Domestic Refrigeration Practices with Emphasis on Hygiene: Analysis of a Survey and Consumer Recommendations

Abstract

A Web-enabled survey was conducted to improve knowledge of home refrigeration practices of French consumers (n = 809), with an emphasis on hygiene, and this information was used to establish recommendations. The survey targeted a convenience sample of working people. Analysis of the survey responses revealed that efforts should be directed toward improvement of microbiological control measures. Only 37% of respondents made sure the temperature in their refrigerator was 4 degrees C or below. Only 37% of respondents reported that they systematically wrapped food. Sponges, known to be frequently highly contaminated, were used by 89% of the respondents to clean their refrigerator, which indicates the need to recommend disinfection of sponges before they are used for cleaning. Twenty-seven percent of respondents used sodium hypochlorite (bleach), but it was applied without previous cleaning (21% of the users) or in the commercial concentrated form (7% of the users). The permanent presence of water condensation on the shelves was noted by 2% of respondents, suggesting imperfect closure of the door, with a consequence of higher energy consumption and water available for microbial circulation and growth. Thus, an important recommendation is to check the door gaskets and to ensure the tight closure of the door. Seventy percent of the respondents declared that they never put warm or hot food in the refrigerator. However, many people, when orally questioned, acknowledged that they leave dishes at ambient temperature overnight before putting them in the refrigerator. It therefore is essential to recommend that perishable food not be left for more than 2 h at ambient temperature.

Factors impacting microbial load of food refrigeration equipment

“…This is corroborated by our webenabled survey (Lagendijk et al, 2008) which showed that AFSSA staff members (n ¼ 313) neither checked the temperature of their refrigerator nor cleaned it more often than the other respondents (n ¼ 496). SOCs are colder and cleaned and disinfected more frequently (at least once a week) than DRs.…”

“…According to a previous study showing that AFSSA (French Food Safety Agency) staff was not significantly different from other respondents regarding hygiene practices (Lagendijk, Assere, Derens, & Carpentier, 2008), AFSSA staff members were again asked to participate to the study and 23 DRs belonging to staff members or their relatives were investigated. Six SOCs from six supermarkets in the Paris region (France) were also investigated.…”

“…Presence or absence of food traces and water condensation on the surface were recorded before swabbing. DR owners also answered general questions about their refrigerator; these questions, taken from a web-enabled survey (Lagendijk et al, 2008), included the type of refrigerator, its defrosting method and cleaning frequency.…”

Consumer Responsibility for Food Safety

“…However, absolute food safety cannot be ensured or guaranteed, no matter how good, functional, controlled and checked is the system by which food is produced (Lagendijk et al, 2008). The final, controlled segment of the food chain is the retail section, or those sections where ready-to-eat food is made available to the consumer (e.g., catering).…”

Teaching microbiological food safety through case studies

“…. using survey data (James, Evans, & James, 2008;Lagendijk, Assere, Derens, & Carpentier, 2008). For example, pasteurized milk, which is supposed to be contaminated with 1 Bacillus cereus spore per gram, can be stored 2 days at 4°C in the factory, 2 days at 7°C at the retail and a few days in the consumer's fridge.…”