When it comes to food safety, there are no compromises. The temperature at which you store your food can have a significant impact on how long it lasts and whether or not it’s safe to eat. One commonly asked question is: “Is 45 degrees a safe temperature for a refrigerator?”
The short answer is no, 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 Celsius) is not considered to be in the safe temperature range for refrigeration of perishable foods like raw meats, dairy products, and cooked leftovers. Read on to see why it isn’t.
What should be the ideal fridge temperature?
To understand why this is so, let us first determine what the ideal refrigerator temperature should be. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), keeping your fridge at or below 40°F (4°C) slows down bacterial growth that causes spoilage by reducing enzyme activity in many foods.
Maintaining temperatures below this threshold helps keep bacteria from growing rapidly in your foodstuffs since they need warmth between 40°F (4°C) and -140° F(60°C) to thrive best.
Therefore, setting your refrigerator anywhere between 35-38°F or closer to its mid-range may slow bacterial growth.
However, some sources recommend even colder temperatures within this spectrum. Consumer Reports suggest that optimal refrigeration temp should stay just above freezing at roughly ~34-37 °F (~1-3°C).
As long as you don’t set temperatures too low – below freezing levels – most experts agree that anything around these ranges mentioned will help extend shelf life while preserving the quality and wholesomeness of our perishables without compromising safety standards.
Why Refrigerators Have Temperature Controls
Most modern-day refrigerators come equipped with built-in controls designed specifically to regulate their internal airflow systems regulated by thermal regulators which read off an electronic thermostat connected either by a sensor or a bimetal switch.
The internal airflow systems work to regulate temperature consistency, and this starts from the freezer section and distributes down towards the back of your fridge. This configuration allows for better heat distribution and prevents warm spots from forming (hot zones) that encourage bacterial growth in foods stored within.
It’s thanks to refrigerators’ ability to maintain ideal temperatures that we can store perishables longer without worrying about them going bad before their time.
What Happens When Your Refrigerator Temperature is Set Too High like at 45 degrees Fahrenheit?
When your refrigerator reads higher than recommended temperatures, you risk allowing harmful bacteria to grow rampantly throughout your perishable foods – posing health risks when ingested.
According to experts, storing perished foodstuffs around anything above 40°F(4°C) amplifies conditions suitable for pathogens; they multiply rapidly regardless of spoilage visibly observed on your food items as you consume them in such circumstances.
Here are some things that could happen if your refrigerator temperature is set at 45°F:
Spoilage Begins Rapidly:
Perishable items deteriorate faster as bacteria multiply at an accelerated rate compared to normal microbial growth, leading to the rapid formation of mold on food in the refrigerator.
Mold thrives best within a temperature range of 60-80 °F (15-27 Celsius). When temperatures consistently fluctuate beyond these limits due to events such as prolonged power outages or frequent door openings, the temperatures in the refrigerator drop below the optimal range required for efficient functioning. This creates favorable conditions for mold to grow, even in colder environments.
Food Poisoning Risks Increase Significantly
Assuming higher-than-recommended temperature settings continue unchecked then it’s only a matter of a few hours before what was once fresh now becomes hazardous to our health.
When you store perishable items such as meat, and dairy products at higher temperatures than recommended by FDA safety standards, the microbial load exponentially increases, leading to bacterial growth that leads to foodborne related illnesses.
Furthermore, many harmful bacteria which cause gastroenteritis and other life-threatening diseases do not produce off odors or visually observable spoilage on foods leaving one completely unaware of occurring contamination.
How Can You Tell If Your Refrigerator Temperature Is Too High?
Determining whether your fridge’s temperature settings are too high isn’t always straightforward. Some telltale signs include:
Food Spoilage:
If you’re finding that most – if not all – the food in your fridge appears slimy or has a foul smell than usual, this could be an indication that it’s been sitting around for too long due to improper cooling conditions.
Low Humidity Levels:
A refrigerator with low humidity can have adverse effects on how well foodstuffs fare especially those which rely on moisture retention.
Certain vegetables have specific storage requirements due to their tendency to lose water content more rapidly when exposed to prolonged periods exceeding threshold levels. These thresholds can vary significantly among different plant types within the same family.
For instance, leafy greens will wilt more quickly compared to cucumbers or mushrooms, regardless of the cooling setpoint level maintained, unless additional measures such as absorbent wrappings inside sealed containers are used.
Fluctuating temperature readouts
Most modern refrigeration units feature built-in digital thermometers that display current internal air temperatures. These readings should remain consistent throughout regular use since discrepancies may indicate some malfunction such as a broken thermocouple sensor causing unbalanced heating and cooling between compartments.
How Can You Improve Your Refrigerator’s Cooling Efficiency?
If your fridge isn’t maintaining the ideal temperature range, there are several things you can do to improve its efficiency:
Check Coolant Levels:
The refrigerant (commonly known as Freon) plays an integral role in ensuring that air flowing throughout the fridge is circulated correctly through interior coils. Low coolant levels could mean slow performance issues
Set Temperatures Lower
Lowering temps closer to optimal parameters recommended within FDA guidelines ensures longevity and hardens protein matrix layers helping preserve food quality while safeguarding against bacterial activity development.
Ensure checking thermostat calibration readings to ensure accurate measurements throughout different areas of appliance sections to avoid creating hot spots inside the fridge.
Frequent Cleaning
It is important to regularly clean the refrigerator whenever possible. This includes removing any expired produce from the vegetable drawers and promptly wiping up spills before they become sticky and harder to clean.
It is recommended to follow the cleaning intervals outlined in the appliance manual, paying close attention to both the interior and exterior surfaces, especially around the door seals. These areas can harbor bacteria growth and are known culprits for contamination episodes that require improvement.
Airflow adjustments
Ensuring proper airflow circulation is crucial for the efficient distribution of cold air across all shelves within the refrigerator. Placing items in a way that obstructs airflow can lead to decreased cooling performance, resulting in temperature fluctuations and reduced overall efficiency.
This can have a negative impact on the lifespan and usage expectancy of the refrigerator over time. Additionally, if the airflow is restricted for extended periods, it can cause damage and rust to the integrated wires that connect the panel and the thermostats responsible for regulating the refrigeration units’ freezing capabilities.
Conclusion
While 45 degrees Fahrenheit may not seem like it’s too high, it is a temperature that should be avoided. It can encourage bacterial growth and lead to food spoilage, which poses health risks.
Thus, refrigerators’ optimal temperatures for storing perishable foods conforming to safety standards are around 37-38°F (2-3°C) as frequently mentioned by different experts in various fields of human ecology.
To begin on the right track, it is advisable to take measures such as using digital devices to monitor the internal air temperatures of your refrigerator. These devices can be mounted interchangeably across all sections of the fridge.
It is important to prioritize proper maintenance tasks and schedule service intervals with certified technicians who have experience in managing HVAC systems. This approach would lay a solid foundation for optimal fridge performance and longevity.
