Is it correct to wait until the food is cold before putting it in the refrigerator

I believe many people have this habit: When the leftover food is ready to be refrigerated, they find that their temperature is still relatively high, so they decide to wait and wait until the food is cold before putting it in the refrigerator.

The main reasons are nothing more than two concerns: one is that it will damage the life of the refrigerator; the other is that the food originally stored in the refrigerator will be affected and more likely to deteriorate.

"After we cook and serve the food, its temperature gradually drops. The temperature drop also means that bacteria are slowly growing." According to Dr. Xu Jiechao, studies have found that under normal circumstances, the temperature of the food is lower than At 60 degrees Celsius, bacteria begin to grow, especially when the temperature drops to between 30 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius, the bacteria grow most vigorously.

Because the temperature drops relatively quickly, it will not have much impact on other foods in the refrigerator, and the damage to the refrigerator is relatively small. In Dr. Xu's opinion, putting hot dishes in the refrigerator may have a negative impact, at best, it would consume more electricity.

So, in addition to the leftovers, it’s best to store them in the refrigerator while they are hot. What are the other ways to keep food fresh? Dr. Xu Jiechao puts forward the following points for attention.

First of all, keep raw and cooked separately. Sort cooked food and raw food, and pack them with plastic wrap, fresh-keeping bags, fresh-keeping boxes, etc., to prevent cross-infection and mutual odor between foods. It is recommended to put foods that are eaten directly, such as leftover meals, milk, fruits, etc., on the upper level of the refrigerator, and store raw foods in the lower part of the fresh-keeping cabinet.

Second, try to shorten the storage time. Even in the low temperature environment of the refrigerator, there will still be bacteria breeding. For example, Listeria is a kind of bacteria that is "not afraid of cold". Although not everyone who comes into contact with Listeria through food will get sick, once it becomes ill, it may cause serious consequences, such as cold symptoms, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache, constipation, and persistent fever. Serious infections may even occur. There was sepsis and meningitis. Therefore, don't rely too much on the refrigerator, but increase the fluidity of the ingredients.

It is recommended that leafy vegetables be eaten within 3 days, even if it is more convenient to store melons and fruits, no more than a week. Even the meat in the freezer should not exceed 5 days, and the aquatic product should not exceed 2 days. Try to buy, make, and eat on the same day.

Finally, the refrigerator needs to be cleaned and disinfected regularly. Taking a shower in the refrigerator is very important for household food safety, but it is often overlooked. Dr. Xu Jiechao suggested that the refrigerator at home should be cleaned and disinfected every half a month to a month. You can use 84 disinfectant, etc., and mix it with clean water at a concentration of 1:200 to 300. After scrubbing, wipe it with clean water again.