Revealed: The correct temperature to set your fridge this Christmas to help prevent food poisoning
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It's one of the best parts of the Christmas holidays. But the government's food watchdog says your plate of leftover Christmas dinner could be putting you and your family at risk of food poisoning. By storing leftovers at the wrong temperature, many people are letting harmful bacteria tuck into their own Christmas feast creating a potential health hazard.
![[According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), your fridge needs to be set to at least 5°C (41°F) or lower to store food safely. However, your freezer needs to be at least -18°C (-0.4°F) to completely stop the development of germs (stock image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/10/93453023-14224005-image-a-3_1735036256685.jpg)
So, what is the right temperature to set your fridge to this Christmas?. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), your fridge needs to be set to at least 5°C (41°F) or lower to store food safely. The agency warns that you should be checking your fridge's temperature at least once per week using a thermometer.
![[Experts have said that leftovers should be stored in the top section of the fridge away from the fresh meat. But the FSA warns not to leave leftovers any longer than two days before eating them]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/24/10/92078907-14224005-Experts_from_Which_have_revealed_the_correct_spot_for_every_sing-a-4_1735036268182.jpg)
If your fridge is warmer than you expect, the food could go off faster and become unsafe to eat before you have a chance to enjoy it. Robin May, Chief Scientific Advisor at the FSA: 'Don’t be a turkey - our new data shows us that people are taking some unnecessary and avoidable risks in the way they cook, prepare and store food.'.
It might be one of the best parts of Christmas, but the Government's food watchdog has warned that your leftover turkey could put you at risk of food poisoning if you're fridge isn't the right temperature (stock image). According to a survey by the FSA, many Britons are putting themselves in danger of food poisoning during the holidays.
This is especially true when it comes to leftovers since any time spent outside of the fridge allows bacteria to start growing. The FSA says almost half of Britons are playing 'buffet roulette' by leaving food out of the fridge and eating it a few hours later.
