The Danger Of Leaving Spoiled Food In Your Fridge

We've all found ourselves eyeing a suspicious container of leftover food or a sad-looking piece of fruit in our fridge and thought to ourselves, "I'll toss it tomorrow." Tomorrow comes, and the thought process repeats. But is this practice just distasteful, or actually harmful? As it turns out, leaving spoiled food in your fridge can compromise other food items in there, as spoilage and mold can spread quickly, especially in a small enclosed space such as the fridge.

Most of us recognize a food item has gone bad when it has significantly changed in color, texture, and smell. Bad odor, sour taste, slimy texture, and visible mold growth are all clear signs you should throw out your food. According to the FDA, the best practice is to discard the food that appears spoiled. While nobody likes to throw away food, sometimes it's unavoidable, as not throwing it out could put more items in your fridge at risk. This is especially the case when it comes to mold, which naturally thrives in moist conditions. There's a lot more to mold than just the fuzzy bits we see on top of spoiled food — it also has thin roots and branches that are hiding deep inside the food. Mold can easily spread to other food items it comes in contact with, especially those with a higher moisture content: fruits, vegetables, meat, and leftovers — foods you can't salvage once they grow mold.

While it's true that refrigeration slows down the spoilage, it doesn't completely stop it. The best way to ensure the items in your fridge don't expire before their time is by storing food at the right temperature and by regularly cleaning your fridge. The USDA notes 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below as the most optimum fridge temperature. Even so, the degrees inside the fridge are bound to fluctuate as you open and close it, especially in the door compartment. For that reason, eggs, meat, and other perishables shouldn't be stored in the doors, as they can spoil faster.

A dirty fridge is bacteria's playground, so wipe any spills immediately and store leftovers in airtight containers. Storing food uncovered won't help it stay fresh and could promote the spread of spoilage, so always cover food. Create a routine of doing a weekly fridge inventory where you check all the items and toss the ones that look or smell a bit suspicious. It's also good to keep general guidance in mind for how long certain food items can be safely stored in the fridge. For example, cooked leftovers shouldn't be kept longer than four days, and you can refer to a more specific USDA chart that lists definite information for different types of food.