Is your refrigerator temperature helping or hurting your food?

The Food & Drug Administration suggest you keep your refrigerator under 40°F to keep your food safe to eat. How do you control the temperature of your refrigerator if the dial used to control the temperature is labeled one through five or lettered “A” though “B”. Setting your refrigerator to the correct temperature can be tricky when only given letters or numbers and no real values.

The ideal temperature for your refrigerator is between 34°F and 40°F. If you set it below 34°F your food can freeze and certain foods like lettuce, strawberries and milk do not freeze very well and can damage your food so much it become inedible. If set above 40°F your food will not get cold enough to stop the reproduction of bacteria. Your refrigerator can be a home to many types of bacteria but the two most common are Spoiled bacteria and pathogenic bacteria. Spoiled bacteria will get into your food and grow slowly on food even in the refrigerator. This bacterium results in off tasting and smelling food, which most people will choose not to consume the food even though it is likely you will not get sick. Pathogenic bacteria will cause a person to get sick. The bacterium forms rapidly in warmer temperatures and usually does not change the taste or smell of the food. This can be dangerous because you may not know your foods contaminated with a pathogenic bacterium. This bacterium is the leading cause to food borne illnesses.

The last thing someone wants to worry about when a power outage hits is the food in your refrigerator. When your power goes out at your home it is important to keep your refrigerator doors shut. Keeping the door seal closed will help keep the cold air inside and will keep your food colder longer. If your power is still not on after two hours, and the temperature dropped below 40°F then the food is not consumable. It is important to keep the inside of the refrigerator below 40°F; otherwise, bacteria can start to grow.

Like everything else in your house, there is a place for everything, food not being an exception. There is an ideal spot in your refrigerator for all your food. You want to ensure everything in your refrigerator is staying as cold as possible even when the door is in use all the time. Placing your food on the right shelf will help your food stay colder and fresher longer.

Top shelf should consist of your fruit, vegetables, butter and cheese.

Bottom shelves should contain your meat, eggs and milk.

One crisper should hold leafy vegetables to keep the water vapor in and the other crisper should hold apples or fruit.

The door should hold all your condiments.

Ensuring your food is correctly placed will keep the food fresher and will lessen the chance of bacteria forming. You also never want to store any food on top of your refrigerator. The top is one of the warmest places to store food and can destroy your food.

To get your ideal temperature for your fridge is simple. There are steps you can take to get your refrigerator running the way you want. Start by setting your temperature dial to the middle of the dial. To check your refrigerator temperature you want to place a thermometer, (purchase refrigerator parts here) in a glass of water and keep it there for 24 hours. Check back the next day to see what your temperature is. Each time you change the placement you want to wait 24 hours to get the reading. You also want to make sure the door seal has no gaps to let air out and you want to check your air vents to make sure they are also clear. Having enough food and not much clutter will also help regulate your refrigerator. The location of your refrigerator is also important. Keeping your refrigerator in an area where the temperature does not sink past 60°F and not exceed 110°F will also help regulate the temperature inside. If you are still having trouble keeping a constant temperature in your refrigerator, you may need to contact a technician or visit refrigerator parts for help and parts.

Keeping your refrigerator at the correct temperature is very important. Your refrigerator is there to prolong the life of your food. If you neglect the inside temperature your food could be doing more harm than good. Check the temperature, place your food in the ideal spots and keep up on the maintenance of the appliance and you will have good fresh food all the time.