What does storage refer to in culinary terms?

Storage in culinary terms specifically pertains to the practice of placing food in a designated location for later use. This could involve putting ingredients in refrigerators, freezers, or pantry spaces to maintain their freshness, safety, and quality until they are needed for preparation or service. Proper storage is essential to food safety, preventing spoilage, and minimizing waste, while ensuring that ingredients retain their intended flavor and texture.

The other options focus on different aspects of food handling: cleaning food is a preparatory step that ensures safety from contaminants; cooking at high temperatures relates to the cooking process itself, which is about heat application; and disposing of leftover food addresses waste management rather than the storage of ingredients. Each of these actions is vital in the culinary field, but they do not fall under the definition of storage.