Storing milk, eggs or remains of food at the refrigerator door is a common mistake that can cause food to spoil a few days ahead of expected. Food safety experts, cited by the digital newspaper HuffPost, explain that the door is the hottest and most unstable area of the device: it is farther from cold air flow and warms the refrigerator. These oscillations favor the growth of microorganisms and increase the risk of sour or even food disease.
A habit that shortens the validity
Many people treat the refrigerator as a “general cold box” and put everything where it fits: milk fitting, eggs in the support, yogurts behind the sauces. When milk begins to sour before the date, the problem is rarely from the manufacturer. It can be temperature.
The food scientist Bryan quoc le, quoted by the same source, explains: “The door is the warmest part of the fridge because it gets further from the fans that push cold air. It is also the one that warms up whenever it opens.”
Why does the door heat up so much
Each opening lets you escape cold air and let it get from the kitchen air. Inner shelves remain more stable; The door, exposed and with little cold mass, rises in temperature quickly and takes longer to recover. If you cook with the door open or go there many times in a short time, multiplies the effect.
Temperatures that oscillate and “danger zone”
Ideally, according to the same source, the interior of the fridge should be at 4 ° C or below. The door can be several degrees above and, in hot or with repeated openings, cross this limit. Professor Darin Detwiler of Northeastern University recalls that “the door is the most unstable zone because it is constantly exposed to the ambient air.”
When it rises above 4 ° C, it approaches the so-called “danger zone”, the temperature range at which bacteria multiply faster (approx. 4 ° C to 60 ° C). Even small successive climbs shorten the life of sensitive foods.
What you should not keep in the door
Molded fittings may suggest the opposite, but milk, eggs, yogurts, cream, soft cheeses and leftover meals should not be at the door. “These foods are highly perishable; there are a few more degrees for bacteria and fungi to multiply quickly,” warns Bryan Qoc Le, quoted by the same source. Detwiler adds raw meats (chicken, fish, beef), sauces such as mayonnaise or dairy -based spices, as well as medicines that require stable temperature, including certain insulin and probiotic.
Repeated thermal oscillations favor microorganisms such as listeria or salmonella and increase the risk for children, elderly and people with fragile immunity.
Foods that can stay at the door
Not everything is a problem. Products with lots of salt, sugar, acid or preservatives deal better with variations: mustard, ketchup, spicy sauces, pickles, jams, jams, soy sauce and vinegar are typical uses for the door space. “If a food may be at room temperature, or if it has a lot of preservatives, it can be at the refrigerator door,” says Le. Still, you should close the packaging well and clean it to prevent odors or mold.
Organize to protect health
The tidying of the fridge is not just a matter of order. “A good organization protects health,” recalls Detwiler, quoted by the digital newspaper. Use the colder internal shelves for fresh milk and dairy products, eggs, sealed raw meats and cooked leftovers.
Reserve the door for frequent condiments and products that tolerate fluctuations. Reduce the number of openings, close the door well and periodically confirm the temperature defined in the thermosate.
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