A recent survey has shown that many Brits are not following food storage advice
Many Brits have their own preferences about where to store certain food items, such as whether ketchup should be kept in the fridge or not, and if eggs belong there. However, a recent study has revealed that there are some rules that aren’t being adhered to by many, putting millions at serious risk of food poisoning.
The research uncovered some worrying trends regarding how people organise their fridge contents, but proper fridge organisation is ‘essential’ for preventing illness. The survey, conducted by white goods and tech retailer Currys, questioned 2,000 people about their fridge habits.
It found that over one in five (23 per cent) were unaware that the recommended fridge temperature is 0-5C, as advised by the Food Standards Agency. Furthermore, 42 per cent confessed to not regularly checking their fridge temperature, suggesting that potentially millions across the UK are exposing themselves to the risk of food poisoning, reports the Daily Record.
In terms of specific storage practices, 61 per cent admitted they didn’t know that it’s not advisable to store dairy products, like milk, in the fridge door. This is because it’s typically the warmest part of the appliance, with the temperature varying each time the door is opened and closed.
Furthermore, 22 per cent of respondents were also unaware that raw meat should be stored on the bottom shelf of the fridge, and a third confessed to consuming meat from the refrigerator without being completely certain it was safe to eat. In this instance, men are almost twice as prone to this behaviour compared to women, with 41 per cent of males eating meat they weren’t sure was safe, versus 26 per cent of females.
The research also questioned UK residents about their preferred storage locations for various consumable products, some of which spark disagreements. For instance, despite labels on tomato ketchups (such as Heinz) stating that once opened they should be “refrigerated and consumed within eight weeks”, 40 per cent of people keep theirs in a cupboard rather than the fridge.
The food item causing the most confusion regarding proper storage proved to be eggs. Examining Google searches across the UK, there are more than 31,000 searches for “should I keep eggs in the fridge”, representing a 26 per cent increase from the previous year.
The survey found that 43 per cent of Britons store their eggs outside the refrigerator, with 27 per cent keeping them directly on the worktop and 16 per cent opting to store them in the cupboard.
According to the Food Standards Agency, individuals should “Store eggs in a cool, dry place, ideally in the fridge and keep them apart from other foods.” Since kitchen temperatures fluctuate with the weather and when cooking appliances are in use, keeping eggs on the worktop could compromise their quality.