Refrigeration will dramatically inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria on many types of prepared and cooked foods. It is usually advised to refrigerate foods at a temperature between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit (between 1 °C and 3 °C). While refrigeration can decrease spoilage on many different kinds of foods, it is not recommended for every edible item in the kitchen. Colder temperatures can change the texture and taste of many foods, and sometimes even the nutritional value. The following information describes 35 foods you should not put in the fridge and the reasons why they are best left out at room temperature.
Coffee
Bread
Tomatoes
Basil
Eggplant
Avocados
Onions
Garlic
Honey
Peanut Butter
Ketchup
Olive oil
Oranges
Papaya
Potatoes
Pickles
Vinegar
Donuts
Mustard
Aged Cheese
Sealed Tuna
Molasses
Banana
Chocolate
Cucumbers
Cereal
Pumpkins
Watermelons
Apples
Spices
Pears
Hot Peppers
Beef Jerky
Soy Sauce
Eggs
Flour
Where EGGSACTLY do eggs belong? If you grew up somewhere in the U.K. or Europe, you might answer “countertop,” but if you grew up in the US, you probably said “the fridge!” So who’s right?
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- Why Americans choose to chill. Most Americans automatically refrigerate eggs, and there’s a good EGGSplanation. Statistics supplied by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) show that about 142,000 illnesses each year are attributed to consuming eggs with Salmonella. American chicken farmers are not required by law to vaccinate their hens against Salmonella; consequently, only about one third of all farmers choose to vaccinate. The best way to prevent this food-borne illness is by refrigerating the eggs. In a carton in the fridge, eggs should safely last four to five weeks without a noticeable decrease in quality – according to recommendations by the American Egg Board. (Read How Old are Your Eggs.) Another factor in the fridge EGGSplanation is that washing eggs is a standard American practice – which seems logical. After all, Salmonella is spread EGGSternally by poop on the outside of the egg or internally through an infected hen’s reproductive system. Once washed, American eggs are stripped of their natural protection. When a hen lays an egg, she coats it with a layer of liquid – the cuticle – that dries quickly and serves as an effective barrier to possible contaminants (like Samonella.) Vulnerable, washed eggs need to be refrigerated.
- Why the Brits (and others) don’t. British law requires that all hens be vaccinated against Salmonella thanks in part to an egg scare in 1988. Since then, the Department of Health has taken precautionary measures to prevent another Salmonella outbreak. And many European countries have adopted similar standards. Additionally, washing eggs is illegal in many European countries, and their E.U. egg regulations recognize an egg’s natural cuticle’s ability to keep bacteria from getting in through the shell. So now you know why it’s common to see eggs stored at room temperature in grocery stores in the U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland and many other countries.
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