Storing food items in the refrigerator helps keep them fresh and safe. But when the fridge is not set at the right temperature, it can create a breeding ground for harmful bacteria to grow; doing more harm than good.
According to Dyeun Zapanta, assistant brand manager for an appliance brand, improper food storage and sanitation can lead to a high risk of foodborne illnesses, especially during rainy season. Among these diseases is listeriosis, a serious infection caused by eating food with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.
Listeriosis can be dangerous to pregnant women, newborns, children, and elderly, and can result to fever, muscle aches, or even gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea.
Refrigerating a food contaminated with listeria can cause it to spread to other food products inside the refrigerator that may make children at home prone to sickness.
The good news, however, is that there are various ways we can do to reduce the risk of listeriosis at home.
Consume Use-By Date food products immediately
Use-by date refers to the final day by which perishable goods should be consumed. After the recommended date, food quality is likely to go down and the food safety lessened. Therefore, it is important to make sure that food products are eaten before their use-by date and not after.
However, take note that you should follow the use by dates on unopened ready-to-eat food products and not storing food packages after they have been opened. Storing opened food products in the refrigerator can increase the risk of listeria to grow.
Clean your refrigerator regularly
It is important to wipe food spills immediately to keep listeria from growing and spreading to other food items. Clean the inside walls and shelves with hot water and a mild liquid dishwashing detergent then rinse it thoroughly.
Likewise, make sure to throw old and spoiled foods that may cause growth and spread of bacteria. Try moving older foods in the front part of your fridge to make it more visible so that it can be consumed before it gets spoiled.
Keep raw meat, poultry, or fish, which may contain several bacteria, from cooked meals. Also, make sure that raw meats are at the bottom part of the shelf to avoid it from dripping. Better still, seal them in a tight container.
Properly sanitizing your refrigerator can avoid different types of bacteria from growing on food items such as raw meat, milk, fish, and more.
Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature
Having your refrigerator at the proper temperature can avoid or slow down the growth of listeria. To check if your refrigerator is at the right temperature, put an appliance thermometer inside and make the necessary adjustment in the temperature control. Make sure that your refrigerator registers at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C).
Refrigerating below the recommended 4°C will significantly slow down the growth of bacteria. But as the temperature rises, the bacteria can grow at a faster rate, which can result to spoilage, wastage, and food poisoning.
While refrigerators can be a breeding ground for foodborne illnesses, Beko Refrigerator’s Active Ioniser neutralizes the bacteria that cause effluvia to create an antibacterial effect that keeps the refrigerator from harmful pathogens such as listeria. Also, its Blue Light Technology allows for a continued process of photosynthesis, allowing fresh produce to maintain their natural flavors and nutritional value for up to 30 days.
On top of that, the brand’s new age of NeoFrost Technology keeps the humidity of its refrigerator at an optimum level of up to 90 percent in the cooler for longer freshness. It also makes for a more stable and faster cooling for both the cooler and the freezer compartments at A+ energy efficiency level. Moreover, its independent cooling systems also helps in preventing odor transfer in between the compartments to keep the quality of the air inside at optimum levels.
Go to www.beko.ph to know more.
