The refrigerator does not make miracles … Hidden risks which can make it a source of family pollution

Although a century has passed since the household refrigerator started very popular in 1927, and until the number of household refrigerators around the world reaches more than 1.4 billion refrigerators. The common idea of ​​looking at the refrigerator has not changed as a magical place to fully reassure all forms of food and their remains.

As long as it is wonderful, this cold device makes food at our reach whenever we need it, it does not deny that there are underlying risks behind its door, which receive us with lights; Where there are bacteria that close in the rice cooked at 3 days, or in fresh vegetables from the grocery store, or from the raw chicken which flows its liquids. These are risks that we may not be able to see once you look at it, feel it or taste it; But this can be a cause of diseases we do not expect.

A study by the College of Health Sciences of the University of Liopulliana in Slovenia, published in 2020, revealed that “refrigerated foods are often one of the most common causes of food transmitted by food, where insufficient cooling control is held behind the damage of a large part of the food stored in the refrigerator of the house.”

Foods worth additional care

“The truth is that all foods can be contaminated by harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning,” said Hvosts.

But experts warn that there are 3 food categories that deserve additional care to store them in the refrigerator, as they are most likely to cause diseases, namely:

• Protein -rich foods, According to Food Consulting Expert, Matt Taylor, “foods rich in protein such as meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs are at the forefront of the most likely foods to cause disease.” “This also applies to ocean cheese, smoked fish and non -pasteurized milk.” Dennis Damico, assistant professor of microbiology and security at the University of Connecticut, adds meat “ready to eat”, which also includes cold meat; To the list as another source of pollution.
• Fresh vegetables, Damico explains that “pathogens can pollute fresh products, such as mushrooms and bottled green salads”, and emphasizes that fresh vegetables and clean them with a cleaning brush at home, “after making sure that the brush is clean and sterilized”.
• Cooked rice, Where Atkinson warns that rice can contain “before cooking” bacteria which constitute a threat to health “after cooking”, which means that the risk of illness ate it much higher, “if cooked rice is not cooled in the right way”. Atkinson therefore warns to leave the rice at the kitchen table at room temperature, and underlines “the need to bring it in the refrigerator as soon as it cools and takes it within 24 hours”. And not counting on the fact that dangerous rice to eat will show clear signs that it is corrupt, such as color change or smell, “may not have signs of rice”. And the warning itself applies to the rice which is consumed abroad, which may be more likely to damage, because additions and spices can be used to hide the signs that indicate that it must be eliminated, and there is no way to know when it was stored before it is prepared when requested “.

It is not enough to count on the sensation of sight, the smell or the cooling power

“If you think you can use your senses to detect the risk of food, this may not be enough, because harmful bacteria have food with an unpleasant odor, but the same bacteria can multiply without anyone noticing,” explains the nutritionist approved tris Yabulon Brenner. “If the smell of food is good, it makes it sure to eat,” added Brenner.

In addition, despite the use of cooling, “but it is not guaranteed”, although it can slow down the growth of bacteria, it does not eliminate them completely “, especially for serious pathogens, including Lestia.”

This makes it believe that cooling completely stops the growth of bacteria, “one of the biggest false ideas,” said Jason Reese, a legal expert in wounds with transmitted food.

But that does not prevent the fact that maintaining the temperature of the appropriate refrigerator is “very important”; When insufficient refrigerator temperatures can facilitate the growth of the causes of pollution, “which increases the risk of more serious illness and complications”, explains Denis Damico, who suggests controlling the refrigerator to a cooling degree from 2 to 4 ° C (35.6 to 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit).

And if some studies indicate that the average refrigerator temperature for the consumer “should be closer to 7 degrees Celsius (44.6 degrees fahrenheit)”, according to Damico.

3 errors to stop

One of the most important errors that experts have warned in food management and how to save it in the refrigerator, what follows:

• Put the food residues exposed in the refrigerator, If you are used to launching a bowl or a food half-box directly in the refrigerator, “you should rethink this question”, on the basis of the advice of the world of food, Brian Cocke Lee, who warns that “open food can easily attract and spread microorganisms.”
• Delayed in food cooling, Mitzi Pom, CEO of “non -transformable” diseases, recommends that food cools without waiting to sit around the table and overwhelm the attractiveness of the conversation “and postpone the cooling of the remaining food at the time.” Explaining that bacteria are always moving and can grow in damaging foods such as meat, eggs, salads, chopped fruits and pepperclago, “in just two hours”. Pom also alerted consumers to “ignore any news to withdraw a specific food from the market, to stop it and immediately excluded it from the house”.
• The hesitation in getting rid of what should be eliminatedAccording to expert Matt Taylor, “if you are not sure of the time that foods spent in the refrigerator and want to avoid the disease, do not hesitate to get rid of.”

But at the same time, he suggests avoiding wasting food in the future, “codifying food data, storing them and the expiration date of the package and always following them”.