Jihyun Ryou, originally from Korea now living and working Amsterdam, is passionate about unearthing forgotten methods of food preservation. Ryou thinks modernity has caused the oral tradition of knowledge sharing to go into decline. The result is a loss of time-tested and trusted techniques of keeping food fresh that go beyond the fridge and freezer.
Using maplewood, beeswax and glass, Ryou has produced prototype containers to revive old-style food storage. The containers are simple in functionality and beautiful in design.
Ryou’s project, Save Food From The Fridge, wants to reinstate traditional methods of food preservation through interaction and the experience of using the objects. Her container designs are based on her research and have led her to the following conclusions:
Storing apples with potatoes prevents the potatoes from sprouting due to the Ethylene gas apples emit. Eggs are highly porous and are best left outside the fridge where they won’t absorb odours from their neighbours. Fruit holds a lot of water and storing them on top of some water means the humidity preserves their freshness. Storing vegetables that naturally grow vertically in an upright position allows them to keep their energy and last longer. Rice dries the air inside spice containers from moisture and prevents them from clumping up.
With her project still only in the preliminary phases, Ryou hopes to launch these traditional boxes soon – as vessels for education and beautiful objects in the kitchen.
