. Then reduce heat to low before partially covering and simmering for 20 minutes. Allow to cool to before pureeing the in batches until smooth. If the soup is too thick for your taste, gradually add another half cup of water. Once the desired consistency has been achieved, return to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper – freshly ground it best. Warm through by stirring over a medium heat. Serving Suggestion: ladle soup among serving bowls and swirl in a spoonful of yoghurt or sour cream to serve. *Note, the Habanero is one of the hottest varieties of chillis available. To reduce the heat, remove the seed or opt for a milder chilli such as the birdseye or jalepeno.

Chorizo and Bean Casserole

Serves 6 Ingredients 3 chorizo sausages, sliced 1 tbs vegetable oil 1 large brown onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, peel and crushed 1 1/2 tsp Mexican chilli powder 1 x 800g can diced tomatoes 2 x 400g cans red kidney beans, rinsed, drained 700g red sweet potato, peeled, diced into 1.5cm chunks 1 large eggplant, diced into 1.5cm pieces Method Preheat oil in a large saucepan before adding the sausages and onion. Cook for 3 minutes stirring frequently until the onion is golden and the sausages begin to brown. Stir in the garlic and chilli powder, and cook until aromatic. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, sweet potato and eggplant. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined before increasing heat to bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender. Serving suggestion: Serve with the crusty bread rolls.

Spicy Meatballs with Spaghetti

Serves 4 Ingredients 500g lean beef mince 1 large red chilli, finely chopped (and seeded for less heat, if desired) 1/4 cup quality dry breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 small brown onion, chopped finely 2 garlic cloves, crushed 400g can chopped Roma tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cup water Pinch of sugar 400g spaghetti or pasta of your choice Method Combine beef mince, breadcrumbs and chilli into a bowl, seasoning with salt. Mix together by hands until the mixture is well combined. Roll12 even-sized balls from the mixture. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente before draining well. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning frequently, for about 5 minutes until evenly browned. Remove meatballs and set aside. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel or wet sponge. Add the remainder of your oil to frypan. Cook onion and garlic until the onion softens then add the tomatoes, oregano, and water. Bring sauce to the boil before adding the meatballs and reducing heat. Simmer partially covered for 10 minutes, turning meatballs occasionally until cooked through. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar before serving with spaghetti or pasta of your choice.

How to Keep Fruit and Vegetables Fresher for Longer

Australia’s food waste totals approximately $7.8 billion each year with research indicating that up to 40% of kerbside garbage collections consist of food. Much of this food waste is avoidable, and with the rising cost of living, it makes financial sense to store your fruit and vegetables so that they stay fresher for longer.

Know Where to Store Your Produce

There are different ways to store different types of fruit and veggies. Knowing the best way to store your produce will impact upon how long and how well it will keep. Produce is generally best stored unwashed in perforated plastic bags in the crisper drawers of your fridge. Perforation allows for air flow which helps maintain freshness. However, to keep okra and mushrooms fresh, always store in a paper bag when refrigerating. When storing berries in the fridge, they are best kept unwashed, in a single layer to maintain freshness. Keep fruits and vegetables in separate refrigerator drawers as the ethylene produced by certain produce makes it spoil faster. High ethylene-producing fruits include apples, stone fruit, rockmelon, figs and honeydew melon. Bananas, potatoes, pumpkins and tropical fruits such as melons and pineapples should be stored in a dry location at room temperature away from sunlight. By storing these items in the fridge they will last longer, but ensure they are kept away from other produce as these ethylene producers will cause nearby fruit to spoil. Apples, bananas and tomatoes are ideally kept on your countertop and do not need to be covered. These should be consumed within seven days, so only purchase the amount needed to ensure the produce you are eating is fresh. Avocados and stone fruits such as peaches and plums should be ripened on the countertop before storing in the fridge.

Understanding Shelf-life

Learn spoilage rate of the fruits and vegetables that you regularly purchase. By understanding the shelf-life of your fruit and vegetables, you can plan ahead and anticipate how much you may consume before you next go shopping, thereby minimising wastage.

Plan Your Weekly Meals

Before you go fruit and veggie shopping, decide what you will intend to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the coming week. Planning you menu will give you some idea of how much of each item you will be needing, which means you will have the fresh produce you want when you need it while reducing wastage and in turn, saving you money.

Buy Local, Buy Quality

By choosing locally grown produce, you can ensure that you are purchasing the freshest product available, straight from the grower to you. When selecting your produce look for signs of freshness, such as a rich colour and aroma and always avoid items with bruising, soft spots and mould as fruits and vegetables with any of these characteristics will spoil quicker.