Follow us on Google
A study shows: Dangerous germs lurk in 60 percent of all refrigerators. The surprising thing? It’s not the temperature that decides – it’s the cleaning.
Dortmund – You open the fridge in the morning, reach for yoghurt, cheese, maybe butter – and think nothing of it. The refrigerator cools, so it is safe. Or? Researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna have now checked exactly that – and their results may surprise many consumers.
Study reveals: 45 citizens’ refrigerators contain disgusting bacteria
For the investigation in the specialist journal LWT published, the team sampled 45 refrigerators in private households. Using state-of-the-art gene sequencing, the researchers tracked down which microorganisms live there. The result: There are hundreds of different types of bacteria in every single refrigerator – the scientists identified a total of 2,184 different species.
In 60 percent of refrigerators They found pathogens that can make people sick. These include bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, which cause diarrhea and vomiting. In some cases, the researchers even pointed out The listeria after – so Listeria monocytogenes.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) classifies listeria as rare but dangerous: older people, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill. Listeria is tricky because, according to the BfR, it can multiply even at refrigerator temperatures between minus 2 and 4 degrees (more consumer warnings at RUHR24).
Refrigerator study reveals: Cleaning the appliance is crucial
Many consumers think that if the refrigerator is cold enough, food is safe. The study clearly refutes this. Only 38 percent of the devices examined adhered to the recommended temperature of a maximum of 5 degrees – 24 percent were even above 7 degrees. And yet the temperature was not the deciding factor for the germ load. What really made the difference was cleaning: refrigerators that were rarely cleaned contained significantly more bacteria.
Even more worrying: The researchers discovered genes in many samples that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics – similar to so-called hospital germs. These resistant bacteria mainly appeared in older devices. The BfR points out that such resistance genes can be transferred between bacteria and make treatment for infections more difficult.
Refrigerator is a germ killer: How do consumers protect themselves?
The good news: Regular cleaning is enough to significantly reduce the germ load. The Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) recommends the refrigerator at least once a month to clean – or immediately if something has leaked or is noticeable. According to studies by Stiftung Warentest, antibacterial coatings from some manufacturers have little effect.
This is how consumers clean the refrigerator correctly:
- Remove all food, shelves and drawers and immediately check the use-by date and whether it has spoiled – anything that has expired is thrown away
- Interior walls, shelves and drawers Wipe down on all sides with hot water and detergent – don’t forget the inside walls and drain
- Glass shelves and removable parts such as bottle holders or egg containers can be cleaned in the sink or dishwasher at a maximum of 60 degrees
- Do not use scouring milk – It roughens plastic surfaces, which promotes germ growth
- Let everything drybefore the food is put away again
- Then wash the cleaning cloth at at least 60 degreesso that germs do not spread in the household
The researchers get to the point: Consumers should take their refrigerator just as seriously as a kitchen worktop. If you clean it regularly, you protect yourself and your family – regardless of whether the device is new or old.
