Maintaining a clean, organized fridge set at the proper temperature is ultimately what’s going to keep you safe from harmful, illness-causing bacteria. Hey, we’re certainly not calling on everyone to pick up the “fridgescaping” trend of decorating the inside of your fridge with candles, books, and picture frames. But you know what isn’t a good look? Slimy leftovers and rotting fruits and vegetables. That’s why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends chilling your foods at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. But is there a perfect temp? We spoke to a food safety expert to explain what the best fridge temperature is and why.
Experts in This Article
food scientist and food consultant
What is the best fridge temperature for storing food?
According to Bryan Quoc Le, PhD, a food scientist and food science consultant, the ideal temperature is 37 degrees Fahrenheit. “Essentially, these are nearly the lowest temperatures you can get to before your food starts to frost over. The lower the temperature, the slower the growth of the microorganisms is. Every 10 degrees higher than that temperature (37 degrees Fahrenheit), the microorganisms can double their growth rate,” Quoc Le explains.
Most modern refrigerators allow you to set the exact temperature, but if it doesn’t come equipped with one, Quoc Le suggests placing some peanut oil in your fridge and seeing if it solidifies. “Peanut oil happens to have a freezing point of 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius), which is just slightly above the ideal temperature for a refrigerator. If you put peanut oil in the fridge and it solidifies, then your refrigerator is at the right temperature,” he says. That said, the FDA recommends checking often whether your food is chilling at the proper temperature, so buying a freestanding appliance thermometer is your best bet.
How to store food safely in the fridge
Aside from keeping your fridge at 37 degrees Fahrenheit, you can help prevent bacterial growth and foodborne illnesses by storing food properly and refrigerating cooked dishes shortly after eating.
1. Keep fruits and vegetables in the crisper
The crisper drawers in your fridge are specifically reserved for your fruits and vegetables because they don’t require as cold of a temperature as the rest of your fridge to prevent spoilage, Quoc Le says. Crisper bins expose your produce to different levels of humidity and restrict air flow, which will help fruits and vegetables prolong their longevity.
“If it gets too cold for them [fruits and vegetables], the tissue will start to break down. They go through what’s called chill injury. This means that they go through the same process as they would in the winter. When that happens, the plant will try to reabsorb a lot of the nutrients and break down quickly. They get softer, they get mealy, there’s going to be off flavors, and it’s not going to taste as good. They lose a lot of their sugars,” Quoc Le explains.
Other foods, like meat, dairy, and eggs, should be stored outside of the crisper drawers in their appropriate bins at cooler temperatures.
2. Place leftover food in the fridge immediately
Whether you just finished cooking or are reheating leftovers, you want to keep whatever food you don’t end up serving or eating back in the fridge ASAP. Leaving food out of the fridge allows bacteria to proliferate. “The danger zone is 60 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. So foods that are hot that cool down to that temperature and foods that are cold and warm up to that temperature, the microbial growth is going to be quite accelerated,” says Quoc Le. “Most modern refrigerators move heat fairly quickly. So ultimately, you don’t want to leave things on the stove for too long and have it come to room temperature.”
The rule of thumb is to avoid leaving perishable foods out for two hours or more, but you need to consider the environment they’re in. If you live in a hot, humid climate or if it’s a warm summer day, food is going to spoil faster. Certain foods aren’t going to go bad as quickly as others.
For example, “foods that have more acidity, more salt, or are high in sugars tend to be more resistant to microorganisms because they have a really hard time growing in things like that,” says Quoc Le. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that leftover food in the fridge should be reheated to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and ready-to-eat foods to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Soups, sauces, and gravies must come to a boil.
3. Clean up spills and throw away bad leftovers
Per the FDA, clean up spills as soon as they happen to avoid cross-contamination of bacteria from different foods. You also want to avoid “overpacking” your fridge to allow cool air to circulate and keep foods chilled at the right temp. When it comes to leftovers, meat products and dishes with vegetables are usually good for two to three days, Quoc Le says. “Again, things that have acidity and high sugar and salt content are going to be more resistant to spoilage, so you could probably extend that to six to seven days,” he explains.
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