Foodies Beware: Your fridge might be dirtier than your toilet seat
Research has found that the door of the fridge is the dirtiest as the warm temperature in that region acts as a perfect breeding spot for bacteria.
With the cases of bacterial infections and flu on the rise, a new research has made a shocking revelation that will shock all the germophobes out there because as per this new research, your fridge might be the dirtiest object in your house which is contradictory to the popular belief that the toilet seat is the dirtiest object in the house.
According to this study, parts of your refrigerator can be up to three times dirtier than your toilet seat. The research, conducted by food hygiene experts at High Speed Training analysed swabs from different areas of the fridge and also found that the door of the fridge is the dirtiest as the warm temperature in that region acts as a breeding spot for bacteria. This bacteria is then transmitted to humans hrough air, water, food, or living vectors. The principal modes of transmission of bacterial infection are contact, airborne, droplet, vectors, and vehicular.
“Typically, bacteria thrive and grow in warmer temperatures and therefore it’s a perfect breeding ground for germs,” Natasha Blythe, Learning Designer and Food Hygiene Expert at High Speed Training told Express UK. Blythe also said that bacterial invasion could also take place because of incorrect food storage, which includes spillage, and dirty hands which touch the fridge door often.
The experts also believe that foods such as milk should be kept at the back of the fridge where it is the coldest and also because it can get spoilt when the doors open frequently. Meanwhile, foods such as jam, mayonnaise, ketchup and other jars and bottles should be kept in the front.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bacterial infections affect your skin, lungs, brain, blood, and other parts of your body. Common bacterial diseases include UTIs, food poisoning, STIs, and some skin, sinus, and ear infections which doctors often treat with antibiotics.
Common bacterial that cause infections include:
• Salmonella which causes food poisoning
• Cellulitis, impetigo, which causes skin issues
• Pneumococcal disease, including ear and sinus infections and some types of pneumonia.
• Lyme disease, spread by ticks
• Bacterial vaginosis is an overgrowth of bacteria in your vagina
• Strep throat is a bacterial infection common in children that causes a sore throat
• C. diff, is an infection in your intestines
Common signs of bacterial infection are: high fever, chills, fatigue and tiredness, headache, redness of skin, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting and breathlessness.
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