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The Importance of Accurate Refrigerator Temperature

Most people, if not all, are becoming extremely health conscious today. Well, I’m one of them. We make sure that all the food and drinks we take are clean and healthy. That is why even during the preparation of our well-balanced meals, we take time to wash and cook them carefully or as needed. However, we often forget to take into consideration the storage of our food. I, myself, is guilty about that. When we store our food in the refrigerator, we believe that everything will stay longer. We believe that cooling alone will do the trick. Cooling may prevent or slow down the growth of bacteria, but we still need to know that the temperature of the refrigerator is right because of its significant impact on the nutritional value of our food. There are two ways to prevent food spoilage: proper storage and proper control.

Proper Storage

We do not just put our food like vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, etc. in our kitchen cabinet. We put them inside our refrigerator or fridge. The refrigerator may preserve food items, but if not stored properly, it will still result to food spoilage. For proper storage, first, we need to set the correct temperature of the refrigerator. If we set the refrigerator temperature to its optimum level or if we maintain an ideal refrigerator freezer temperature, food preservation becomes highly effective.

What would be the proper refrigerator temperature, then? The refrigerator has to be cold but not cold enough for food to be frozen. In short it should be as close to freezing as possible. So, a temperature between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit or 1.7 and 3.3 degrees Celsius is ideal. A temperature higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit quickly allows the growth of bacteria that may result to severe changes on the taste, odor and appearance of the food. It might even endanger our health through food poisoning. If your fridge does not have a built-in thermometer, it would be an excellent idea to get one for measuring and monitoring purposes.

Second, we need to place the food in their appropriate areas. Some of the food products we buy have high amounts of water that could freeze easily in the coldest section of the fridge. There are food items (e.g. milk, juice, beer and other beverages) though that do not freeze well, so it is difficult to liquefy or dissolve them. On the other hand, there are food items that change quality when frozen such as fruits, vegetables, milk and eggs. For the last two, it would be advisable not to leave them near the door of the refrigerator because they get more prone to spoilage due to repeated door opening throughout the day.

Lastly, we need to make sure that the fridge, as well as the food we keep in it, is clean. Before placing the food inside, we need to wash and clean them thoroughly. As for the leftover food, we need to put them in sealed containers so they won’t spill. Spilled food in the fridge must be cleaned right away to prevent bacterial growth. It is also recommended for us to clean and defrost the fridge once a week or as needed.

Proper Control

Although we have set the temperature correctly, it is still not a guarantee that our food will stay fresh for long. The temperature inside the fridge should of course be steady. There are inevitable factors that affect its stability like power outages, defrosting or by opening and closing the refrigerator door, to say a few. It is difficult to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator, but it is possible to control it. There is a device that detects and responds to any changes in refrigerator temperature. It is called temperature controller. Its main purpose is to maintain a safe refrigerator temperature.

There are practical ways on how to go about temperature control. First, refrain from opening and closing the fridge unless it is necessary and do not hang around with an open door. Do not put hot food items inside the fridge. Let them cool first. The hot temperature of the food itself will affect the internal temperature of the fridge.

We should always remember that the proper storage of food in the fridge and the proper control of refrigerator temperature will not only enable us to save time, money and resources but will also keep us in excellent health. Thus, they should be strictly implemented at home, or wherever there is a fridge.

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