You might think that the best way to organise your fridge is as simple as arranging the contents to amke it all fit.
But it turns out that actually there’s a it more to it than that. Because not only does a well-organised fridge prevent food poisoning it also helps stop food wastage. Research from WRAP has found that the UK throws away 6.6 million tonnes of household food waste a year and nearly three quarters is food we could have eaten. To help combat this, Tap Warehouse have put together a guide to how to correctly organise your fridge.
Raw Meat, Fish and Poultry
It’s important raw meat, fish, and poultry are stored on the bottom shelf of your fridge to stop them from dripping onto other foods and contaminating them. Shockingly Tap Warehouse’s research revealed that a staggering 2/5 (40%) of Brits do not store their raw meat, poultry, and fish on this shelf.
Advice From An Expert:
Louise Roberts, Director of Food Safety Company, Alimenti, says by not storing raw meat on the bottom shelf, “blood and other fluids which may contain high levels of pathogens could drip onto the ready to eat food and contaminate the food with pathogens.”
This is alarming as “if consumed without any further treatment, such as cooking, the ready-to-eat food may cause illness.” Louise Roberts adds.
Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit and vegetables that need to be refrigerated should be stored in the bottom drawer of your fridge where they are enclosed. Keep these in their original packaging to further prevent any contamination. Storing fruit and vegetables in this drawer will also stop moisture from escaping.
Tap Warehouse’s research found a worrying 1/8 (12%) of people admitted to storing their raw animal protein in the fruit and veg drawer. This could mean Brits are contaminating their fresh produce with raw meat juice.
Ready-to-eat Food
This includes dairy products, ready meals, and leftovers. Ready-to-eat foods should be kept on the middle and top shelf to prevent any drippage from raw foods contaminating them. These should all be covered or kept in sealed containers to prevent contamination.
Leftovers should be cooled as quickly as possible, ideally within 2 hours before placing them in the fridge and they should be used within 2 days of refrigerating.
Fridge Maintenance Tips
According to the NHS, our fridge temperature should be kept at 5C or below. Don’t forget to clean and inspect your fridge regularly to ensure it remains hygienic and in good working order.
