{"id":10082,"date":"2017-08-12T06:00:36","date_gmt":"2017-08-12T10:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/?p=10082"},"modified":"2017-08-11T16:37:08","modified_gmt":"2017-08-11T20:37:08","slug":"10082","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/10082\/","title":{"rendered":"Myths about Keeping Food Safe in the Refrigerator"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/fridge.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10098\" src=\"https:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/fridge-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"refrigerator\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/fridge-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/fridge-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/fridge-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/fridge.jpg 1667w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">September is National Food Safety Education Month and consumers need to know that myths about keeping food safe in the refrigerator aren\u2019t true.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><em><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Myth 1: I know my refrigerator is cold enough \u2013 I can feel it when I open it! Anyway, I have a dial to adjust the temperature.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Fact:\u00a0 Unless you have thermometers built into your fingers, you need to use a thermometer to ensure your refrigerator is at or below 40 \u00b0F.\u00a0 And that dial? Important, but it is not a thermometer.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">As many as 43% of home refrigerators have been found to be at temperatures above 40 \u00b0F, putting them in the food safety \u201cdanger zone\u201d where harmful bacteria can multiply and make you and your family sick!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Slow the growth of bacteria by using a refrigerator thermometer to tell if your refrigerator is at 40 \u00b0F or below. And if it isn\u2019t?\u00a0 Use that dial to adjust the temperature so it will be colder. Then, use your refrigerator thermometer to measure again.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><em><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Myth 2:\u00a0 Cross-contamination doesn\u2019t happen in the refrigerator \u2013 it\u2019s too cold in there for germs to survive!<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Fact:\u00a0 Bacteria can survive and some even grow in cool, moist environments like the refrigerator.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">In fact, <em>Listeria<\/em> bacteria can grow at temperatures below 40 \u00b0F! A recent study showed the refrigerator produce compartment was one of the \u201cgermiest\u201d places in the kitchen, containing <em>Salmonella<\/em> and <em>Listeria<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">To reduce the risk of cross-contamination in your refrigerator:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Keep fresh fruits and vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Clean up food and beverage spills immediately, and<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #003366;\">Clean your refrigerator regularly with hot water and liquid soap.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget to clean the refrigerator walls and undersides of shelves!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Myth 3: I left some food out all day, but if I put it in the refrigerator\u00a0 now, the bacteria will die.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Fact:\u00a0\u00a0 Refrigerator temperatures can slow the growth of bacteria, but will not stop the growth of bacteria in food.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">If food is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, putting it into the refrigerator will only slow bacterial growth, not kill it. Protect your family by following the 2-hour rule\u2014refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, cut fresh fruits and vegetables, and all cooked leftovers within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing. Refrigerate within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 \u00baF.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">While refrigeration does slow bacterial growth, most perishables will only keep for a few days in the refrigerator. To keep perishables longer than a few days\u2014like most meat, poultry and seafood\u2014you can freeze them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>Myth 4:\u00a0 I don\u2019t need to clean my refrigerator produce bin because I only put fruit and vegetables in there.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>FACT:\u00a0\u00a0 Naturally occurring bacteria in fresh fruits and vegetables can cause cross-contamination in your refrigerator.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\">A recent NSF International study found that the refrigerator produce compartment was the #1 \u201cgermiest\u201d area in consumers\u2019 kitchens!\u00a0 To prevent the buildup of bacteria that can cause food poisoning, it is essential to clean your produce bin and other bins in your refrigerator often with hot water and liquid soap, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a clean cloth towel or allow to air dry outside of the refrigerator.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366;\"><strong>For more myths and facts about food safety, go to:<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #003366;\"> <a style=\"color: #003366;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.fightbac.org\/food-safety-education\/home-food-safety-mythbusters\/\">www.fightbac.org\/food-safety-education\/home-food-safety-mythbusters\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-socializer wpsr-buttons\"><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-facebook\"><div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"\" data-layout=\"button\"><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-show-count=\"false\" data-related=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-size=\"small\" data-via=\"\" data-hashtags=\"\">Tweet<\/a><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn wpsr-srvc-google_plus\"><div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"medium\" data-annotation=\"none\" ><\/div><\/span><span class=\"wpsr-btn 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