We all love to treat ourselves to the various culinary delights that we have prepared ourselves, but then there is the matter of properly storing our meals.
Of course the refrigerator is the best place for them, but should we wait for the meal to cool first and then put it away. All this is important because otherwise you can spoil your fridge and harmful bacteria can form in the food.
Why shouldn't hot food be placed in the fridge?
In our hectic everyday life, we often have to cook in the evening. The majority of people wait for the food to cool down, before putting it in the refrigerator. Sometimes, however, everyone can make a mistake and put the meal that is still hot in the fridge and that way the refrigerator gets damaged over time.
This is what our mothers and grandmothers taught us, but is it actually true?
Yes, this is still true today, but there is one small clarification. If your refrigerator has the function of cooling food, No Frost or GRUB, then you can safely put even hot meals in the refrigerator.
Unfortunately, they are still quite expensive, and not everyone has the latest model of such a device in their home. That is why it can be said that with most refrigerators this is completely prohibited.
In general, it is important to clarify this when buying the appliance, but also to read the instructions for use, where it will also say whether your refrigerator has the function of placing hot in it. However, if your fridge does not possess such smart features, then you may face the following problems.
1. The refrigerator may begin to defrost;
2. Problems with the compressor;
3. Increase in electricity bills;
4. The refrigerator will struggle;
5. Products may spoil as condensation forms.
However, you are probably also wondering why this ban exists, and why you can't put hot in your fridge. And so, as we know, its cooling system is actually pipes through which freon passes most often. In the normal operation of the appliance, it actually works only 10-15% of the time, but if you start putting hot food in it regularly, then it literally starts to struggle and work longer. This way, its service life is significantly shortened.
The other reason is that this creates condensation that accumulates on the inner walls of the appliance, thereby significantly disrupting the operation of the refrigerator. So, in reality, the engine begins to overload, which significantly shortens the life of your fridge. This is exactly why you shouldn't put hot food in your fridge if you don't want it to get damaged.
Based on all this, we can also draw the logical conclusion that before we put the food in the refrigerator, we should cool it down to room temperature, so that the appliance is not damaged. The maximum temperatures of your meals should be 30-35°C, otherwise the service life of your refrigerator is reduced.
