A new study has revealed that our fridges may contain up to 750 times the level of bacteria considered safe.

Around a million cases of food related illnesses occur each year in the UK and it is believed that this is mostly because of cross contamination and under cooking.

Some experts believe that we need to clean our fridges weekly with very hot water, maintain a cool fridge temperature of 5C or below and understand good food storage such as keeping meat at the bottom of the fridge and soft cheeses and pates separately.

However the salad drawer is usually at the bottom of the fridge and not the meat drawer – which when meat can run through the gaps into a salad drawer and potentially make you ill seems like a major design flaw.

What do you think? Is it just common sense or should be all be more educated about fridge sense?

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One Response to How clean is your fridge?

  1. I think it probably should be common sense but how often do we actually follow the advice? I admit I am guilty at times. I do keep cooked meat seperately and clean the fridge regularly.

    Likewise some computer keyboards harbour more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat, research has suggested.

    Consumer group Which? said tests at its London offices found equipment carrying bugs that could cause food poisoning.

    Out of 33 keyboards swabbed, four were regarded as a potential health hazard and one harboured five times more germs than one of the office’s toilet seats.

    Microbiologist Dr Peter Wilson said a keyboard was often “a reflection of what is in your nose and in your gut”.

    “Should somebody have a cold in your office, or even have gastroenteritis, you’re very likely to pick it up from a keyboard.”

    Which? said one of the causes of dirty keyboards was users eating lunch at their desk, with crumbs encouraging the growth of bacteria.

    I have to confess I am guilty of sitting at the desk to eat lunch!

    Poor personal hygiene, such as not washing hands after going to the toilet, could also be to blame, it said.

    Which? computing editor Sarah Kidner advised users to give their computer “a spring clean”.

    “It’s quite simple to do and could prevent your computer from becoming a health hazard,” she said.

    She said dust and food crumbs should be shaken out of keyboards and they should be wiped with a soft, lightly dampened, lint-free cloth. They should also be disinfected with alcohol wipes.

    How many of us actually clean our keyboards on a regular basis?

    on November 3, 2011 at 11:34 pm Cathy

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