Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
by Johanna Hicks, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Family & Consumer Sciences
Chill Out This Spring!
Do you have “mystery foods” hiding in the back of your refrigerator? Have you discovered something at the very back of the bottom shelf that you didn’t know you had? As the “home” for raw and cooked foods, the refrigerator is both a useful and vital appliance that must be kept clean to reduce the risk of foodborne illness, according to Rebecca Dittmar, Extension Food and Safety Specialist. With spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to be thinking about cleaning the refrigerator and making it as safe as possible for food storage.
A National Sanitation Foundation study in which microbiologists measured levels of yeast, mold, staph and coliform bacteria — the family that includes salmonella and E coli – determined the kitchen was the “germiest” room in the house. It was also the room with the most coliform bacteria.
“Bacteria was found on multiple surfaces, including sponges, sinks, countertops and cutting boards,” Dittmar said. This really drives home the need to keep kitchen surfaces, including refrigerator surfaces, as free from bacteria as possible, but cleaning the fridge isn’t as simple as cleaning other areas of the kitchen.
First of all, harsh chemicals and disinfectants like bleach shouldn’t be used to clean surfaces where you will be putting food, Dittmar notes. Disinfectants that come into contact with food could make you sick due to the strong chemicals they contain. It’s best to use hot, soapy water to clean the refrigerator — or use specially formulated products or natural cleaners.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the two families of bacteria that can be found in refrigerators are pathogenic bacteria, which cause foodborne illness, and spoilage bacteria, which cause foods to deteriorate and develop unpleasant odors, tastes, and textures. This is a good time to use or throw away foods that are close to reaching their expiration date. Obviously, before cleaning the interior of the fridge you’ll want to remove all the food. An empty fridge makes cleaning easier and pretty much eliminates the possibility of contamination.
Take out all the removable parts, such as shelves and drawers and put these in the sink to soak with warm water and regular dishwashing soap before rinsing and drying. You may want to let any glass or ceramic pieces warm up a bit before putting them in hot water to avoid their cracking or breaking from ‘thermal shock.’
Dittmar suggests wiping the interior surface area with commercial wipes or dishwashing soap and warm water, working from top to bottom to avoid drips onto clean surfaces. Use a dishcloth or a paper towel when cleaning. To remove tough stains, mix some baking soda with water to make a paste and apply it to the stain and let it sit for a while before scrubbing and wiping it off. For thick or sticky spills, you may want to put a warm, wet cloth over the spill for a few minutes to soften them and make them easier to remove. If you used the dishcloth to wipe up raw meat or juices, wash it or replace it immediately with a clean one. While cleaning, pay particular attention to any corners, cracks and crevices where spills and small particles of food typically collect, and remember to wipe down interior doors.
Once the interior is clean, it’s time to put the food back into the refrigerator. Make sure the interior temperature is set to keep foods below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the fridge is clean, commit to take extra measures to keep it that way. Regularly look for hidden spills and wipe up any new spills immediately. Remove any foods that produce lingering odors, and to keep the fridge smelling fresh, put an open box of baking soda on one of the shelves.
This is a good time to start developing the habit of each week throwing out perishable foods that should no longer be eaten. A general rule of thumb for refrigerator storage for cooked leftovers is four days. If food is past its ‘use by’ date, it’s usually best to discard it. If you’re not sure or if the food looks questionable, the maxim ‘When in doubt, throw it out’ is a good way to go. Any food that looks or smells suspicious should be thrown out, and items such as ketchup and mayonnaise should be refrigerated after opening.
Raw meat, poultry and seafood should be kept in a sealed container or securely wrapped so their juices do not contaminate other foods. Large amounts of foods such as stews or soups should be divided into smaller portions and put in containers to cool quickly for refrigeration. The same applies for large portions of meat or poultry. When you’re returning foods to the fridge, this is also a good time to wipe any crust or sticky residue off jars or containers and dry them. Food in the refrigerator should be covered to retain moisture and prevent it from picking up odors from other foods.
For more specific guidelines for the length of time certain foods should be kept in a refrigerator, go to http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Refrigeration_and_Food_Safety.pdf. With Easter quickly approaching, we want to keep our families healthy, instead of battling food borne illness!
Registration Reminders
Registration is currently being taken for three upcoming events: 1) Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes series; 2) “Cooking Through the Seasons” event; and 3) Twogether in Texas marriage education workshop. Contact our office at 903-885-3443 for more information.
Closing Thought
Sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand – Andy Rooney
