Q: What is the proper temperature for your refrigerator?


 A: Refrigerators should stay at 41 °F (5 °C) or less. A temperature of 41 °F (5 °C) or less is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature won't kill the bacteria, but it will keep them from multiplying, and the fewer there are, the less likely you are to get sick from them.

Freezing at zero °F (minus 18 °C) or less stops bacterial growth (although it won't kill all bacteria already present).

 

Source: Excerpted from FDA Consumer, November 1996 update: Can Your Kitchen Pass the Food Safety Test?

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