fridge

Refrigeration is vital to keep food fresh and safe.
The low temperature helps keep food fresh and slows down the growth of
harmful micro-organisms.
At the same time it doesn’t modify the characteristics of the food itself.
The correct temperature for a fridge is of 5°C on the middle shelf, however,
the temperature is not the same everywhere in the fridge.
By taking advantage of the various temperatures you can store all your items
in the best possible way.

The coldest place of the fridge is the lowest shelf, above the vegetables drawers (2°C).
This is the most ideal place to store meat and fresh fish.
By placing them on the lowest shelf you also avoid the juices dripping on other foods.

Eggs, dairy products, sliced meats, leftovers, cakes
and products which bear the label “keep refrigerated after opening”
need to be stored in the middle shelves (4-5°C) and on the top one (8°C).

The lowest drawers (up to 10°C) are reserved to fruit and vegetables
that could be damaged by lower temperatures.

The compartments and shelves on the inside of the door are the warmest places in the fridge (10-15°C) and are for products which only need a light refrigeration such as drinks, mustard and butter.

Don’t put too many items in the fridge. If you fill it to the point that there isn’t any room left between the products, the air won’t be able to circulate and the temperature distribution will be compromised. If you let your fridge frost up, it will not work efficiently. And, the more the frost increases, the less room there is. Defrost your fridge regularly and use warm water with a little bit of vinegar to eliminate odours.
Remember that some foods don't need to be refrigerated, actually, they could be harmed by it, like exotic fruits, tomatoes, runner beans, cucumbers and courgettes. Bread goes stale quicker if stored in a fridge. Fruits and vegetables which are still green must be stored at room temperature.
In the Summer the thermostat must be positioned on a lower temperature than in Winter. Make sure that the door of the fridge is always well closed, only open it when it is necessary and close it back as soon as possible.
Wrap or cover the foods to avoid the loss of huimidity and taste. Put left over in clean containers, shallow and with lids. Don't put huge quantities of warm food in the fridge because it will cause the temperature to rise. Leave the food to cool down before, at room temperature (remember all cooked left over must be put in the fridge within 2 hours from when the were first served)
Practice FIFO (Firt-In-First-Out: take out and consume first the food you stored first) Place more recently bought food behind and under the ones already in the fridge. This system will help you use the food before their expiry date and to reduce the quantity of food you'll have to throw away.
Remember that food is safe in the fridge only for the time indicated on the label. If you are in doubt for how long the food has been in the fridge, throw it away. A fridge thermometer could be a great help to make sure that the temperature is always ideal.