University of Wisconsin - Extension

MADISON, Wis.-There is one New Year's resolution that you won't regret: cleaning out your home refrigerator! Tales of fuzzy and fermented foods in home refrigerators are common, in fact, as one refrigerator magnet sums up the situation: "If a messy kitchen is a happy kitchen, this place is delirious." Why not consider a New Year's resolution to clean out your refrigerator, and then establish a refrigerator policy for your home to keep it neat and clean throughout 2003, suggests Barbara Ingham, University of Wisconsin-Extension food scientist.

Ingham recommends the following steps for cleaning your refrigerator:

-- Turn off the refrigerator.

-- Remove food from the refrigerator. With a clean cloth, wipe down food containers and place them in a picnic cooler (or other refrigerator) to protect food quality and safety during the cleaning process. Discard foods that are outdated.

-- Remove shelving and vegetable crispers.

-- Clean the interior with a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda and a quart of water and then rinse. Baking soda is an odor free and mildly abrasive cleaner. You may also use one gallon of warm water and dishwashing detergent as a cleaning solution. Use a clean rag or dishcloth to wipe down the inside of the refrigerator and/or freezer. Wash the outside and the top, too. Use a rubber scraper to carefully remove dried spills or food. Do not use a sharp object that might damage the appliance.

-- Remember to clean the condenser coils to keep them dust free. The coils may be on the bottom or rear of the appliance. The use and care manual should explain where they are and how they should be cleaned. The condensate pan below the refrigerator is also a spot that needs special cleaning; if water remains there mold and other organisms can grow. The pan can be removed for cleaning with a multi surface cleaner. Finally, careful cleaning of the gaskets is important to keep them working effectively to keep the cold in.

-- Rinse with clear water.

-- Dry surfaces with a clean towel.

-- Wash and dry shelving and crisper drawers separately.

-- Turn the appliance back on and return the food to the refrigerator.

Ingham has the following food safety recommendations for properly refrigerating foods:

More than two is bad for you! Refrigerate perishable foods so that the total time they're at room temperature is less than two hours. Perishable foods include: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu; dairy products; cooked pasta, rice and vegetables; fresh, peeled and/or cut fruits and vegetables. Ask family members to help refrigerate perishable foods when you get home from the grocery store. Assign someone to refrigerate leftovers when dinner is over.

Get it cool! Let your family know that it's okay to refrigerate foods while they're still warm. Just leave the container cover slightly cracked until the food has cooled. Refrigerate foods in shallow containers (no more than three inches deep) for the quickest cooling.

40 degrees please! Keep your refrigerator between 32F and 40F; temperatures in this range slow bacterial growth. Keep your freezer at 0F or lower, which stops most bacterial growth. Freezing does not kill bacteria. Place a thermometer in your refrigerator and freezer to help monitor the temperature.

Avoid delay, eat within a day! For safety and quality, eat refrigerated leftovers within a day or two. Keep a marking pen and some masking tape handy and encourage family members to label all packaged food that is placed in the refrigerator (or freezer) with a name and date. That way you'll know whom to ask about the three-week old sandwich in the plastic bag at the back of the refrigerator!

When in doubt, toss it out! You can't always see, smell or taste bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Discard any food that you think might be unsafe. Promptly clean up refrigerator spills, so they don't contaminate other foods. Never taste any food that you suspect might be unsafe-that taste might be your last.

For more information about food safety contact your county UW-Extension office or visit the Wisconsin FIRST Web site at http://www.wisc.edu/foodsafety/wisconsin_FIRST/index.htm .

You may also visit the Food Safety and Inspection Service Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov

or the USDA Web site at http://www.foodsafety.gov .