The key to a healthy diet is eating a wide variety of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, and more, but experts say another key to your good health is to separate these foods while you’re storing them in the fridge, so they don’t contaminate each other and harbor harmful bacteria.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) You risk every time you put one type of food on the top shelf of the fridge, making one simple mistake in storage can spread dangerous bacteria, leading to serious foodborne illnesses. bestlife“.
Do not store raw meat on the top shelf
Raw meat is one of the most common causes of food contamination, so experts say you should be careful when storing it in the refrigerator, warns the CDC. CDC From “storing fruits and vegetables far away and not next to or below raw meat, poultry, and seafood, these items can drip juices that may contain germs.”
And if you’re looking for other ways to prevent cross-contamination, always keep the meat in its original packaging until you use it, and consider packing it in an extra plastic bag or using a leak-proof plastic container..
Serious foodborne illness:
If you are in the habit of storing your food together in the refrigerator, you risk serious foodborne illness. This is because raw meat, poultry, and seafood can contain salmonella, listeria, Clostridium perfringens, and more. These symptoms can cause stomach cramps Fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and so on.
Taking extra precautions helps protect you:
While separating food in the refrigerator is essential, experts say there are other ways to help ensure the safe handling of animal products in your refrigerator. Make sure you use separate cutting boards for raw meat and vegetables, and don’t return cooked meat to the dish that previously contained raw meat. Make sure to wash and sanitize cutting boards, work surfaces, and utensils after handling meat.
Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends (CDC) Never wash raw meat before cooking it. Washing raw meat, chicken, turkey, or eggs can spread germs to your sink, countertops and other surfaces.