What’s Lurking in Your Refrigerator?

A refrigerator is often seen as the safest place for food items.  However, this safety is greatly compromised if the cleanliness of the space is neglected.  A dirty refrigerator can be full of harmful bacteria, increasing the risk of food poisoning.  These potential pathogens make it imperative to keep all shelves, drawers, walls, and handles of this appliance clean.  

There are simple ways to maintain a clean fridge environment, including:

·      Weekly sorting of foods—this keeps your fridge clean and also helps your wallet by throwing out foods that have expired and quickly using those that expire soon.

·      Immediately cleaning spills—this is especially important for juices from raw meats that can spread e. coli or other foodborne illnesses.  Thawing meats should also be placed on the bottom shelf in covered containers to further prevent cross-contamination.

·      Cleaning the front grill—keeping this area free from dirt and dust allows for greater efficiency and faster cooling, which can keep foods from spoiling too quickly.

·      Keeping up with both the inside and outside of the fridge—the inside walls and shelves should be wiped down with warm, soapy water and dried while the outside handle should also be cleaned.  Some cleaners can leave a taste on food and/or cause damage to the walls of the fridge—avoid these.

These simple tips and more can be found at:

http://www.eatright.org/resource/homefoodsafety/four-steps/wash/how-clean-is-your-refrigerator.