Even the most health-conscious people are likely storing some potentially toxic items in your fridge, experts warn.
Many know of the dangers of keeping tinned goods, unsealed raw meat and fish — but there are some unsuspecting items that could cause health problems.
Food scientists strongly recommend keeping ginger, garlic, onions, cucumbers, and colorful peppers on the counter.
Sticking those foods in the fridge encourages mold growth and changes their textures from crisp and fresh to limp and rubbery.
The type of mold that can grow on some refrigerated foods is highly toxic.
Onions and garlic that have been in the fridge can grow black mold, which could potentially lead to kidney damage, lung infections, fungal ear infections, and allergic reactions.
Ginger, meanwhile, can sprout fuzzy patches of Penicillium brevicompactum. If the spores are inhaled, they can cause respiratory problems.
If eaten, they can suppress the immune system, cause gastrointestinal distress, and potentially cause liver toxicity.
Food scientists highly suggest storing ginger, garlic, onions, cucumbers, and colorful peppers on the counter. Refrigerating these items can promote mold growth and cause their textures to shift from crisp and fresh to soft and rubbery
Alliums, which include garlic and onions, don’t require refrigeration if stored in a cool, dry place with temperatures no higher than about 65 degrees. Onions can grow black mold, which exacerbates asthma
Garlic & Onions
Alliums – the group to which garlic and onions belong – don’t need to be refrigerated if kept in a cool, dry area not exceeding roughly 65 degrees.
That’s only if they’ve not been peeling or sliced, though. Once they have been, food scientists recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The cold, humid environment in a fridge converts the starches in alliums into sugars, turning them soft and soggy faster.
Dr Margarethe Cooper, an expert in food safety and microbiology at the University of Arizona, said: ‘If stored in an area of your home that is cool, with good ventilation, and dry, whole onions can have a shelf life of three months or even up to six months, provided they are dry, firm, with skins intact, and not sprouting.’
She added that they should be removed from bags: ‘If you leave whole onions in a grocery bag without air circulation, it will reduce shelf life by keeping moisture in and encouraging spoilage microbes to grow, such as mold.
‘High levels of moisture can also lead onions to sprout. If the bag you purchased or stored the onions in from the store is airtight, transfer them to a mesh bag or container that allows air circulation.’
Refrigerated garlic can also sprout green stems after a few days, drastically shortening its shelf life. It can also become bitter, altering the taste of your favorite recipes, though health risks are minimal.
Ginger
Whole, unpeeled ginger can last for weeks when stored in a cool, dry place. Excess moisture can promote mold or bacteria growth, leading to faster spoilage
Cold, humid conditions can cause unpeeled ginger to become rubbery and even moldy over time.
The cold can also dull ginger’s spicy, pungent flavor, impacting the food with which it is cooked.
In a cool, dry spot, whole unpeeled ginger will keep for weeks. Too much moisture can speed up the growth of mold or bacteria and encourage speedier spoiling.
Mold spores on ginger can trigger sneezing, congestion, rashes, or worsened asthma if breathed in.
Some molds, when ingested, can lead to nausea and other GI issues, liver and kidney damage, and immune suppression.
Mold produces mycotoxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, which are, according to the World Health Organization, ‘amongst the most poisonous mycotoxins.’
According to the WHO, the most notable effect of Ochratoxin A ‘is kidney damage, but the toxin may also have effects on fetal development and on the immune system.’
Cucumber
Cucumbers are sensitive to cold, humid conditions and can suffer from “chilling injury,” resulting in soft spots and a watery texture that accelerates rotting
Cucumbers are sensitive to cold, humid environments and are prone to developing ‘chilling injury’ – soft spots and a watery texture that speeds up rotting.
Their flavor is best preserved by keeping them at room temperature on the kitchen counter, though the shelf life drops down to only a few days.
Refrigeration might accelerate cucumbers’ decay, especially when stored in an airtight container where condensation can build up.
The damp environment is ideal for mold growth, especially if the cucumbers are already on the softer side.
Harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli can proliferate on a rotting cucumber.
Cucumbers are also sensitive to the ethylene gas emitted by ripening fruits, such as apples, bananas, pears, kiwis, and tomatoes. This can accelerate the rotting of cukes stored nearby.
But if you insist on chilling your cucumbers, limit it to no more than three days and eat them as soon as possible.
Colorful peppers
The cold, damp conditions of a refrigerator cause bell peppers to become soft and watery
Colorful bell peppers lose their crispness in the fridge by destroying their cellular structure.
The cold, humid environment of a refrigerator causes them to turn into a soft, watery mess.
Unless they’ve been cut, refrigeration isn’t necessary. They should be stored in a cool, dry place.
Maddy Rotman, head of sustainability at Imperfect Foods, said: ‘Humidity is the key here, as too much moisture can cause bell peppers to lose their crunch.
‘Try a pantry or a cabinet shelf.’
Honorable mentions
Although the instinct may be to put any opened jar of honey in the fridge, cold honey can crystallize and solidify
To avoid white, blotchy patches on your chocolate, keep it out of the fridge. These ‘blooms’ form when moisture dissolves the sugar, leaving behind a gritty white residue as it evaporates
Similar to bell peppers, tomatoes can be ruined by refrigeration. However, the best tomatoes, already sliced, maintain their taste best at room temperature.
Honey can also stay on the countertop. Although the instinct may be to put any opened jar in the fridge, cold honey can crystallize and solidify.
Berries are also best kept outside of the fridge.
They spoil faster in cold, humid conditions, so a cool, dry alternative is best.
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And if you prefer your chocolate without white, blotchy patches on the surface, keep it out of the fridge.
These white ‘blooms’ result from moisture forming on the chocolate’s surface and dissolving the sugar. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind a gritty, white residue.
Chocolate with blooms on its surface is safe to eat, but the texture becomes gritty and waxy.
