Many people treat their refrigerator as a "food sterilizer" at home, believing that food stored in the refrigerator is hygienic. In fact, because a refrigerator is used for long-term food storage and is not cleaned frequently, it can breed many bacteria.

The common refrigeration temperature for food preservation is between 4°C and 8°C. At this temperature, the growth rate of most bacteria slows down. However, some bacteria are psychrophilic, such as Yersinia and Listeria, which can actually multiply rapidly at this temperature. Consuming food infected with these bacteria can cause intestinal diseases.

In the freezer of a refrigerator, the temperature is generally around -18°C. At this temperature, most bacteria are inhibited or killed, so storing food here has a better preservative effect.

However, freezing does not equal complete sterilization, as some bacteria with strong cold resistance can survive. Therefore, from another perspective, if a refrigerator is not disinfected regularly, it can instead become a "breeding ground" for some bacteria.

The storage time for any food in the refrigerator should not be too long. It is best to buy and eat it as soon as possible. Long storage time not only affects the freshness of the food but also can easily produce odors. Some fruits, such as bananas and apples, can also spoil easily if left for too long, and once spoiled, they can release a gas that is harmful to the human body. Also, do not store too much food in the refrigerator, as this can cause the outer temperature of the food to be low while the inner temperature remains high, leading to spoilage.