So that you know when you reach inside your fridge and that leftovers who have in there have turned green and they’re covered with white wisps of mold, or when you look at the tomatoes and they look like a deflated balloon and they’ve got spores growing out of the top, obviously we’re all disgusted by this kind of imagery.
If we’re not, we should be. Well, luckily, we have refrigerators (even in our garage), which slow the growth of bacteria on our food.
So what is the best temperature to set the inside of your fridge at?
Let’s understand spoilage better
Now basically microscopic organisms are constantly feasting on our unattended food items. And spoilage bacteria are fast and inevitable. They’re constantly consuming tiny portions of our food and then spreading their waste all over it. Yum. Well, that’s what makes rotten food smell foul and appear to be spoiled. And bacteria multiply, sometimes rapidly. So as long as nutrition and water are present, bacteria will be making babies, y’all. While there are many methods to detect bacteria, most of them take several hours, unless you happen to have an infrared light handy to trace their biochemical footprints.
But for the most part, visible bacteria and mold is a sign that food is not suitable to eat. And some can even be lethal, like salmonella and listeria.
What’s our best solution?
And another tip, don’t jam your fridge full of stuff. You know, like leftovers, jams, Punky Brewster. This prevents the proper air circulation needed and can actually hasten spoilage. Now in the freezer, however, feel free to hill her up. Shove Punky in there, it’s fine. A full freezer actually cools more efficiently.