The Dangers of Storing Food in the Refrigerator

A refrigerator is an electronic appliance that can help everyone store different types of food, whether it is dry food, wet food, fruits, vegetables, as well as basic ingredients for making food, the goal is to keep these ingredients in optimal conditions when they are going to be used.

With so many advantages, it is no wonder that almost every household has this electronic equipment.

Principle of Refrigerator Operation

The operation of the refrigerator follows the law of thermodynamics, according to which warm air always moves towards cooler air. However, the concept of the law runs in reverse.

The process of heat transfer from the inside of the refrigerator to the outside is carried out by a component called the Evaporator. This component is responsible for absorbing heat from the objects stored in the refrigerator. The heat sucked in will cool the food ingredients.

Dangers of Storing Food in the Refrigerator

Storing food too long in the refrigerator will cause bacteria attached to it to multiply.

This triggers a spoilage process that releases chemicals into the food, giving it a rancid taste. Even if food is kept in the refrigerator, this will not completely stop the process carried out by the bacteria.

If you eat food that has been refrigerated for too long, you may suffer health problems. For example, stomach pain, diarrhea and poisoning.

Therefore, if you are going to store food in the refrigerator, pay attention to the expiration date and things that affect the durability of food.

It is feared that food stored for too long will spoil and cause bacteria to multiply.

The Refrigerator is a Source of Bacteria

It is difficult for bacteria to multiply in the refrigerator, but that does not mean that they are dead. Bacteria and mold can survive in the refrigerator. This is due to poor refrigerator maintenance.

Research conducted in 2011 by The Microban Europe showed that most people live with 8,000 colonies of bacteria in their fridge.

These bacteria will pass from one food to another and contaminate other foods stored in the fridge.

Harmful bacteria that can grow and multiply in the refrigerator include salmonella, e-coli and botulinum.

Well, to solve this problem, there are several ways that can be applied so that the refrigerator does not become a hotbed of bacteria.

1. Regular refrigerator service or maintenance

To prevent the refrigerator from becoming a nest and a place for bacteria to accumulate, regular maintenance is necessary.

Although it may seem trivial, cleaning the refrigerator can extend its service life quite significantly.

Cleaning is performed on the exterior and interior. To clean the outer body, it can be done with a special cleaning liquid for electronic devices or even simply with a clean cloth.

As for the inside of the refrigerator, it can be cleaned with water, a clean cloth that has been given a cleaning liquid. It is not necessary to use a special cleaning liquid, just enough liquid to wash the dishes.

In the meantime, the shelves can be removed first and washed with dish soap.

Once the cleaning process is finished, make sure that all parts are dry and turn the refrigerator back on.

For maximum results, you can call a refrigerator service technician in your area. In addition to obtaining maximum results, you can also reduce the risk of damage.

2. Store food correctly

The right way to store food will make it last longer and not spoil quickly, while the wrong way will undoubtedly do the opposite. The food will rot quickly, which will trigger bacterial growth.

Do not store food still warm in the refrigerator.

According to food.ndtv.com - a popular food and nutrition website in India - putting hot food or beverages in the fridge can cause salmonella bacteria to spoil food very easily.

If you put hot food in the fridge immediately, you can lose its nutritional value and even make your fridge work harder.

Here are some examples of how to store food properly and correctly. They can be applied at home.

Do not store fresh meat unwrapped

Fresh meat is usually placed on the top shelf. When the temperature is unstable, frozen meat thaws and liquid from the broth may drip onto the bottom shelf. These droplets will stick to the food and produce bacteria.

Therefore, place meat in a plastic or sealed container.

Fruits and vegetables

Store fruits and vegetables separately according to their respective types. For example, apples with apples, carrots with carrots. Fruits and vegetables can give off different gases and spoil each other's quality.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. You don't have to wait for hot dishes to reach room temperature.

Dairy products

Leave cheese, yogurt, sour cream, milk and butter in their containers when you buy them. But once you've transferred milk to a pitcher or cream to a bowl, don't return them to their containers. To keep it sterile, tightly wrap the serving bowl or the end of the kettle with PP plastic wrap.

Place the solid cheese in a tightly sealed container until you want to use it. If you want to store it again, wrap it in aluminum foil or food grade plastic wrap.

Plastic milk bottle containers are relatively more sterile than cartons. Bacteria can grow on the insulating carton and get into the glass every time you pour milk into it.

However, as long as you consume the milk within the specified time period, drinking carton milk is still safe.

Here are some tips on how to properly store food in the refrigerator. There are also some food ingredients, cooking spices that should not be put in the refrigerator. Because it can damage the texture, taste and even reduce the nutritional content. For example;

1 Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes

These foods should not be refrigerated because cold, moist air can damage their texture and flavor. The starch in potatoes and sweet potatoes breaks down more quickly into sugar, which is why potatoes and sweet potatoes taste pungently sweet.

2. Spices

Spices such as coriander, cumin, ground nutmeg, peppercorns and others. Spices stored in the refrigerator dry out, smell bad and lose their original flavor.

3. Oils

Almost all oils can be stored at room temperature. Storing oils in the refrigerator is inefficient and will only take up space.

4. Honey

Honey hardens easily when stored in the refrigerator. So putting honey in the refrigerator will only cause it to spoil.

Hence the danger of putting food in the fridge and how to reduce the ingredients. I hope you find it helpful.