Background and Purpose: Consumers often think that food is safe when
stored in refrigerators at 4°C. However, food can still spoil and cause
foodborne illness, which is one of the most important health challenges.
The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating bacterial and
fungal contamination in domestic refrigerators.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 domestic refrigerators were
examined. First, microbial plates including blood agar and Saburo were placed
on the refrigerator shelves for one hour. Then the bacterial cultures were
incubated for 48 hours at 36°C and the fungal cultures were incubated for 5
days at 28°C and the colonies were counted. Finally, in order to check the level
of contamination of the refrigerator surfaces, treated samples were prepared
from the surface of the refrigerator shelves using moist sterile swabs.
Results: Based on the results, 100% bacterial contamination and 58% fungal
contamination were observed in the air of household refrigerators, and the
amount of bacterial and fungal contamination on the surface of domestic
refrigerators was 4.7-8.9 and 3.6-7.2 (log CFU/cm2) respectively
Conclusion: As seen in this study, bacteria enter food through unwashed
hands, raw foods, leaking packaging, unwashed shelves, refrigerator surfaces,
and long-term storage of food in the refrigerator. Therefore, if refrigerators
are not maintained properly, they become a place for the growth of
microorganisms and directly and indirectly contaminate the refrigerator and
food and make people sick