9 potential hazards from refrigerators and remedies

Most of us think refrigerators are the safest food reserves. But research shows that the fruit compartment can contain 750 times the amount of bacteria, in which the percentage of dangerous bacteria such as E.Coli 0157, salmonella and listeria is even higher.

Risk of poisoning from refrigerators and remedies

'Knowing how to store food is important to prevent food poisoning for families,' said Professor Tom Humphrey of the Institute of Global Infection and Health at Liverpool University. Here are the potential hazards from the refrigerator and how to handle it:

1. Bacteria can survive at low temperatures

Many people mistakenly believe that cold food will kill bacteria. According to Professor Humphrey, frozen food slows down the rate of bacterial growth, so we can store it for a few days instead of just a few hours at room temperature. However, some bacteria do not stop growing in the refrigerator, which can be a source of food poisoning. For example, listeria bacteria (which cause cold-like symptoms, more severe than septicemia or meningitis) can develop at temperatures from -1 ^o C to 4 ^o C and often exist in foods like soft cheese, meat, fish .

According to Professor Humphrey, the temperature of the refrigerator should be maintained at 4-5 ^o C, do not open the refrigerator door for too long and do not place hot food in the cabinet to avoid increasing the internal temperature.

2. The risk from a fridge full of food

To ensure users' health, food manufacturers tend to cut preservative content, so the need to preserve food in the refrigerator after opening the packaging.

If your fridge is full of food, adjust the low temperature and regularly clean the refrigerator . Professor Humphrey advises that you should clean the cabinet once a week with hot water and disinfectant, especially for live meat compartments, should be cleaned a few days apart.

3. Never put meat in the top compartment

'One of the main causes of food poisoning is cross-contamination' - Professor Humphrey explains. For example, live chicken or campylobacter infection is dangerous, often causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea. Therefore, if placed on a vegetable compartment, the water in the meat will leak through the openings, permeate the vegetables and poison you if you eat raw. The best advice is to put chicken in a sealed container and place it in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator. You can also leave raw food to eat with prepared food, cooked or meat, raw fish.

4. Reserve cheese in a separate box

According to Professor Humphrey, you should store cheese in a separate box and do not put it together with other foods like pâté, fish, bacon. The reason is that cheese is susceptible to listeria from other foods through your hands.

5. Be careful with raw vegetables

'We often ignore the role of vegetables in the transmission of pathogenic bacteria' - Professor Humphrey said. E.coli bacteria often exist in cold, frozen form and are often found in vegetable soil. This type of bacteria can cross from vegetables to other foods in the refrigerator, so don't forget to rinse the vegetables before putting them in a separate storage compartment in the refrigerator.

6. The rice in the refrigerator is also not safe

Bacillus cereus - a type of bacteria commonly found in plants grown near the ground like rice, cereals and spices, can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. During cooking, the bacteria are inactive, but when the rice is cold, it begins to produce toxic spores. According to Professor Humphrey, you should put the rice in the refrigerator when it has cooled down and should remove it after 3 days in the refrigerator.

7. Put eggs in the cupboard

Eggs should not be placed in egg trays on the cabinet because this is a location with a higher temperature than in other places

Eggs should be cooled and kept in a shelf between the temperature of 0.6-2.2 degrees Celsius so that the eggs in the eggshell have no chance of invading and causing eggs and eggs, it is best to leave the eggs in dedicated cardboard boxes and stored in the upper compartments.

8. Use a plastic bottle to filter the water in the refrigerator

This is a very harmful habit because when the temperature is low, the resin releases dioxin.

This substance is an extremely toxic substance and is a major cause of cancer , especially breast cancer. Not only that, the plastic composition also contains substances such as bisphenol A (BPA), Phthalates .

These substances are very harmful to humans, especially pregnant women and children.

9. Leave potatoes in the refrigerator

The temperature of the refrigerator can reduce the taste and quality of potatoes.

Instead of storing it in a refrigerator, it should be wrapped in paper and kept at room temperature, not in plastic bags because moisture will accelerate the rotting process of potatoes.

Most types of potatoes can be wrapped in paper for up to 3 weeks.