Spring is here, which means seasonal house cleaning is in full swing, but it’s not just the mess you should be concerned about: More than 1.8 million units of bacteria are lurking in your fridge.
These invisible microbes are linked to respiratory and urinary infections, food poisoning, and miscarriages among pregnant women.
And the dirtiest places in the fridge are the vegetable and meat drawers and the shelves where dairy products are stored.
Most bacteria that thrive in refrigerators thrive from unwashed or cross-contaminated vegetables, which is why experts recommend covering all food before placing it inside.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes that leftovers should be placed in airtight containers to prevent bacterial growth and placed on the top shelves.
The agency advises not to store eggs at the door but in the carton and on a shelf.
More than 1.8 million units of bacteria are lurking in your fridge. These invisible microbes are linked to respiratory and urinary infections, food poisoning, and miscarriages among pregnant women.
Spring cleaning dates back 3,000 years, when the ancient Persians participated in a spring tradition called Khāne-takānī, which means “to shake the house.”
It was believed that sweeping dust and removing clutter from the house would prevent misfortune in the coming year.
And people are still keeping the tradition thousands of years later.
Nearly eight in ten Americans report spring cleaning at least once a year, usually around or after the first day of spring, March 20.
The refrigerator may be one of the last places people think of attacking with a scouring pad, but the container is home to disease-causing bacteria.
The average size of a refrigerator is 62 inches high and 29 inches wide, and previous research has found that there are more than 1,200 units of bacteria living in every square inch of the container.
Two different families of microbes live in your refrigerator: pathogenic bacteria and spoilage bacteria.
Pathogenic bacteria thrive in the ‘Danger Zone’, between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
This group causes foodborne illness, but usually does not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of food.
Spoilage bacteria can grow at low temperatures, such as in the refrigerator, and are detected when food goes bad.
Listeria is a pathogenic bacterium that mainly affects pregnant women, children and the elderly.
In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, and serious illness or death in newborns.
Listeria is a pathogenic bacterium that mainly affects pregnant women, children and the elderly. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, and serious illness or death in newborns (a 3D illustration of the bacteria in meat is shown)
The refrigerator may be one of the last places people think of attacking with a scouring pad, but the container is home to disease-causing bacteria.
Symptoms of the infection include fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness, and vomiting, sometimes preceded by diarrhea.
The incubation period can be anywhere from 3 to 70 days, and the illness can last days or weeks, depending on the health of the person before the illness becomes established.
Listeria can survive on cold surfaces and multiply slowly at 24 degrees Fahrenheit.
And this deadly bacteria can be found all over the fridge, specifically where meats and dairy products are stored.
A study conducted in 2019in which the scientists took five swabs from different locations in 10 refrigerators, they found that 19 of the 50 samples contained Aeromonas, Enterobatera clocae, and Klebsiella oxytoca bacteria.
The Aeromonas bacterium is associated with gastrointestinal infections, causing everything from watery diarrhea to dysenteric or bloody diarrhea.
Enterobacter cloacae can cause bone and heart infections, while Klebsiella oxytoca is associated with serious infections leading to septic shock.
The fridge isn’t the only playground for germs, though: They thrive on kitchen countertops, sponges and rags, and the 500,000+ units live in sink drains.
